#Reverse Camera Input

[caraudioexpertaustralia0]

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[mogruith]

BG3 Photomode Tutorial #3: Otis_Inf Camera Tools

Chapter 0: Overview

Chapter 1: Script Extender Debug Console

Chapter 2: Scene Manipulation

Chapter 2.5: More Scene Manipulation

Chapter 3: Otis_Inf Camera Tools

Supplement: Mods and Resources

Instead of talking about ReShade, I'm going to talk about the awesome Otis_Inf BG3 Camera Tools. These will allow you to pause the game, move the camera around, and add some depth of field effects using ReShade and an addon.

If you want to know about ReShade and basically have a video version of what I'm going to cover, check this video here. This video is where I learned pretty much everything about these tools. If you like watching over reading, go for that!

What you need to use these tools:

ReShade - @moriarfer reported some issues with 6.4.1 (latest as of this post) and downgraded to 6.3.3 to resolve that issue. If you're worried, download from that 6.3.3 link (links to the ReShade site.) Either way, you should grab the "Addon" version for IGCS.

Otis_Inf Baldur's Gate III Photomode Tools v1.0.23 (latest as of this post) - It's behind a Patreon for $5.50 USD a month. Note that sometimes it breaks after a major update and Patch 8 is Soon (tm) so ... buyer beware.

IgcsConnector - note that when you install ReShade, you can select IgcsConnector as an addon when you go through the wizard. However, you can also download it from here: IGCS Connector - I personally use v2.5.1 but 2.5.2 should be fine if you're running ReShade 3.x. If you're running ReShade 4.x, go for 2.5.3. Scroll to the bottom to see your options.

Installing ReShade

For installing ReShade, I recommend that video, but the Wizard guides you through it pretty easily. If you don't know what shaders to get, stay tuned for another post on that. There is one configuration you may have to make if you've never got ReShade working in BG3 before, and that's the Depth settings.

Installing IGCS

The video also covers IGCS but truth be told, it's easy to install manually if you didn't do it with the ReShade Wizard. Download that zip for IGCS and extract it to your Baldur's Gate folder. If you installed ReShade with the wizard, it will likely have a structure like I have. If you didn't, it may be slightly different.

ReShade Depth Settings

When you run ReShade for the first time in BG3, you may need to configure the Depth settings. This is easy to do if you have the DisplayDepth shader installed. It should be installed by default, if I recall.

Toggle that on and check your settings: just make sure that the Reshade Depth Input is Reversed. You can check if it looks okay - a setup with characters in a foreground should look like this while DisplayDepth is toggled on:

Make sure to uncheck DisplayDepth when you're done so the game looks normal.

Camera Tools!

At last! The fun stuff!

There's no "installing" them. You extract archive and you have a standalone program that injects code to unlock the camera. As such, it may be flagged as a virus by certain virus scanners. Be assured, if you got it from the Patreon, it is safe.

For best results, run the tools (IGCSClient.exe) after you've started BG3 and at least loaded the start menu. And then press Inject DLL. Once you do that successfully, the button will change from "Inject DLL" to "Re-Hook XInput".

I personally use the keyboard/mouse, but it is possible to configure the buttons with a controller under "Gamepad button bindings". I will not be teaching you that, however.

Let's start with the essentials to take a single shot. I use the default keyboard settings so I'll be using those.

You can start a scene or just find a nice place or animation in the game you like and set up a shot. Once you find a shot you like, press 0 on the NumPad to freeze time.

I'm going to have my Tav, Coranzan, hug his sister, Z'ress so I'll pause it mid-animation so I can take as many shots as I like from as many angles as I like.

I've frozen time and the default camera shows this, which isn't particularly interesting to me.

Here's some default controls for your reference:

TL;DR:

8456 on NumPad is WASD

7 and 9 on NumPad is Up/Down

1 and 3 on NumPad Rotate Left/Right

2 on Numpad resets rotation

Up/Down/Left/Right arrows on Keyboard Rotate the Camera

NumPad + and - Increases and Decreases FoV

NumPad 0 Pauses/Unpauses

Delete on Keyboard Removes the HUD

So I let's press Insert to unlock the camera and used Up/Down/Left/Right arrows and 8/4/5/6 on NumPad to move the camera to their side.

This is okay, let's work with this. I would like them to be a bigger focus in the shot. So I'm going to Increase the FoV with + on the NumPad until I get what I like. I'll have to adjust with a Arrow Keys and 8/4/5/6 NumPad as I do that.

Alright this is okay. Let's make the backdrop nice and soft. By default you need to open ReShade using Home. By default you should get something like this, which may vary depending on your settings - don't worry about that too much for now. For now got ahead and click on the Addons Tab and then click Start depth-of-field session.

Depending on the settings, your game might look really blurry - don't worry, that's normal:

Most of the settings I do not regularly change, so if you want to copy the numbers as a starting point and slowly modify them, you totally can. But this will get very long if I get into each of the settings. So here's my "quick and dirty" depth of field settings. Some settings like Blur Type may drastically increase the time that it takes to render a shot, as a heads up.

Let's focus on a couple numbers for now:

Max bokeh size: This is basically the amount of "blur" you want to add to distant objects. If you increase the number, the double-images get further apart. If they're VERY part apart, the background will be EXTREMELY blurry.

Focus delta x: This controls the plane where the image maintains focus. If you increase the number, the foreground characters/objects will slowly come into focus. If you go too far, they will lose focus again. So we need a tool to help us with that to ensure details stay focused: The magnifier.

Magnifier: Check Show Magnifier and adjust the location numbers to change its left/right, up/down values. Pick something to focus on like an eye or some other tiny detail. Now adjust the magnification factor to zoom in on that detail.

I know Coran's tattoo pretty well so I'm going to get these two points from his tattoo to line up:

So I just need to modify the Focus Delta X to line them up like so:

Now that we've done that, we can see that their faces are nice and clear but there's double images for the fireflies and the like. These will become nice soft blurry bubbles when we render the shot.

So now you're going to want to click the Start Render button at the bottom of this section:

Once you click on that a bar should appear in the top left and the double-images should disappear. It should start blurring the background more as the meter increases.

And once it's done, you can simply press the ScreenShot key and it shoulder render a screenshot using ReShade. If I recall correctly, this will be the Baldur's Gate III executable folder, but if you click the Settings tab, you can change it.

The resulting screenshot should be nice and soft in the background and focused in the foreground with perhaps a bit of smoothing on features like hair:

Before rendering:

After rendering:

Some other options I'll go over briefly:

Hot sampling: This gives you the ability to resize the window beyond what you monitor can see for extremely high resolution shots. I generally don't do this unless I want to do a detail shot like an extreme closeup or some mark/scar or something.

Configuration: If it's taking you WAY too long to move the camera because you increased the FoV to zoom way in, slide the options in the left column around, it really helps.

Image Adjustments: check Higher LODs for distant objects to have better rendering.

And that covers most of the tools. I may add another couple supplementary posts after this of some mods that I use and the shaders that I use in ReShade.

But for now, I believe I have at least briefly covered the major points, but it could be that I've glossed over some details. If you're struggling, please let me know.

Thanks for reading! Please send me any questions and I'll be happy to help in the comments, DMs, Discord, or whatever you need!

[kineticpenguin]

Soooo. Rebirth.

In each region, you need to get a chocobo. After the normal chocobos, each one has a regional gimmick. So far, the one that I cannot stand is the one for the desert around Cosmo Canyon: It glides.

Which isn't a problem, except the control scheme is dogshit. For one thing, the stick inputs are reversed: on an airplane, you pull back to pitch the nose up, push in to push the nose down. It's backwards here.

Normally, one stick controls the camera and the other controls character/vehicle/ride movement. NOT WHEN GLIDING! They're both flight controls. I have plummeted to the earth many a time just trying to adjust the camera so I can see what the fuck I'm doing.

Also, if you manage to avoid fucking any of all that up, you have to hold the right trigger down the whole time or your chocobo will, once again, plummet to return to the Planet. None of this can be rebound or changed in any way in the settings.

[volno]

Hello! I've been playing around with some bg3 (3D) fanart and I just wanted to say your texture toolbox is absolutely game-changing. Thank you so much for building it! Even just looking through how the skin shader works has been fantastic for learning more about shading systems

I also wanted to ask, if I wanted to, for experimentation sake, similarly reverse engineer a game shader, say just for skin or clothes or whatever - where would I... begin to look at how the in-game shaders are constructed? I know that's kind of a huge question, so no problem at all if you can't answer, I just wanted to give it a shot.

Thanks again!

heya! I'm always glad to hear that people have been enjoying the toolbox. Initially, everything I made was based off of guess work, then later on, Norbyte gave me some decompiled versions of the shaders which I then had to basically translated from GLSL into Blender nodes, which was its own challenge. But thankfully, with the toolkit released, we now have a much easier option: the Material Editor.

To open up an existing Material in the editor, right click on it and select the 'Open in editor' option. The editor is node based, just like Blender's editor, but goes from right to left instead of left to right. Its also currently broken! (yay) because of this you won't be able to compile any materials, you'll also notice that the material preview is broken, so that's fun. There isn't really a viable way around any of this until Larry Anne™ fixes it, but thankfully all you need the editor for is to see how the material is put together.

Now that you've got the shader graph open, you can begin the task of replicating it in Blender; word of advice, not everything has a Blender equivalent. You will inevitably have to take some artistic liberties with it. But, I've already done some of the hard work for you, under the tab you'll find the notes I made while remaking the hair shader, hope this helps!

Toolkit on the left, Blender on the right:

Lerp = mix node

Component mask = separate rgb/xyz

Negate = multiply node (A) = -1.0 (B) = var

Remap = map range

Smooth step = also map range (set to smooth step)

Colour ramp with a LUT input = god fucking help you

Camera Vector = Camera Data (?)

Transform direction = vector transform

world normal = texture coordinates object info plugged into a vector transform node set to normal, object, world

Dither Temporal AA Node = there is no god here

When a clamp(0.0, 1.0) is needed you just need to tick the 'clamp' box on the node in blender. Other wise you can use the clamp node. If its a vector, you will need to separate the xyz cords, then clamp each of them, before combining the cords again.

Blender has separate math nodes for vectors and floats, vector math nodes don't have the same amount of option as floats + don't support vec4s*. You will need to make use of the separate xyz node when required. For operations on vec4s, do all of the operations via the vec3 vector math nodes, and have an additional float value for the missing vector follow along and copy the operations done on the vec3s like some sort of node pilot fish.

*blender does use vec4s but only for colour nodes. You can't actually access or do anything with that 4th vector though. When a vector output is plugged into a colour input, blender adds an additional a hidden alpha channel to the colour. When a colour output is plugged into a vector input, this hidden alpha channel is discarded.

[itsahotminuteinbetween]

urg had other questions abt the truman au wowowowow

what abt eclipse? would there be an eclipse in this au ??? would he be trapped w sun or just as aware as moon???

ALSO, urrrmm are they separated in this au? Are they separated in the digital rendition and one body in the real world or the reverse of that??

After Sun escapes (if he does), how would he readjust to the real world? would he have conflict with moon after the fact?

sorry this au has got me in a CHOKEHOLD

BUDDY DON'T APOLOGIZE YOU'RE FEEDING MY BRAINROT AND I HEAVILY APPRECIATE IT

okay so I'm gonna be honest I haven't really fleshed out much of the details for this au (it kinda took a backseat in terms of development simply because no one was showing interest in it and my witch au was more compelling at the time), so I'm not too sure about an Eclipse. In terms of a combined Sun and Moon ai, that does exist (it only appears at the very end of the au, but it exists). There's also a possibility of their base functions that are fronting the body while these two are stuck in the mindscape gaining sentience and not being too happy about being forced back in, so take that as you will...

Sun and Moon do share a body within this au, with the two taking on separate forms within the mindscape, though they don't really stay in the same spot long enough to see each other properly. They mostly communicated through message exchange and an emotional frequency prior to events in the au, but the au basically starts with Moon already being infected, so they haven't talked in some time...

Sun doesn't escape for a good while-he's gone through a good many loops by that point and struggles with differentiating between reality and fiction. He experiences a lot of relapses where he's still convinced that he's in the mindscape, and sometimes his code mimics the functions inputted during that point, so that his thoughts are very jumbled and he can't really think straight. Moon can't really help him through this-how can he help when his mere image is the very source of the problem? If he tries to interfere, Sun becomes even more panicked and can't tell if it's the real Moon or what his brain replaced Moon with. It's extremely painful for Moon to watch knowing that he can't help or even be in the same room as his sibling without triggering a traumatic response. He usually excuses himself to go patrol (they get separate bodies after they reunite in the fire) and cycles through the daycare camera feed to keep an eye on Sun while giving him space. The only thing that really helps Sun is looking through his own programming and memory files to make sure that nothing's changed.

Moon also develops a severe fear of isolation and being alone-he gets antsy when Sun isn't with him, and often forgets that he and Sun aren't sharing a body anymore. He sometimes experiences this during patrols when it gets too quiet in his head-he always goes straight to the Daycare to make sure Sun's still there. Sun can't really snap him out of it, he just stays close and tries to talk about things to calm him down.

[aloneinthehellfire]

Chapter 4: No Use Pretending

Raining Hellfire (Eddie's Version) | Part One

Word Count: 5441

Warnings: swearing, mentions of drugs, missing persons, fluffyness, the contrast between the og RH and this chapter is honestly heartbreaking

[A/N: currently writing two other fics and oh my god i am so excited to share them!!!]

No Use Pretending

Paired With RH1: Chapter 4: Maybe We're Not So Crazy

Eddie hadn’t paid any attention to the girl that had sat in front of him the night before, her brunette hair shaking as she gave an unnecessary explanation to her interest in buying.

“So, yeah. That’s why I need it. Hello?”

He had snapped out of his daydream with a blink, leaning away from the bench and taking a breath.

“Right, yeah. Understandable.” He had nodded, lying straight through his teeth.

The answer had seemed to satisfy her and the deal was over as quickly as it started, another 50 straight into his pocket.

The rest of his night had been spent staring at the ceiling, back against his bed as he mindlessly strummed the strings of the guitar resting against his abdomen. And there were only two thoughts in his mind. You and Jonathan.

It must have been happening since the beginning of high school; Eddie hadn’t noticed you back then. But now you were in his mind, your presence surrounding him like fluttering moths to the flame of his brain.

He remembers now, brief memories flashing past of you and Jonathan walking down the hallways together, laughing and bumping shoulders. The shattered camera repaired and reversed back in time to when it was hung around your neck, a trophy of what you and he were. A misty haze of watching you walk the younger Byers home, a familiarity in your steps.

How had he been so blind?

The day had gone by swimmingly. Eddie hadn’t seen you wandering down the hallways but honestly, he figured that was for the best. He shouldn’t be trying to get involved with someone he barely knew, especially not someone already spoken for.

His Hellfire comrades were a helpful distraction from it all. It felt like he was falling back into his usual routine, sat atop these benches while delivering a dramatic retelling of his uncle’s mishap with his fold-up bed. Their laughter was enough to fuel his appetite for normality, surely.

And then his eyes drifted onto something that made him realise just how much he was missing.

He watches as you and Wheeler smile towards eachother, the warmth that radiated from the tilt of your head, the subtle scrunch of your nose.

Jeff and Phil began debating alternate routes to Frodo’s journey and Eddie was thankful they weren’t asking for his input; it felt like his eyes were compelled to look at you, observe. It was then that he caught the way your face suddenly dropped, his heart plummeting with it. You looked scared, upset. And then you were guiding Wheeler into the small alley between buildings, out of sight.

Eddie shifted away, shaking his head. He didn’t care. He didn’t care.

“Yo, you okay?” Jeff whispers to him, a slight tremor in Eddie’s hand at the sudden voice.

“What? Yeah, fine.” He brushed off his nerves, earning a lifted brow but Jeff wasn’t going to batter him for answers.

Eddie had tried not to notice Nancy Wheeler’s determined stride as she sauntered out of the alley minutes later, face cold and hardened as she gripped the strap of her bag. Once she had reached the end of the stretched building, she dropped the bag from her shoulder and pressed her hands into her eyes, leaning against the bricked wall.

A few seconds later, you emerged, shaking your head before spotting your friend. There was a kind of conflict dancing along your brow as you joined her, comforting while leading her into the building. To class, he presumed, a concept he should be abiding to soon.

He didn’t care. He. Didn’t. Care.

Except he did. A lot. And the more he tried to deny it, the more obvious it became that there was no use pretending.

The bell rang soon out its shrill echo and everyone was dispersing from one another.

He and Gareth started heading around the field, their classes situated the other side of the school. They both heard the car tearing away from the parking lot, heads whipping to the noise of an engine revving. Behind the wheel were a couple Eddie thought he recognised, the woman wiping tears into a tissue while the man shook his head. He looked… afraid?

“Shit, man, that’s sad.” Gareth tuts, pushing into the building and propping his foot against the door to grant his friend passage.

“What about it?” Eddie frowned, their car long gone in the distance.

“Those were the Hollands.” Gareth stated, eyebrows heightened at Eddie’s confusion. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Eddie frowned, stopping just outside his Geography door.

Gareth does a little jog up the corridor to peer into his own classroom, running back when he was sure his teacher hadn’t arrived yet. He and Eddie were notorious for collecting late marks on their report cards.

“Okay, you know Barb Holland? Redhead, glasses?” Gareth spieled and Eddie nods.

“Yeah, think I’ve seen her, why?”

“That’s it.” Gareth shakes his head, shoulders raising. “No one knows where she is.”

“What?” Eddie steps closer and Gareth nods.

“Apparently she’s missing.”

“Where the hell d’you hear that from?”

“Phil’s dad’s friend knows a guy who’s friends with a cop.” Gareth explains with little effort. “Her parents just filed a police report or something. They think she ran away. Or worse.”

“She’s not dead, dude.” Eddie rolls his eyes just as Gareth clocks the shadow of his History teacher entering the hallway.

“I don’t know, man.” Gareth widens his eyes and makes a ‘spooky’ gesture with his hands. “We don’t know what’s lurking around Hawkins.”

And with that, he sprints away, ignoring the yell of disapproval from his teacher as he bolts into the classroom and slams the door shut. The sight would usually make Eddie laugh, but the conversation had him questioning.

He entered the room with barely a glance from the man at the front readying the board for session. Eddie saw you just yesterday with Barb Holland. It seemed to be an overreaction to claim someone missing because they’re missing one day of school. But then there was today, you and Nancy whispering. Maybe you had both heard the gossip too, speculating what he assumed was just another rumour circulating Hawkins to abide the boredom of the town. And yet, he couldn’t stop picturing the Hollands and their pained expressions.

Eddie looks up and immediately frowns.

His usual seat was situated in the dark corner of the room, just behind the girl that always wore her hair up and puffy much to his dislike. But it kept him out of sight of the wannabes and royalty of the school. Which is why he didn’t expect King Steve to be sat there, anxiously tapping his foot and staring blankly at the pages in front of him.

Eddie slumped his shoulders in defeat. Why was everyone acting so weird today?

Slipping into a nearby seat, he sent one more curious glance to the boy and started opening his notebook. A world map was drawn down at the front of the class and he suppressed a groan. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Geography, to see all the places he would surely play in gigs that was far far away from this town. He just hated the teacher.

You used to be a star pupil, Mr Munson. What ever happened to those sky-rocketing grades of yours?

Every single lesson, this teacher has to remind him how he was slowly becoming a failure. No matter how hard he tried, he had ‘lost his talent’. Hawkins High truly was a staple for striking confidence in children.

Just as he was ready to slide further down into his chair and doodle furiously onto his lined paper, the door of the classroom started opening inch by inch. He raised an eyebrow, clocking his teacher’s unbothered nature. And then he felt himself smile.

You slipped in quickly, their warden’s back facing the students as you weaved through the tables, heading to one… right next to him.

As you slumped into your chair with a sigh, he realised you hadn’t even noticed him. It was almost amusing to him, your consistent tendency to be distracted. Eddie thought about pretending like he hadn’t noticed you either, but you were hard to resist talking to. After all, trying to avoid you was proving to be harder than he thought now he knew you existed.

After a second ticked by, he leant over and whispered. “Queen of the Demogorgons. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

You quickly straightened in your seat, turning your head to the right with wide eyes. You relaxed a little, cocking a curious gaze.

“I could say the same.” You said, smiling at him. Then your face drops. “Wait, have we been in the same class this whole time and never spoken to eachother?”

“Probably.” He shrugged, casting a glance at your teacher before moving closer to you. “I’m usually sat in the back wall corner but someone beat me to my seat today.” He rolled his eyes and tilted his head in the direction of the desk.

He saw your eyes shift to the darker corner of the room and your face twisted into something he didn’t recognise. Some kind of empathy? Regret? Whatever it was, he felt unsettled by the sudden reaction to seeing Harrington.

“I’m not complaining.” He whispered quickly, catching your attention once again and you flashed him a genuine smile.

“I should hope not.” As you retort, a smirk quirked on your lips. “Unless you want to exchange hair products with him.”

Eddie slaps his hand onto his chest, mouth dropping. “I have never been more offended in my life.”

“Shh!” A girl sat in front of you span around in her seat with a finger to her lips, glaring. Rather than look embarrassed, however, Eddie watched as you brought your hand up and dragged them along your lips, miming a zipper. The girl looked annoyed but turned back around nonetheless.

“Always a troublemaker.” Eddie commented, shaking his head and tutting lightly.

“You still free after school?” You suddenly asked, looking directly at him. When your eyes bore into his, he felt himself melting on the inside, surely resting heat on his cheeks. He didn’t ever want you to stop looking at him like that.

“Yeah!” He finally spoke, clearing his throat. “I mean, uh, yes. Yes, I am.”

Awkwardly, he places his chin in his hand and attempts a nonchalant approach. He was pretty sure it wasn’t working.

“Good. I’ll meet you at the benches.” You smiled, turning back to your paper and Eddie couldn’t believe how effortlessly cool you were.

You were meeting him after school. You and him. Hanging out. And you seemed like you actually wanted to. Maybe he was wrong about the Byers thing. Maybe… you liked him.

And now he was trying to ignore how embarrassing it was that he had spiralled over a relationship that has never existed. Way to jump to conclusions, dumbass, Eddie thought, unsuccessfully fighting against the grin threatening his features.

For the first time in a long time, Eddie felt happy to be sat in this classroom. He was taking notes, listening intently with a giddy smile on his face. The year was just starting to be one for the ages.

The teacher’s monotone voice came to an abrupt halt when the classroom door swung open, drawing the eyes of bored students hoping for a miracle. Eddie straightened in his seat, watching as his Principal’s eyes scanned the room. Fuck. What had he done this time?

Her eyes finally settled and he was so sure she was staring at him. But their eyes weren’t quite meeting.

“Sorry to disturb your lesson,” She nods to the front before stepping in, “but I need Y/n to come with me.”

A sea of eyes turned in amusement and Eddie watched as you froze, not much different from his own reaction. Except your gaze drifted to the darker corner of the room, and Eddie didn’t need to turn around to know who you were staring at.

Then your eyes flickered to his, and he couldn’t help studying your expression. The cold set stone of your features, lips slightly downturned as something worrying swam behind your eyes.

You probably didn’t realise you were breathing in forced even intervals as you packed your things. Eddie thought it looked as if you were preparing yourself for the worst, maybe even controlling a freak-out. And, as you weaved through desks and followed your Principal out, Eddie was still staring at the door long after it had shut behind you.

You were a mystery he wasn’t sure he should be wanting to solve.

Eddie didn’t see you for the rest of the day after that. You never returned to class, you and Wheeler weren’t sat chatting away like you usually were. You had pretty much disappeared.

Harrington’s pale face haunted him, though. It had whitened as soon as you left the room, leaving the boy in the corner sat uneasily and nervously tapping his foot in quicker paces. He looked panicked, afraid, and Eddie wondered if he knew the truth.

“Didn’t know King Steve was in your class.” Gareth comments with a scowl, expecting the ritual shove from the jock as he passed. But it never came and Gareth stood frowning. “Turn of events.”

“Got pale immediately after Y/n was pulled out of class.” Eddie murmured, mostly to himself, as he shoves his books back into his locker.

Gareth groans at the mention of your name, earning a pointed stare. “Y/n this, Y/n that. It’s all you talk about, man.”

“Literally the first time I’ve said her name.” Eddie sighed, slamming the metal casing shut and turning around.

“Maybe but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the right not to trust her.” Gareth defends, crossing his arms and watching as students floated by. “And getting pulled out of class? Bad news.”

“You’ve been pulled out of class more times than you’ve actually been in school.” Eddie retorts and Gareth nods.

“Exactly. And I’m bad news.”

“Whatever.” He sighs, beginning their walk towards the exit doors. They had half an hour to chill before their final class. Considering their track record, it was unlikely they’d actually be attending it.

They had made it halfway up the field when Gareth decided to continue the conversation Eddie hoped was over, bringing unwanted information into Eddie’s circling doubts.

“You know she used to hang around with Harrington, right?”

He stops walking, turning to his friend with pinched brows. “What are you talking about? Why do you know that?”

“Don’t be mad.” Gareth raises his hands, “But…. I may have been asking around about your mystery girl.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” Eddie continues walking to the benches, Gareth hot on his tail.

“Look man, I don’t know this girl. You don’t even know this girl. And, as it turns out, nobody knows this girl. Which is really fucking weird.”

“Your point?” Eddie plants himself atop the bench, leaning forward so his arms rested on his thighs.

“She suddenly appears in Hawkins out of nowhere, right?” Gareth stays standing in front of him, hands exasperating his findings. “According to some good intel I found, she was spotted multiple times with Chief Hopper and someone thought they saw her literally arriving to town in a cop car!”

“Maybe she already knew Hopper.” Eddie offers, in complete denial of Gareth’s insinuations. There had to be a perfectly reasonable explanation.

“Okay, fine, yeah, maybe. Highly unlikely, but sure.” He nods, clicking his tongue. Eddie thinks it’s finally over until he raises his finger. “But did you know she lives with her uncle?”

Eddie raised his eyebrow. That was a new piece of information, something that only made him believe even more that you could be the only person in the world that could truly understand him.

“What’s wrong with that?” He challenges and Gareth’s face drops.

“Nothing. Other than the fact that there’s no way she willingly came to Hawkins of all places.”

“Maybe she and her uncle get along.” Eddie suggested and Gareth looked exasperated. “Come on, man, just give up.”

“What about the Harrington thing, huh?” Gareth was nodding, pointing his arm across the field where Steve Harrington was currently sat with his adoring fan club. “Apparently they were buddies back in freshman year, yeah? And then suddenly they hate eachother. And that’s not the worse part.”

“Oh, please, I’d love to hear it.” Eddie’s voice dripped with sarcasm, rolling his eyes.

“Phil was saying how he remembers seeing them together at, get this…” Gareth tightened his lips, leaning back. “Skull Rock.”

Two words shouldn’t have any impact on a human being, but these felt like a sucker punch to his ribs. Skull Rock. Publicly known for it’s human-like structure, infamously known for it’s exclusion from said public, meaning that teens have been running there for a secluded place to make out.

A place you had been. With Harrington. You and Harrington… in freshman year. Freshman year. Not now. Then. A long time ago now.

“Doesn’t matter.” He finally decides, feeling happy with his answer.

Gareth looked baffled by his response and Eddie just shrugs.

“Even if something did happen, it’s not happening anymore. Like you said, they hate eachother.”

“And what about that other rumour, huh?” Gareth moved forward with determination, narrowing his eyes.

The ‘other rumour’ wasn’t one Eddie needed spelled out. It was the talk of freshman year for a hot minute, speculation roaming the halls, jagged stares sent the new girl’s way. But, it was just a rumour. No proof, no real grounds to stand on. And Eddie had been ignoring the idea ever since he met the real you.

“Jesus, man, let it go.” Eddie leant away from him, slightly scared by his friend’s persistence on making him drop you from his life. “Why are you so obsessed with this?”

“Because…” Gareth starts, dropping his shoulders and sighing. “Look, we’ve been treated like shit our entire lives. Starting Hellfire… it helped, a lot. We’ve built up this little community, right? The freaks all banding together just so we don’t have to feel like freaks anymore. I’m looking out for us. What if this girl isn’t who you think she is and she ends up tearing us all apart?”

Eddie pushes away from the bench, placing a hand on Gareth’s shoulder. “I promise you, that’s not gonna happen. Y/n isn’t gonna affect Hellfire or what we’ve created whatsoever.”

“Other than shifting our schedules to Friday.” Gareth reminds him, but there was a smirk on his lips, pushing Eddie’s hand away lightly. “Fine, whatever, don’t say…”

His voice trailed just as blue and red lights blended together in the atmosphere, eyes drawn to their flashing hues before they were suddenly cut off, like their display had been an accident. They watch two cops slide into their car and take off down the road, siren silent, pulling away from the school’s entrance. How long had they been there?

“Told ya.” Gareth nudges him, nodding. “Something freaky’s going on. Maybe it was your new girlfriend.”

Eddie shoves his shoulder, making no remark.

“Either that or you’re busted.” Gareth laughs before clocking Eddie’s unamused expression. “Too soon?”

The bell rings out for what feels like the hundredth time of the day and Gareth lets out a sound of protest.

“Hell really is never-ending.” He complains as they trudge back onto the grounds, less than excited for a riveting conversation about Charles Dickens.

Eddie was at the benches as soon as the final bell rang, desperately hoping he’d find you there, waiting under the November sun with a warm smile on your face. But all he found was the bare wooden tops, sun rays illuminating his disappointment.

You hadn’t really settled on a time, he realised. Only a specification that it should be after school. There was still time before he had reason to believe you’d stood him up.

Instead, he clambers up on top of the bench and lays back against the wooden surface, hand resting against his stomach. There wasn’t much else to do as he waited; he’d left his bag in his van so any hope of reviewing tomorrow’s campaign was a good distance away. What if collecting it would mean you’d then show up to empty benches and assume he wasn’t coming?

And what if laying here would leave him embarrassed from ever thinking you would show up in the first place?

“I heard clouds really put on a show sometimes.”

Eddie suppresses a grin as your voice lights the very air he breathes, turning his head to your direction before slowly sitting up.

“And she arrives! I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.” In attempt to hide his excitement, Eddie places his face in his hands and makes a fake wailing noise.

He feels your hand brush against his as you bat it away, and he’d left grinning at you. You were closer now and Eddie could just see the red of your eyes, something glistening on your cheek like a tear that had avoided capture.

“Yeah, sorry about that, it’s been a really weird day.” You shrug, leaning against the wooden bench and biting your lip.

“Did old Princi try to lock you up?” Eddie attempts a joke, but the worry wasn’t lost on his words. You look tired, worn out by whatever had ensued. And why had you been crying?

“Actually the police did.” You respond, no sarcasm on your words, not even a little hint of a smirk.

Eddie’s face dropped. The cops outside of the school, not seeing you after you were removed from the classroom, your reddened eyes. He knew you had secrets, hell, everyone does, but he didn’t think it was jail-worthy. Did you do something horrible? Is Barb really dead? Is she dead because-

“I’m kidding.” You notice the lack of oxygen entering his system, smiling in reassurance and he lets out a breath, heart beating erratically.

“Damn, you’re really good at that.” He laughed nervously. You really did have his head spinning whenever you talked. “So no cops?”

“Oh, no, there were cops.” You nod and he raises a brow. “They were asking Nancy and I about Barb…”

Your voice trailed off and it looked like you were about to cry again. There was so much empathy behind your stare. How could Eddie ever even debate that you could have been a god damn murderer.

“I heard about that. I’m sorry.” Eddie felt his stomach clench. Gareth had been right about one thing in the end.

“It’s okay.” You reply almost instantly before scrunching your face. “I mean, it’s not okay but I’m okay. I think. I don’t know, can we talk about something else?”

“Yeah, yeah. Uh…” He stood up quickly, feeling particularly sparse of ideas in the hot seat. “So… the weather, huh? Crazy stuff.”

You just stared for only a millisecond before bursting into laughter. Eddie was taken-aback, a smile spreading at your joyous nature. You only kept laughing, an uncontrollable display of utter disbelief.

“What?” Eddie was clutching his stomach now, the laughter spreading as he collapsed to the grass.

“The weather?” You barely got the words out, wiping tears from your eyes.

“Well, I don’t know! You put me on the spot.” He exclaimed, the clenching pain finally dispersing and he led back, small giggles still erupting from his mouth as he pointed upwards. “I’m not wrong, just look at it! I swear those clouds are looking at me, it’s crazy stuff!”

He turned his head to see you finally coming down from your laughing fit, a grin plastered onto your face and he couldn’t help but stare. It made every inch of his body alight with a heavenly glow to know he was the one that made you laugh like that.

“Okay,” You finally say, laughter still stuck in your words, “I have a good topic change.”

“I don’t know how you can beat clouds but go ahead.” He chuckled, sitting back up just in time for you to plop on the grass next to him, legs crossed. He was so consumed in how iridescent you looked that he almost didn’t notice you were holding out your hands to him, palms hidden beneath gifts.

“Cassette tapes?” He questions, gently taking them into his and feeling the warmth of your skin against his as he did.

“Yeah, uh… I remember that you said I should recommend you some tapes and I think you’d love them. I mean, obviously you know Metallica but Iron Maiden has some pretty great stuff…”

As you explained the tapes, Eddie was clutching onto them for dear life. You cared. You really cared. You put so much thought into what you thought he would love, not what you wanted him to. And no one had ever really taken that into consideration before, taken him into consideration. His whole life has been based off of what other people wanted him to do and be. The freak, the orphan, the drug-dealer. But here, with you, he was just a boy. He felt like he was somebody he always wanted to be. Loved.

Eddie didn’t even realise he was staring. And you seemed to have taken it the completely wrong way when you reached for the tapes.

“But you don’t have to listen to them, it’s stupid.” You rambled, not meeting his eyes. Protectively, he hugged the tapes to his chest in protest.

“Woah, no way! They sound awesome.”

“Really?” You smile but there’s still a bit of hesitation.

“Yeah!” He grins. “If you’re not careful I’ll end up stealing them from you.”

“I’d like to see you try.” You laugh, finally relaxing and a sudden thought strikes Eddie’s mind. Shit.

“I’ll listen to them as soon as I… fix my tape player.” In his utter awe and admiration, he had completely forgotten one of the reasons he was selling behind Wayne’s back.

“You don’t have anything to listen to them on?” You frown and he sighs, eyes glued to the small metal coverings.

“No.” He shakes his head, visualising the tape player snapped to pieces that currently rested on his kitchen counter. “My tape player’s been broken for a while. Slowly building up the money for a new one, though.”

There’s a moment of silence before you suddenly stand up. “Well that won’t do.”

Eddie watches as you jog towards your bag and pull something from it. You bound back over to him and place it in his lap.

“Here.”

His eyes widen as he stares at the Walkman resting on his legs. The same pair of headphones you had been so protective of that day he apologised, a pair he has seen you wearing like it was a religious requirement. You loved this Walkman. That he was sure of. And you were giving it to him?

“I can’t-” He starts but you shake your head.

“Yes. You can. Until you can afford a new player. I have an old one at home anyway so I can just use that.” You shrug it away like it was simply an object. Eddie liked to think he knew you better than that.

He also knew that he wouldn’t win this fight with you. He felt utterly proud in himself that you trusted him with something so important to you.

“Thanks.” He smiled genuinely, tilting his head as he looked at you. He never thought this would be how his year was ending. Perfect.

“What?” You giggle, scrunching the skin between your brows.

“I’m…” He searched for the words, already lost in your gaze. “I’m just very glad we met, Y/n no last name.”

Something he said sent your face dropping and he snapped out of his haze, blinking with a quickened heartbeat. His no last name remark just slipped out before he had even realised. Maybe you didn’t like it. And maybe he’d just messed up everything with one little joke he failed to register.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“No!” You quickly interrupt, “No! It’s not you! It’s just… it’s hard to explain.”

There was a battle going on behind your eyes until you took a deep breath and smiled, ignoring whatever it was you had kept pushed down. “I’m very glad we met, too.”

After that, you seemingly drifted off into your own thoughts, mindlessly fiddling with your jacket hem. Eddie did a quick search of the surroundings before he smirks. He needed just one more test, one more reason he shouldn’t give up on whatever this was.

“You know,” He breaks the silence, leaning closer to you, “These benches are great and all but I know a better place.”

An amused flicker of curiosity flashed in your eyes as you followed suit, challenging him with the tilt of your head. “Oh, really?”

Eddie’s palms felt a little sweaty as he carefully places the tapes on top of the Walkman, feeling the space between you closing. “You’ll be kicking yourself for not finding it sooner.”

His sentence had ended in a whisper, nerves travelling in electronic waves across his body, moving him closer, but not close enough. He wanted to breach that gap, noticing the way your gaze flickered to his lips. He couldn’t feel your breath fan against him and knew you were holding it just like he was.

He wished he could just seize the moment, ignore every doubt that fluttered by and just kiss you, feel your lips against his in a seal that meant he could rest easy knowing he had someone that chose him. But he realised he didn’t need to. Because you were leaning in closer, lips barely a breath apart…

“Y/n! There you are!”

The interrupting voice sent you both apart, leaving Eddie mentally cursing. He was so close.

Eddie lifts his head to see the widened eyes of Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers. Wheeler looked startled, almost embarrassed while Byers was seemingly frozen in time, lips tightened like a child that had been caught.

“Oh. Um, hi.” She spoke and the boy behind her gave a small wave.

“Hi.” Eddie replied, amused by the situation all of a sudden. Even if they did intrude on what would have been the greatest moment of Eddie’s life, they didn’t diminish whatever spark was between you. He knew it would have happened if they hadn’t appeared when they did, and that was enough.

“We’ll… wait over… here.” She points in a vague direction, grabbing Byers and pushing him away from you both.

“I assume you know Nancy.” You laugh, waving your hand in the direction of their awkward display.

“Yeah, she’d dating Harrington, right?”

Your nose scrunched at the mention, shaking your head. “Don’t let that define her character. I genuinely have no idea why those two are dating.”

Making sure the items were securely in his hands, he figured you had somewhere to be and stood up. “Well I wouldn’t want to keep Wheeler waiting much longer so I should go. Thank you for these.”

“Just make sure to take care of my Walkman. She’s basically my baby.” You laugh, swinging your bag onto your shoulder. But you looked reluctant to leave, and that made Eddie feel just a little more important.

“I shall protect her with my life.” He vows, resulting in his usual display of promise by crossing his heart and saluting. As he did so, the tapes almost fell before he managed to catch it, laughter erupting from you both at the irony.

As you shook your head with a smile, you started moving backward, towards the rounded bush your friends had decided to hide behind.

“I’ll see you soon.” You say and Eddie grins regardless of if it was a courtesy departure.

“Oh, yeah?” He asks as you walk away.

“Duh. I’m dying to know what bench could possibly be better than mine.” You reply, sending him a smile over your shoulder.

Eddie couldn’t help but give a little dance in celebration once you were out of sight, fist-bumping the air and almost dropping a tape once again.

Just this morning, he was trying to convince himself that he could carry on with his life without you in it. But that soon rendered useless, because he couldn’t deny any of these feelings that sheltered him like a blanket. He can’t ignore the way his heart skipped a beat whenever you smiled, or how his senses felt alight when your skin brushed against his.

There was no use pretending he wasn’t in love with you.

Chapter 5: Coming Soon

taglist: @cherrymedicine13 . @nix-rose .

[walkswithdave]

The God Machine II: Fractal Video Feedback Kinetic Sculpture (Ty and Dave Edition)

Three high definition camera feedback loops and beam-splitter glass, combined with an Insanity Mode of a feedback loop between feedback loops themselves, mix together to create fractal sets within other fractal sets, cell structures, strands of DNA, trees, insects, tentacled primordial creatures - a combination of movements and settings that result in never identical ephemeral visual output.

See the Device here: https://youtu.be/3uzxcl_d8uk?si=Q-cYhc1KMaQuETWv

See the entire Light Herder project here: https://www.thelightherder.com

Switching quickly between an input and the camera looking at that input on a screen instantly "traps" that image within the system, now cycling 'round and 'round between camera and screen, contorting with each iteration.

Watch a video about images "trapped in the wires" here: https://youtu.be/3Sm0H_8Z7uc?si=b_7vYLGf4qxepH-B

Made of maple, mahogany, aluminum, three cameras, five HD feedback monitors (with hue/saturation/brightness analog knobs), three Roland video switchers, two viewing monitors, two sheets of beam splitter glass, and a video input, the mechanism makes high definition analog video feedback as never before created.

Dedicated to Douglas Hofstadter, who taught me to love all things self-referential.

Feedback loops are all-important, and are present in ecosystems, geological systems, social systems, biological systems, and it’s no wonder the images created using the structure are so organic looking. Gazing into this feedback allows for insights into the magic of recursion.

But where do these images come from you might be thinking, and why do they actually exist? Once initiated, they come from themselves, and exist because they exist.

Imagine a dark room where a camera is looking at a screen which displays the output of that camera. The screen will stay void of an image forever until a “spark of life” (say the lighting of a match) brings forth an image, which will then continue on and on, changing through iterations. That pattern now exists within the wires of the system, long after the original spark is gone.

See an example of feedback started with a "spark of life" here: https://www.thelightherder.com/2010/01/feedback-machine-test-number-three.html

But, then imagine something blocks the camera’s view of the screen, just for an instant. All of a sudden, the image goes out, and the camera sees a dark screen again, which displays what the camera sees, etc… now blackness replaces the pattern. It would be impossible to find these feedback images by looking at the wiring of the system, by dissecting the cameras and monitors.

This may be like the mind - you can't find consciousness just by inspecting the nerves and connections of the brain. The mind is a pattern that grows through feedback, iterations over time. Once that pattern is interrupted (something blocks the camera's view of the monitor), the pattern disappears, leaving just the organic mechanism.

So this may answer the question "where do we go when we die?" - the same place the snowflake's pattern goes when the snowflake melts?

Light Herding by Dave Blair and Ty Hardaway.

Music: Thee Oh Sees, Black Chems

For The Video Feedback Kinetic Sculpture complete build history:

Forward Chronology: https://walkswithdave.tumblr.com/tagged/videofeedbackkineticsculpture/chrono

Reverse Chronology: https://walkswithdave.tumblr.com/tagged/videofeedbackkineticsculpture

[winking-widow]

Keep Safety First With Oe Mirror Monitor

Rearview Mirror systems makes up your fleet or personal vehicle less prone to accidents.

While you are driving a car, truck or any vehicle, it is very important to take care of safety measures. It is your duty to think about you and your co-passengers’ safety even click here before you start the trip. Isn’t it time to eliminate backup blind spots and improve visibility dramatically using rear view camera systems?

OE mirror monitor looks very clear unlike some other smart mirrors that I have tried that have a weird blue tint to the glass that made it hard to see. This one has no issues and looks clear. It is amazing to look at the efficiency it produces and how it can manage the images to full, half left, half right with rear view mirror/phone image and rear camera as you would always want. The screen is very bright, thus, it becomes easy to see for the driver.

The Wifi connection available with the mirror provides no delays between iPhone and mirror. You need to modify the installer slightly for perfect fit, mirror monitor gives you a 192 degree view with distortion correction dual view.

Safety With Rearview Camera

When you see a rearview mirror with a backup camera for commercial vehicles, it is used to have you covered with all the safety angles. Install a rearview mirror backup camera that delivers an unobstructed view behind vision from the vehicle even when it’s dark outside. Else you can also replace a standard rearview mirror with one that displays an LCD monitor, as soon as the vehicle is shifted into reverse.

This kit of Rear view mirror includes a nightvision-capable rear view camera and clip-on rear view mirror for your vehicle. The camera installs easily and outputs crystal clear video over an RCA jack. This is small and durable unit that will keep you safe and secure while going around. The mirror also has multiple video inputs so you can hook up a portable DVD player or iPod.

The monitor detects when you back up and it shows the camera on screen. The monitor clips to rear view mirror real easily. When you put your car back in drive, the image disappears, simply your mirror becomes a mirror again. Perfect for backing into tight spots or moving in reverse when visibility is limited, it is great for a person who loves to take precautions.

Video and Automotive Event Recorder

OE mirror monitor is optional with two camera system, it helps in taking safety to the next level with a new second camera option. The second interior or exterior camera can be installed anywhere on the inside or outside of the bus for enhanced visibility and safety. The mirror confirms safe reverse operations with simple replacement of the standard OEM interior mirror.

Our design process generates products that are highly effective in commercial driving situations. MOR-Vision helps to confirm safe reverse operations with simple replacement of the standard OEM interior mirror. These cool devices are sturdy, weatherproof rear view camera and monitor kits featuring night vision.

[toomanyf4ndoms7]

Freddy Krueger SLASH/MATCH move set:

Play style: Freddy is a versatile character, able to set up traps to stun opponent’s into sleep and deliver a nightmare of damaging slashes. But if you learn to predict his attacks, you might he able to survive the nightmare. But whatever you do?

Don't.

Fall.

Asleep.

Special moves:

Bedtime: Freddy makes a drumming motion with his glove, if the opponent hits him, they are briefly put to sleep, stunning them for free hits.

Hand of God: A large Freddy hand bursts from the ground, catching and squeezing the opponent hard.

Heat Up: Freddy vanishes in a plume of fire. In dream mode, you can have the teleport be close, far, or in place.

Get high: Freddy shapeshifts his claws into tranquilisers and jabs the opponent multiple times. If all stabs connect, the opponent's controls are reversed. In dream world, you can use a special input to have him jab the opponent and inject them with damage over time.

My world, bitch!: After a lengthy start-up, Freddy shifts the world to a dreamlike state. While this move is in effect, certain special attacks do more damage, and the opponent does less damage. When it runs out, Freddy is vulnerable to quick opponents.

*Only available in dream world* Soul food: Freddy snaps his fingers and a Freddy in a chef hat slides him over some pizza. He takes a bite and recovers some health.

Super Move: Fourth Wall Freakout: Freddy laughs and lunges at his opponent. If it connects, he taps their forehead, putting them to sleep. The opponent is then stuck in a tv screen as Freddy plays. Freddy turns to the camera, winks, and then shuts the power off, doing heavy damage to the opponent, who wakes up back in the arena.

Rival finish: Freddy lifts Nancy's chin so that they're looking in each others eyes and he makes a "shhh" sound. Nancy wakes up in bed and things seem alright. The camera freeze frames on Freddy's glove bursts out from the bottom of the bed through Nancy.

Killing Blows: Attacks that can be used as the last hit to kill your opponent:

Bedtime: The opponent falls asleep and Freddy rams his hand through their chest.

Hand of God: Freddy crushes the opponent in the giant hand.

(Hope it's alright.)

@ohbee-whatcanyoube Since you said you were interested.

[caraudioexpertaustralia0]

Wireless CarPlay 9-Inch Headunit for KIA K3/RIO 2015

Headunit With Carplay For KIA K3/ RIO LOW | 2015 | 9INCH

[nhaneh]

So for today's random post-work obsession: RC car controllers - specifically, how one might make a more interesting one.

Now the generic RC controller is effectively just a twin-stick layout put in a square box - you have two sticks and trims for each axis. More modern examples often add a display, some configuration options, and maybe a few flip switches or even the odd shoulder button to the mix, but at heart it remains a simple twin-stick layout.

When it comes to controlling ground vehicles, the typical control layout is either using the left stick for forward/back and the right stick for steering left/right; more rarely you might see forward/back and left/right both combined into the left stick if the right stick is instead being used for something else, like maybe act as a manual gear shifter or steering a camera gimbal or the like.

This kind of controller is generally more suitable for flying than for driving however, so most RC cars of today instead tend to use a pistol grip controller design.

With this controller layout, you have more of a steering wheel - often designed to resemble more of an actual driving wheel than a steering wheel - which you control with one hand whilst holding the controller with the other, using the pistol-shaped trigger to control the speed, pushing down to go forwards, pushing forward to brake and/or reverse.

Again there's usually some trim knobs thrown in plus maybe some lever switches or other toggles - higher end models might also have LCD displays and various other settings and so forth, but RC controls are typically very simple.

Comparably, things look somewhat different when you look at modern racing games - the left thumbstick is now generally your steering input, while acceleration and braking/reverse are often split up between the left and right shoulder triggers. The right thumbstick meanwhile tends to serve as camera controls, while there's usually also some functions concocted for the buttons and possibly even the D-pad to do.

So basically I'm thinking of what if you took the game controller and ran with that basic layout, but then replaced the main circuit board to fit in a microcontroller and a 2.4GHz transmitter - if you build out of a wireless controller there should already be dedicated space for batteries even. Big question is whether you could somehow increase the steering throw, and basically what to do with the entire rest of the controller.

Honestly part of me is kind of thinking what if you put some kind of key ignition module in there just for the tactile feeling of turning the thing on, lmao

[technecat-scratchings]

Here is another common argument I see when people defend genAI as 'just being the next step in automated technology'. In fact, I've had multiple lengthy discussions with people about why it's a bad comparison, so I'm going to break down my reasoning with some of these examples as a springboard.

This one is...long. 🧑🏻‍🏫

"I'm stealing jobs from portrait painters every time I take a selfie" is a bad comparison because photographers did not replace portrait painters in their entirety and because cameras take a fair degree of skill to use well. If you wanted a professional portrait, you would still have to pay one of these two types of artisans to get it.

"Computer used to be a profession", yes, and now, computer programmer is a profession. The technology changed the required skill set, but did not replace the need for the skilled artisan. (Yes, coders are artisans.)

These comparisons, and others like them, focus on the progress of technology ignoring an extremely important aspect of the argument. That being, why does technology improve? The answer to this is, simply put, that technology improves in order to decrease the need for human labor in tasks that are tedious, unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous.

Do you really believe that people who washed dishes for a living before dishwashers came along bemoaned technology that made their jobs easier? Or lost their jobs because of it? Note that dishwasher is still a job in 2025, because an electric dishwasher is (1) a tool that requires human input and (2) cannot be used for all things that need washing.

"But wait", you may be thinking, "generative AI also requires human input and cannot be used for all things, therefore it is just a tool like a dishwasher!" And you would be half-correct in that it is a tool, but wrong that it is nothing like a dishwasher.

Do you enjoy washing dishes? I don't. The task itself is fine, but its Sisyphian nature is maddening. It would be ten times worse if I had to hand wash everything, so I am grateful that I have a reasonably good electric dishwasher to do the hardest part for me-- the hardest part being the physical labor that goes into washing a week's worth of dishes. With a dishwasher, the only physical labor I have to do is scrape the dishes, load them into the washer in the correct configuration, put in soap, and set the buttons (then later, reverse half the process to put them away). I only wash dishes because I have to wash dishes. It's labor that I would gladly automate away completely if the opportunity presented itself.

Art, however, whether music, writing, drawing, photography, voice acting, performing- is not labor that needs to be automated because it is labor that is--and this part is important-- enjoyable and fulfilling to the laborer. I know some people hate the "art is human" argument, but I'm sorry, art is a huge part of human culture and society and it always has been. People have always pursued art for its own sake, building the skills needed to create it because it is meaningful to them to do so, and not because they have to.

And, believe it or not, even the art and design that you may think is unimportant and ripe for automation, like marketing, advertising, character design, jingle writing, voice-overs-- is actually something that someone cared enough to hone a skill in and even -dare I say?- someone's passion.

I love designing lesson plans and handouts. I use Canva for layout because the district covers it and I get to use all the features for free. Canva is always pushing for me to have their "AI" create the layout or write the content or generate images for me. I hate that; I never use any of those features. For me, the joy of making the handouts is making them. It is a craft I like to do so I don't need to replace that with algorithmic automation.

But worksheets are, admittedly, a weird comparison for most people. They are an artform to me but most teachers would love to have someone else do that labor for them. There's a whole digital marketplace called Teachers Pay Teachers that is literally for the purpose of paying fellow teachers who enjoy doing that kind of work. Wild, right? Paying someone for labor that they enjoyed doing because you wanted the results but didn't or couldn't do the labor enjoyably yourself?

And now we can loop back around to the real reason why generative AI being called "just another tool" is a problem. Because the "problem" the tool is "solving" is paying for labor. The issue the technology addresses is not, "I want this to be easier for me to do on my own" but, "I want this result but I do not want to pay a skilled laborer to do it, nor do I want to invest the time in learning to do it myself".

People still pay huge amounts of money to get their portraits professionally painted. Humans like things that other humans make. We like to see the results of struggle and effort and celebrate successes with people. The art patron pays willingly because they value the labor that goes into a painting. Photography did not replace the portrait painters, it created a new type of artist who gained a new skill set and mastered a new technology that, ultimately, just gave everyone a new way to enjoy art (and pay for the labor that went into it).

Defenders of genAI as a 'tool' for creation like to argue that prompt writing is a honed skill. Well, so is drawing a relatively straight line on a piece of paper. It's not a particularly impressive or labor intensive skill, but you do have to practice to get a passable result. But I don't see anyone arguing that someone who draws a relatively straight line on a paper is on par with a trained artist, nor that they should be paid for labor in equal to what a trained artist should earn.

And yet, that's what these AI companies want people to believe. They want you to believe that the effort of imagining something and telling someone else to create it for you is equal to the effort of creating it yourself. That they are simplifying your life by removing the tedious labor of having to learn a skill for the purposes of your own enjoyment. That art isn't actually labor that deserves to be paid for, because it can be almost fully automated.

But in reality, they just don't want to pay a human being to do art. Don't let them trick you. It is in their best interest as tech companies to devalue human labor as much as possible (even though that will, eventually, backfire on them) and they will push that narrative as hard as they can for as long as they can to keep filling their pockets.

I've finally figured out an argument that convinces coding tech-bros that AI art is bad.

Got into a discussion today (actually a discussion, we were both very reasonable and calm even through I felt like committing violence) with a tech-bro-coded lady who claimed that people use AI in coding all the time so she didn't see why it mattered if people used AI in art.

Obviously I repressed the surge of violence because that would accomplish nothing. Plus, this lady is very articulate, the type who makes claims and you sit there thinking no that's wrong it must be but she said it so well you're kind of just waffling going but, no, wait-- so I knew I had to get this right if I was gonna come out of this unscathed.

The usual arguments about it being about the soul of it and creation fell flat, in fact she was adamant that anyone who believed that was in fact looking down at coding as an art form as she insisted it is. Which, sure, you can totally express yourself through coding. There's a lot more nuance as to the differences but clearly I was not going to win this one.

The other people I was with (literally 8 people anti-ai against her, but you can't change the mind of someone who doesn't want to listen and she just kept accusing us of devaluing coding as an art) took over for I kid you not 15 minutes while I tried desperately to come up with a clear and articulate way to explain the difference to her. They tried so many reasonable arguments, coding being for a function ("what, art doesn't serve a function?") coding being many discrete building blocks that you put together differently, and the AI simply provides the blocks and you put it together yourself ("isn't that what prompt building is") that it's bad for the environment ("but not if it's used for capitalism, hm?" "Yeah literally that's how capitalism works it doesn't care about the environment" she didn't like that response)

But I finally got it.

And the answer is: It's not about what you do, it's about what you claim to be.

Imagine that someone asks an AI to write a code and, by some miracle, it works perfectly without them having to tweak it---which is great because they couldn't tell you what a single solitary thing in that code means.

Now imagine this person, with their code that they don't know how it works, goes and applies to be a coder somewhere, presenting this AI code as proof that they're qualified.

Should they be hired?

She was horrified, of course. Of course they shouldn't be. They're not qualified. They can't actually code, and even if by some miracle they did have an AI successfully write a flawless code for every issue they came across that wouldn't be their code, you could hire any shmuck on the street to do that, no reason to pay someone like they're creating something.

When actual engineers use AI what they do is get some kind of base, which they then go though and check for problems and then if they find any they fix them, and add on to the base code with their own knowledge instead of just trying different prompt after prompt until they randomly come across one that works.

People who generate code like this don't usually call themselves engineers. They're people who needed a bit of code and didn't have the knowledge to generate it, and so used a resource.

And there you go. There are people who have none of the skills of artists, they don't practice, they don't create for themselves. When they feed the prompt to the AI they then don't just use the resulting image as a reference point for their own personal masterpiece, and if they don't like it they don't have the skills to change it---they simply try another prompt, and do that until they get something they like.

These people are calling themselves artists.

Not only that, these people are bringing the AI generated thing to interviews, and they are getting hired, leaving people who slave over their craft out of the job.

And that is the difference, for the tech bros who think AI art isn't a big deal.

[leiditechelectonicpublishing]

48V Surge Protection Solution with Polarity Reverse Connection Protection — Differential and Common Mode

DC48V power supplies are widely used in industrial automation (motor drives/industrial robots), transportation infrastructure (charging piles/vehicle electronics), security systems (surveillance cameras/access control systems), and energy storage devices (BMS/off-grid controllers) due to their Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV, ≤60V) characteristics.

Leiditech Electronics has customized and developed a differential and common mode surge protection solution with polarity reverse connection protection based on standards such as IEC 61000–4–2, EN 61000–4–2, GB/T 17626.2, IEC 61000–4–5, EN 61000–4–5, and GB/T 17626.5. This solution prevents equipment failures caused by static electricity, surges, reverse polarity connections, etc.

l Leiditech uses TVS devices with ±5% voltage accuracy and a response time of <1ns to provide precise overvoltage protection for the rear-end circuits. These devices can clamp the peak value of 8/20μS surges to ≤93.6V (typical value), preventing precision components such as rear-end MCUs and sensors from being damaged by overvoltage breakdown. They support multi-power level selection from 400W to 15kW, adapting to different risk scenarios indoors and outdoors.

l A PMOS tube or a low-voltage-drop Schottky diode is connected in series at the rear stage of the TVS tube for polarity reverse-connection protection. The power loss of the low internal resistance PMOS tube is 60% lower than that of traditional diodes, making it suitable for high-power systems above 20A; a low VF Schottky diode is connected in parallel near the chip terminal for negative voltage surge protection.

l Leiditech provides an efficient surge current discharge path by connecting a ceramic gas discharge tube (GDT) in parallel between GND and PE. If the product involves insulation withstand voltage testing, the rated voltage of the GDT can be increased to simultaneously meet the requirements of withstand voltage and surge protection.

l A low VF Schottky diode is connected in parallel at the power input end of the chip to provide a fast discharge path for negative voltage interference.

Additional Services and Capabilities

l EMC Laboratory Support: Leiditech’s self-built EMC laboratory provides free testing for static electricity, surges, EFT, etc., to accelerate solution verification.

l Customization Services: Parameters and packages can be customized for special scenarios such as high voltage and high frequency.

l Comprehensive Protection Solutions: For “zero-fault” scenarios, a combined PTC+TVS+ESD solution is offered to cover multiple risks including overvoltage, overcurrent, and static electricity.

Leiditech Electronics is committed to becoming a leading brand in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) solutions and component supply. We offer a wide range of products, including ESD, TVS, TSS, GDT, MOV, MOSFET, Zener diodes, and inductors. With an experienced R&D team, we provide personalized customization services to deliver the highest quality EMC solutions tailored to our customers’ needs.

If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out:

[sales16@leiditech.com]

Visit us at [en.leiditech.com]

[softratetechpark]

Security Considerations in Mobile App projects

Security can no longer be an afterthought in a world where mobile apps rule both consumer and business technology. As companies use mobile devices to manage operations, communicate more effectively, or serve customers, protecting user data and app functionality becomes crucial. From the start, Softrate Canada has placed a high premium on security, not only as a feature but also as the cornerstone of each and every mobile application we develop.

One facet of mobile app security is preventing hackers. It's about protecting business continuity, maintaining trust, and making sure regulations like GDPR and HIPAA are followed. A single breach can have long-lasting financial repercussions and harm a brand's reputation. Understanding the main security factors that ought to direct any mobile app development is therefore essential.

Data storage should be one of the most secure areas. Sensitive information, including payment details, user credentials, and personal information, is commonly stored on mobile devices. This information must never be kept in plain text or in the local storage of the application, where it is readily available. Instead, we use encryption protocols and secure containers to ensure that even if someone gets to the device, they won't be able to decode what they find. The recommended choice for iOS is Keychain, whereas Android provides either Keystore or EncryptedSharedPreferences.

Secure authorization and authentication add another line of defense. It is insufficient to have a login screen alone. At Softrate Canada, we implement multi-factor authentication (MFA), OAuth 2.0, and token-based security models (such as JWT) to verify user identity and manage secure session handling. This guarantees that only authorized users can access the appropriate portions of the application and guards against abuse in the event that credentials are stolen.

API security is equally important. The majority of mobile applications mainly use APIs to connect to backend services. Unprotected APIs allow hackers to intercept requests, insert malicious data, or take advantage of features that were never intended for public use. In order to prevent this, we make sure that all data transfers are encrypted over HTTPS and that APIs are protected with appropriate input validation, rate limiting, and authentication keys. Making APIs functional is only one goal; another is making them impervious to misuse.

One important but frequently disregarded area is code security. Tools that are easily accessible online can be used to reverse-engineer mobile applications. Therefore, if the code isn't obfuscated, your business logic, algorithms, or embedded secrets may be revealed. To make apps resistant to tampering and difficult to exploit, we employ runtime security measures in conjunction with code minification and obfuscation techniques.

Remembering secure user permissions is important. Location, contacts, camera, and storage are among the many things that mobile apps frequently ask for. However, requesting extra permissions may be viewed as intrusive and could result in security flaws. We advise adhering to the least privilege principle, which states that you should only ask for permissions that you absolutely need and that you should always explain your request to the user. Risk is decreased, and trust is increased.

Legal security standards and compliance must be taken into account from the very beginning, in addition to technical controls. Your mobile app might have to abide by rules like PCI-DSS for payments or HIPAA for healthcare data, depending on the sector. Softrate helps clients navigate these regulatory requirements by incorporating controls that maintain the legal compliance and audit-readiness of their apps.

The last and possibly most crucial aspect of mobile app security is continuous monitoring and updates. Threats are ever-changing, and new weaknesses are always being found. Security is therefore not something that can be created once and then forgotten. We use tools for crash reporting, logging, and mobile analytics to detect problems early. In order to maintain app security over time, we also promptly release patches and updates.

In conclusion, every successful app needs to address the complex issue of mobile app security. From data encryption and secure coding to compliant API integration and continuous monitoring, every layer counts. At Softrate Canada, we view security as a mindset rather than a checkbox. Because in today's mobile-first world, protecting your app means protecting your business.

Learn how we develop scalable, secure mobile applications that fit your business and needs by visiting www.softrateglobal.com.

[forenerblog]

Protect Yourself from Spam Calls: Top UK Reverse Phone Lookup Tool

Have you ever been interrupted by a phone call from a number you don’t recognize? You pick up, and suddenly it’s someone trying to sell you something you don’t need—or worse, a scammer fishing for your personal info. Annoying, right? But what if you could stop guessing and start knowing who’s calling before you even answer? That’s where a reverse phone lookup tool comes in handy. Think of it as your personal detective, helping you identify and block spam calls quickly and easily. In this article, we’ll explore how the top UK reverse phone lookup tools can protect you from spam and keep your peace of mind intact.

What Is a Reverse Phone Lookup?

Picture this: you receive a call from an unknown number. Instead of wondering who it is, you enter the number into a website designed for reverse phone lookup. This service instantly tells you who owns the number or if it’s linked to known spam. It's like turning a key to unlock the mystery behind unknown calls.

Why Are Spam Calls Such a Big Problem in the UK?

Spam calls are everywhere—like uninvited guests at your doorstep. According to recent reports, millions of unwanted calls hit UK phones every month. These calls disrupt your day, waste your time, and sometimes even threaten your safety by trying to steal personal information. Knowing who’s calling gives you the upper hand.

How Does a Reverse Phone Lookup Tool Work?

Reverse lookup tools use databases from telecom companies, public records, and user reports. When you input a number on a website, it scans these sources to find matches. If the number is flagged as spam or scam, you get an instant warning. Imagine it as a security camera catching unwanted visitors in the act.

Benefits of Using a Reverse Phone Lookup

Using these tools means you’re not playing a guessing game with your phone calls anymore. They help you:

Identify unknown callers immediately

Avoid wasting time on spam or telemarketing calls

Protect your personal information from scammers

Make informed decisions about answering or blocking calls

Top UK Reverse Phone Lookup Tools to Try

Not all tools are created equal. Here are some popular websites where you can quickly check suspicious numbers:

WhoCalledMe — Known for community reports and up-to-date info.

TrueCaller — Offers both a website and an app with powerful spam detection.

NumLookup UK — Simple, straightforward reverse lookup.

BeenVerified UK — Combines data from multiple sources for detailed reports.

Try a few to find the one that feels right for you.

How to Use a Reverse Lookup Tool Safely

Before you jump in, remember to protect your own info. Only use trusted websites that don’t ask for excessive personal details. Avoid downloading files or clicking suspicious links, even if they promise more info about a caller.

Can Reverse Lookup Tools Detect Scammers?

Yes! Many of these tools have databases updated in real time with reports from users just like you. When a number is reported frequently as a scam, the tool will alert you immediately. It’s like having a neighborhood watch for your phone.

The Role of Community Feedback and Reviews

User feedback is the heart of many reverse lookup tools. People report spam numbers, share experiences, and help keep the community safe. When you visit a website, check the reviews or comments section to see if others have flagged the number you want to look up.

Are These Tools Free or Paid?

Most reverse phone lookup services offer free basic information, such as the caller’s location or whether it’s flagged as spam. For detailed reports, you might need to pay a small fee. But for everyday protection against spam, free services usually do the job just fine.

Mobile Apps vs. Website-Based Lookup

Want to look up numbers on the go? Mobile apps like TrueCaller integrate directly with your phone to identify callers in real-time. But if you prefer not to install apps, simply visiting a trusted website from any device lets you search numbers anytime, anywhere.

How to Protect Your Privacy While Using Lookup Tools

Privacy matters. When using reverse phone lookup websites, avoid sharing your own number or sensitive data. Use secure, well-known platforms that clearly state how they use your information. Think of it as locking the front door after letting someone peek inside.

What to Do When You Identify a Spam Number

Once you’ve identified a spam or scam number, don’t engage. Block the number on your phone and report it to your provider or a regulatory body like the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Sharing your findings on the lookup tool’s website helps protect others too.

Tips to Avoid Getting Targeted by Spam Calls

While lookup tools help after the fact, prevention is better. Don’t share your phone number publicly, be cautious when signing up for online services, and register your number on the UK’s Telephone Preference Service (TPS) to reduce marketing calls.

Legal Considerations in Reverse Phone Lookups in the UK

Reverse phone lookups are legal in the UK when used for legitimate purposes. These tools rely on publicly available information and user reports. Always use them ethically and never for harassment or stalking.

The Future of Phone Security and Caller Identification

As technology advances, expect smarter tools that combine AI and real-time data to block spam calls before your phone even rings. Until then, a trusty reverse phone lookup website is your best friend against unwanted callers.

Conclusion

Spam calls are like pesky mosquitoes—they’re annoying and hard to avoid. But with the help of a reliable UK reverse phone lookup website, you can spot these intruders and protect yourself before they bite. Why stay in the dark about who’s calling when the solution is just a few clicks away? Take control of your phone today and enjoy peace of mind with every ring.

[wishuponastarion]

All of this!! And also, it's not always that tough to replace ports if you find a good YouTube tutorial. I saved my gaming laptop by replacing its power input port - cost about $15 for the part and $30 for a reusable set of tools to take my laptop apart to get to it. Same with one of the USB ports in the back. Some laptops will require soldering to replace these, but many don't! It can't hurt to look around.

P.S. If you are new to taking your computer apart, I highly recommend using a phone/camera to film yourself taking it apart. That way it's very easy to see what screws went where, and in what order you did things (do it in reverse to close it up). Don't forget your anti-static wristband and a silicone placemat as a helpful work surface! :)

The Very Basics of Not Killing Your Computer

AVOID HEAT STRESS

If you have a laptop DO NOT use it on a soft surface like a pillow or on a blanket, it’ll block the vents on your computer and make it get really fucking hot inside.

If you have a desktop you gotta open it up and blow out the dust sometimes.

If you are moving your laptop in a bag turn the laptop off. Don’t put it to sleep, don’t just shut the screen, turn it off, because otherwise it’s in the bag generating heat and there’s nowhere for the heat to go in the bag. OFF. Not sleep. OFF.

DO NOT DROP

Okay I know that should be obvious but drop damage to your hard drive is bad bad news. Be as careful as you can to set your computer gently on flat surfaces; don’t leave it hanging out on a bed where it can get knocked off, don’t set it on the roof of your car. And yes, just dropping it a couple inches can kill your hard drive or totally shatter your screen.

DON’T PUT SHIT ON YOUR KEYBOARD

Look I’ve seen four people ruin their laptops because they had a pen on the keyboard and closed the laptop and it fucked up the screen and the keyboard and it sucks so much and you feel awful after it happens because it’s so avoidable just don’t put things on your keyboard and always check that your laptop is clear before you close it.

PROTECT YOUR PORTS ON YOUR LAPTOP

You’ve only got one power jack and a limited number of other inputs on your computer and if they detach from the motherboard you’re fucked. USB ports get damaged because people use them a lot and eventually it weakens the connection and then they just stop working and it sucks. You can get around this with USB ports by using a USB hub to connect things like your keyboard and mouse.

For your power plug you just gotta be careful. Avoid tripping over the cord at all costs, don’t yank the plug out of the computer. It will SUCK VERY MUCH A LOT if you have to buy a new computer because the power port lost contact with the motherboard.

Don’t move your computer with things plugged into it. Take the power cord off before you put your laptop in the bag, take out the USB mouse dongle, do not travel with little nubby bits sticking out of your computer that can easily get caught or get tweaked or snap off inside of the thing.

(I really can’t emphasize enough that most of the “it will cost more than it’s worth to fix this” laptops I see are because of USB ports and power jacks. People don’t seem to know that this isn’t something that can be fixed easily; a broken power jack is a “remove the motherboard and resoldier components” job, not a “plug a new one in in fifteen minutes” job and most computer repair shops aren’t going to solder things for you and if they DO it’s going to be very expensive)

RESTART YOUR SHIT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH AND JUST LET THE FUCKING UPDATES RUN

You should probably restart more than once a month but whatever. This is actually something that I consider part of reducing heat stress because when your processor is straining to keep up with all the background bullshit that’s running from a program you opened three weeks ago it’s going to use up resources and get hot and look just restart it once in a while.

Also the updates are almost always okay and safe and generally running updates is a good and secure thing to do (though maybe follow a blog dedicated to the OS you run because if there IS a problem with the updates that blog will probably talk about it before the update gets forced on your computer)

ANTIVIRUS BULLSHIT

Yes you should probably be running an antivirus.

Sophos is free and it’s fine. But don’t pay for it - if you’re using Sophos use the free version.

If you’re looking for something paid and a little more comprehensive I recommend ESET - get the cheap version, renewals cost less than the initial purchase, and feel free to get a multi-year version, the credentials follow your email not the computer so if your computer dies before your license expires you can install the license on a new computer.

DO NOT INSTALL NORTON OR MCAFEE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE BULLSHIT. Kaspersky is whatever. It’s less bullshit than Norton or McAfee but not as good as ESET for about the same cost.

If you think you’ve got a virus run the free version of Malwarebytes and get your shit cleaned.

KEEP LIQUIDS THE FUCK AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTER

Again this should be obvious and yet. But seriously, just make a rule for yourself that drinks aren’t allowed on the same table as your computer and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.

PLUG YOUR COMPUTER INTO A UPS

Okay I fucking hate amazon but here’s a thing you should be using, just search the rest of the internet for “surge protector/UPS” and you’ll find something that isn’t from amazon - APC is a solid brand for this.

Basically you want a fat surge protector that has a little bit of a battery backup and you want to plug your computer (desktop OR laptop) into that instead of into the wall. The benefit of this is twofold:

1) if there’s a power surge the UPS will prevent your computer’s power supply from getting fried and possibly frying parts of your motherboard

2) if there’s a power outage and you’re *at* your computer you’ll have enough time to save what you’re working on before your computer loses power (like, you’ll maybe only have a minute or two on a small UPS but that’s still time to hit CTRL+S and keep from losing work)

At a bare, bare minimum your computer should be plugged into a surge protector but NOT directly into the wall.

BACK YOUR SHIT UP

[we interrupt this yelling for me to tell you that Western Digital has apparently released their new My Passport line and I’m obligated to inform you that you can get a 2.5″ USB 3.0 backup drive with FIVE FUCKING TERABYTES OF STORAGE for $130. Or you can get 4TB for $93. Or you can get 1TB for $53. basically what I’m saying is that it is not only cheap computer season it is also cheap hard drive season.]

[also if you’re getting a backup drive get western digital not seagate seagate fucking sucks and has a much higher failure rate]

Uh, okay, anyway - Do an image backup of your computer every once in a while so that if you get infected or your hard drive dies or whatever you can just restore from backup and move on like nothing happened.

HERE’S HOW TO DO AN IMAGE BACKUP.

SAVE YOURSELF THE WEAR AND TEAR

You know what is cheap? USB Keyboards and USB mice. You know what is not cheap? Fixing the touchpad on a laptop or replacing a laptop keyboard.

Get yourself a USB hub, a USB Keyboard and a USB Mouse (wired or wireless, doesn’t matter) and if you’re using your laptop at home plug *that* into your computer.

Also if your keyboard on your laptop breaks it’s fine just to use a USB keyboard instead I promise; if the screen breaks it’s also usually cheaper and easier to get a used or inexpensive monitor than it is to replace the screen. Your laptop is basically just a very small version of whatever bullshit is going on inside a desktop, if the peripherals break but the core components are fine you can just use it like a desktop.

Unless it’s a piece of shit that doesn’t have any USB ports or video out in which case you got ripped off, friend, demand functionality in your devices I’m sorry.

/rant