From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action


<This is an off-topic, somewhat tongue-in-cheek rant. There's no
reason for you to read this; it's just an opportunity for me to rave a
bit... so don't bother yourself scrolling down. Just save yourself
some time and jump to the next thread. You're welcome.>



I love listening to music on the go. Pretty much any time I
head out, I'll stuff my music player and earphones into my
pocket, and when I have a chance -even if it's just walking
between offices- I'll listen to some tunes. For nearly two
decades, my player of choice has been an ancient Apple
iTouch; it worked well enough, and I liked having a discrete
device that I could use without worrying that I might be
draining the battery on my phone.

But two decades is a long time, and the battery on the iTouch
just wasn't cutting it anymore. The cost of replacement was
exorbitant too. So it was time for a replacement. I figured,
since the tablet I was using as an e-reader was having similar
issues, I'd just get a device that could handle BOTH tasks
(with the help of a suitably large micro-SD card*), and so I
made the purchase and set everything up.

Just one problem: like too many devices this day, it lacks a
3.5mm headphone jack. If I wanted to listen to music, I'd
either have to do it through the terrible built-in speakers,
or go wireless.

Now, I've used wireless headphones before, but never really
cared for them. They offered no real advantages that I could
see, and plenty of disadvantages. I never stuck with them for
very long. But maybe, I told myself, I'd just never given the
devices a chance. Maybe I was just being curmudgeonly. Anyway,
I didn't have a choice, so off I went to purchase a pair (or
two, as it turned out).

Well, I've been using the damn things now for three weeks and
I think I can honestly say that I am _not_ just being
curmudgeonly, and that wireless headphones do, indeed, suck
in comparison to their older, wired cousins.


<Herewith begins the rant proper. That's right, all the above was just
setting the stage for my moaning.>



I mean, just their size is annoying. They are so easily lost,
and when one pops out of your ear (as one inevitably will
do, eventually) good luck catching it before it falls onto
the dirty ground. My wired headphones would sometimes fall
out of my ears too (maybe I just have odd-shaped ears?) but
at worst they'd dangle down by my knees, and be easily
retrieved by giving the cord a little tug. But with the
wireless things? Down on my knees I go, searching behind some
desk for the little bugger.

You know what other advantage wired headphones have? They
don't need to be charged. That's right; even after sixty
hours of listening to music, I can just plug the wired ones
into the device and they STILL keep working. It's magic!
Of course, I have to charge the player every now and again,
but at least I don't have to charge the headphones. Except
now I do. I'm already running short on outlets -both
electrical and USB- because every damn thing wants to be
wireless. Now I've got yet another device demanding to
vampire electricity from me.

And it _thrills_ me to know that the batteries aren't
replaceable either. I mean, just the fact that I'm keeping
a flammable battery next to my brain is already worrisome
enough, but the fact that --in six months or three years
or however long these fuckers last-- I'm going to be tossing
them in the garbage pisses me off to no end. And while cost
isn't really an issue, it seems wasteful in that regard too.
I've got wired headphones that have lasted five-plus years,
and they cost just a couple of bucks. The cheapest wireless
buds I found where close to ten times the cost.

You think I'm done? I haven't even gotten started yet!

How about connecting the damn things? Wired buds? Plug in
the jack, and instant music. Wireless? Fiddle with the
blue tooth settings and hope it works. Usually it does, but
there have been a few times the player and earphones just
refused to engage with one another. Or the player would
forget they were there. Or the headphones wouldn't find the
player. It never was _that_ hard to get things working again,
but it lacked the seamless connectivity of a simple plug.

And even when they were talking to each other, they'd
sometimes sporadically lose connection. They'd be pops and
pauses as the devices re-negotiated. Now, you're probably
saying, "Spalls, it sounds like you just bought cheap gear,"
and I initially would have agreed with you. That's why I went
out and bought better wireless earbuds, and tried them with
my iPhone. Same thing. Maybe I live in a Bluetooth-saturated
neighborhood (I mean, I almost certainly do; it's crowded
'round here and there are a lot of electronics in use!) and
that's why the connectivity issues... but this was just
another thing I didn't ever have to worry about when my head-
phones had wires.

Then there's the controls. Wired headphones have long had a
set of buttons that would let you pause/play, advance/rewind,
and change the volume. Simple to use, and easily accessible
on the wire. The wireless headphones I purchased had a similar
feature... except they lacked the volume controls, and were
extremely finicky to use. The number of taps was constantly
mis-interpreted; I'd pause when I wanted to rewind, skip a
track when I wanted to pause, reset when I wanted to play...
it was always a struggle just to perform the most basic of
tasks.

(I will admit, though, I sort of felt like a secret service
agent whenever I pressed my finger to the wireless airpod in
my ear. I completely deny that I ever said things like, "The
target is on the move, repeat the target is on the move"
while doing so).

And for all that, what benefit did I get from the things? Well,
I COULD move up to 15meters away from the player (well, more
like 5m before I lost connection, but still). I mean, it's
not like it ever was any problem just carrying the player with
me (the iTouch was smaller than my hand; my new tablet is
bigger but still fits into my pocket) so I'm never far away
from the device anyway. But I COULD leave it behind if I
wanted. So I guess that's an advantage? Certainly they don't
SOUND any better. Not any worse either (well, aside from
those drop-outs because of connectivity issues) but it's not
like I've suddenly been transported into some new Dimension
of Awesome Sound. I guess not having to untangle the wires is
an advantage... not that ever was that much an issue for
me anyway. It happened maybe once a fortnight and took all of
ten seconds to shake out. I guess that means in a year,
going wireless saved me ~5 minutes of time. Too bad I lose
more time than that futzing about with Bluetooth and
the controls...

Sure, yeah, maybe if I spent more time (and money) on my
purchase, I could find a pair that suits my particular
idiosyncrasies. Maybe I'd find some wireless headphones that
fit my ears perfectly and never fell out (or used over-the-
ear loops to prevent that, even though I find those
incredibly uncomfortable). Or had replaceable batteries, or
better connectivity or more responsive controls, or whatever.
But I don't WANT to spend that much time and money on
these things; that's the point. A $3 pair of wired
headphones would last me for years, gave me all these
advantages for free, and if they broke or got lost, it was
only another $3 out-of-pocket to replace them. There's
nothing wireless headphones do better, and a hell of a lot
they do worse, and they're more expensive to boot! Why
should I use them?!?!?

So I don't. I just spent a (small) bundle to get my iTouch
battery replaced, and while I was out splurged on three more
pairs of super-cheap wired headphones (the good ones; it cost
me almost twenty dollars for the lot!). Hopefully these will
last me until I'm dead. Because fuck if I ever want to try
using wireless headphones again.


<Thus ends this week's off-topic rant. I hope you didn't read it all,
but if you did, don't feel obligated to respond. We've wasted enough
of people's time already.>












* some of you may remember I made mention of this very same tablet and
the problems I had with the SD card a few weeks back. For those who
missed it, let's just say the spring-loaded eject feature built into
the new tablet was VERY powerful ;-)



--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 8/15/2025 3:23 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

<Thus ends this week's off-topic rant. I hope you didn't read it all,
but if you did, don't feel obligated to respond. We've wasted enough
of people's time already.>

I read all of it and agree with all of it.
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 8/16/2025 7:11 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

I've been in this club for a long time already.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)

A patch of dead grass and bare dirt is not a "lawn".
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Am 16.08.25 um 00:23 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:

Now, I've used wireless headphones before, but never really
cared for them. They offered no real advantages that I could
see, and plenty of disadvantages. I never stuck with them for
very long. But maybe, I told myself, I'd just never given the
devices a chance. Maybe I was just being curmudgeonly. Anyway,
I didn't have a choice, so off I went to purchase a pair (or
two, as it turned out).

The advantage is, it fills Apples pocket, that alone should be worth it *Sarkasm off*

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:39:45 +0200, "Werner P." <werpu@gmx.at> wrote:

Am 16.08.25 um 00:23 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:

Now, I've used wireless headphones before, but never really
cared for them. They offered no real advantages that I could
see, and plenty of disadvantages. I never stuck with them for
very long. But maybe, I told myself, I'd just never given the
devices a chance. Maybe I was just being curmudgeonly. Anyway,
I didn't have a choice, so off I went to purchase a pair (or
two, as it turned out).

The advantage is, it fills Apples pocket, that alone should be worth it >*Sarkasm off*

<rant mode re-engaged>
The sad fact is that is true. The death of the 3.5"mm jack was
entirely because Apple was in it's "flatness is everything!" phase
(and because it saved the company a few cents in adding a jack and
some gaskets). But like too many things Apple does, their focus of
form over function gives people less useful devices. Sure, they LOOK
neat but they just aren't as good to use.

Which is unfortunate, because while I'm no Apple fan-boy, they
undeniably have engineering skills. Whether its their desktops or
their mobile devices, they tend to be well-put together machines. No,
they're not top-end and its not like others haven't matched (or
bettered) them at times... but Apple has definite competence. It's
just a shame it's so focused on the LOOKS of their devices rather than
the actual utility. Worse, they've a reputation that makes people
blindly accept their decisions even when it's to their own detriment.

Which is why almost no mobile devices have 3.5mm jacks anymore.
Because if it's good for Apple, then it must be good for everyone
else.

</rant disengaged>


.
.
.


And it is too a proper lawn! I didn't do six years in Lawnology School
to stand guard over a dirt patch!

;-)




--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 8/17/2025 7:50 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:39:45 +0200, "Werner P." <werpu@gmx.at> wrote:

Am 16.08.25 um 00:23 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:

Now, I've used wireless headphones before, but never really
cared for them. They offered no real advantages that I could
see, and plenty of disadvantages. I never stuck with them for
very long. But maybe, I told myself, I'd just never given the
devices a chance. Maybe I was just being curmudgeonly. Anyway,
I didn't have a choice, so off I went to purchase a pair (or
two, as it turned out).

The advantage is, it fills Apples pocket, that alone should be worth it
*Sarkasm off*

<rant mode re-engaged>
The sad fact is that is true. The death of the 3.5"mm jack was
entirely because Apple was in it's "flatness is everything!" phase
(and because it saved the company a few cents in adding a jack and
some gaskets). But like too many things Apple does, their focus of
form over function gives people less useful devices. Sure, they LOOK
neat but they just aren't as good to use.

Which is unfortunate, because while I'm no Apple fan-boy, they
undeniably have engineering skills. Whether its their desktops or
their mobile devices, they tend to be well-put together machines. No,
they're not top-end and its not like others haven't matched (or
bettered) them at times... but Apple has definite competence. It's
just a shame it's so focused on the LOOKS of their devices rather than
the actual utility. Worse, they've a reputation that makes people
blindly accept their decisions even when it's to their own detriment.

Which is why almost no mobile devices have 3.5mm jacks anymore.
Because if it's good for Apple, then it must be good for everyone
else.

</rant disengaged>

.
.
.

And it is too a proper lawn! I didn't do six years in Lawnology School
to stand guard over a dirt patch!

;-)

:P
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 8/16/2025 7:11 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

I've been in this club for a long time already.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)

A patch of dead grass and bare dirt is not a "lawn".

I have been in this club too long. I still use 3.5mm audio with my
analog speakers! Bluetooth audio isn't reliable to me.
--
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit ? fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." --John 15:16. Not a quiet Sat.
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sun, 17 Aug 2025 23:16:46 -0000 (UTC), ant@zimage.comANT (Ant)
wrote:

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 8/16/2025 7:11 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

I've been in this club for a long time already.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)

A patch of dead grass and bare dirt is not a "lawn".

I have been in this club too long. I still use 3.5mm audio with my
analog speakers! Bluetooth audio isn't reliable to me.

Fortunately, most PCs still have 3.5mm jacks. Even my Apple 2024 Mac
Mini has one! (The feature may be less common on laptops, but it's
less important there too; at least laptops have built-in speakers).

Of course, whether or not a PC has a _front-panel_ 3.5mm jack isn't
quote as certain, but extra-long audio cables are a thing ;-)

If I ever bought a desktop without a 3.5mm jack, I'd definitely buy an expansion card just to add that feature back in. In fact, in some ways
that's exactly what I did; my current PC only has 2.1 sound, and I
added a discrete soundcard to ensure I had 7.1 sound. So many extra
jacks!!!!












(And now I've said the word "jack" so often that it's starting to
sound weird. Jack jack jack jack jack).


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
...

(And now I've said the word "jack" so often that it's starting to
sound weird. Jack jack jack jack jack).

Remember Contract J.A.C.K. game spun off No One Lives Forever? :P
--
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." --Romans 8:18. Glory now please. Quiet Sun.
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 18 Aug 2025 23:31:28 -0000 (UTC), ant@zimage.comANT (Ant)
wrote:

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
...

(And now I've said the word "jack" so often that it's starting to
sound weird. Jack jack jack jack jack).

Remember Contract J.A.C.K. game spun off No One Lives Forever? :P

Do I have to?

It wasn't a good game. It wasn't _terrible_; certainly it wasn't the
worst crime against humanity commited with the Lithtech engine ("Terra
Wars: NY Invasion" takes that dubious prize). But it wasn't good. Its
level design was boring, its enemies and gunplay dull, its story all
but nonexistant and its characters didn't have any. It felt like
left-over ideas from earlier NOLF games dumped into a game in hopes of
making a quick buck (which it probably was). It was an imminently
forgettable game whose only claim to fame was that it was attached to
the much better "No One Lives Forever" franchise.

How forgettable? I never even wrote a review for it... despite the
fact I know I played through the campaign twice.


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Mon, 18 Aug 2025 23:31:28 -0000 (UTC), ant@zimage.comANT (Ant)
wrote:

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
...

(And now I've said the word "jack" so often that it's starting to
sound weird. Jack jack jack jack jack).

Remember Contract J.A.C.K. game spun off No One Lives Forever? :P

Do I have to?

It wasn't a good game. It wasn't _terrible_; certainly it wasn't the
worst crime against humanity commited with the Lithtech engine ("Terra
Wars: NY Invasion" takes that dubious prize). But it wasn't good. Its
level design was boring, its enemies and gunplay dull, its story all
but nonexistant and its characters didn't have any. It felt like
left-over ideas from earlier NOLF games dumped into a game in hopes of
making a quick buck (which it probably was). It was an imminently
forgettable game whose only claim to fame was that it was attached to
the much better "No One Lives Forever" franchise.

How forgettable? I never even wrote a review for it... despite the
fact I know I played through the campaign twice.

I only played its demo.
--
"We <3 cuz he 1st <3ed us." --1 John 4:19. Poopy old body & septic tanks! Delays again. :(
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 23:16 this Sunday (GMT):

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 8/16/2025 7:11 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

I've been in this club for a long time already.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)

A patch of dead grass and bare dirt is not a "lawn".

I have been in this club too long. I still use 3.5mm audio with my
analog speakers! Bluetooth audio isn't reliable to me.

I use 3.5mm with my laptop, and absolutely would with my phone if it
supported it.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 14:50 this Sunday (GMT):

On Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:39:45 +0200, "Werner P." <werpu@gmx.at> wrote:

Am 16.08.25 um 00:23 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:

Now, I've used wireless headphones before, but never really
cared for them. They offered no real advantages that I could
see, and plenty of disadvantages. I never stuck with them for
very long. But maybe, I told myself, I'd just never given the
devices a chance. Maybe I was just being curmudgeonly. Anyway,
I didn't have a choice, so off I went to purchase a pair (or
two, as it turned out).

The advantage is, it fills Apples pocket, that alone should be worth it >>*Sarkasm off*

<rant mode re-engaged>
The sad fact is that is true. The death of the 3.5"mm jack was
entirely because Apple was in it's "flatness is everything!" phase
(and because it saved the company a few cents in adding a jack and
some gaskets). But like too many things Apple does, their focus of
form over function gives people less useful devices. Sure, they LOOK
neat but they just aren't as good to use.

Which is unfortunate, because while I'm no Apple fan-boy, they
undeniably have engineering skills. Whether its their desktops or
their mobile devices, they tend to be well-put together machines. No,
they're not top-end and its not like others haven't matched (or
bettered) them at times... but Apple has definite competence. It's
just a shame it's so focused on the LOOKS of their devices rather than
the actual utility. Worse, they've a reputation that makes people
blindly accept their decisions even when it's to their own detriment.

Which is why almost no mobile devices have 3.5mm jacks anymore.
Because if it's good for Apple, then it must be good for everyone
else.

</rant disengaged>

.
.
.

And it is too a proper lawn! I didn't do six years in Lawnology School
to stand guard over a dirt patch!

;-)

I absolutely would take having a better battery life over my phone being slightly thinner.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

candycanearter07 wrote:

Ant <ant@zimage.comANT> wrote at 23:16 this Sunday (GMT):

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 8/16/2025 7:11 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:32:12 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

I read all of it and agree with all of it.

Welcome to old-person club.

I've been in this club for a long time already.

Now get off my lawn! ;-)

A patch of dead grass and bare dirt is not a "lawn".

I have been in this club too long. I still use 3.5mm audio with my
analog speakers! Bluetooth audio isn't reliable to me.

Before I was familiar with Bluetooth, I was in a war over one of my
resources. Strange black rhythm & blues would come out of the speakers instead of my industrial thrash. It doesn't seem to be an ongoing
problem because the components that spread Bluetooth have taken
possession of the resources now.

I think Bluetooth is a learned skill that you can't just pick up from
scratch.
--
n
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

<Thus ends this week's off-topic rant. I hope you didn't read it
all, but if you did, don't feel obligated to respond. We've wasted
enough of people's time already.>

Pretty much I alternate wired and wireless depending on the situation.
If I am going for a walk, tidying the place, commuting, I will use
wireless since the cables are an accident waiting to happen if I am
moving. My personal drawbacks are:
- Lots of places in the street where the signal suddenly drops. Probably
a security camera or one of those "smart" street lamps.
- If I am using the wireless headphones with my Deck or Switch while
commuting and I need to suspend the console while I switch trains, the bluetooth gets disconnected. When I turn on the console again and they
connect, now, the sound has half a second delay that won't go away until
I restart the device. So I have I have to keep the console open, in my
hand because i can't turn it off.


My current media player (which could be defined as "chink shit") has two
3.5mm inputs, one for headphones and a line out. This last one when I
plug it to the PC speakers or the Stereo system. Similar in size to an
ipod classic and with a mechanical disc wheel.


Useless fact #01: My wired headphones still need a battery, since they
are ANC cans. They still work well after 8 years of usage, but I have
accepted that they will end in the trash when the battery fully dies. I
have already gone through two sets of ear cushions and one head band replacement.

Useless fact #02: People are still clueless enough to come to lanparties
with wireless keyboards, wireless mice... and wireless headphones. Then
they discover that the spectrum there is so saturated that bluetooth is completely useless. Then they cry on the chat for someone to sell or
lend them a pair of wired cans.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:13:41 +0200, H1M3M <wipnoah@gmail.com> wrote:

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

<Thus ends this week's off-topic rant. I hope you didn't read it
all, but if you did, don't feel obligated to respond. We've wasted
enough of people's time already.>

Pretty much I alternate wired and wireless depending on the situation.
If I am going for a walk, tidying the place, commuting, I will use
wireless since the cables are an accident waiting to happen if I am
moving. My personal drawbacks are:
- Lots of places in the street where the signal suddenly drops. Probably
a security camera or one of those "smart" street lamps.
- If I am using the wireless headphones with my Deck or Switch while >commuting and I need to suspend the console while I switch trains, the >bluetooth gets disconnected. When I turn on the console again and they >connect, now, the sound has half a second delay that won't go away until
I restart the device. So I have I have to keep the console open, in my
hand because i can't turn it off.

My current media player (which could be defined as "chink shit") has two >3.5mm inputs, one for headphones and a line out. This last one when I
plug it to the PC speakers or the Stereo system. Similar in size to an
ipod classic and with a mechanical disc wheel.

Useless fact #01: My wired headphones still need a battery, since they
are ANC cans. They still work well after 8 years of usage, but I have >accepted that they will end in the trash when the battery fully dies. I
have already gone through two sets of ear cushions and one head band >replacement.

It's amazing that with all this technology we can't invent some sort
of standardized long-term electrical capicitor storage device that can
be removed/replaced from our electronics after their charge drains or
they wear out. I can imagine we'd want different sizes for different applications; of course, we'd need some sort of labelling system to differentiate them. Perhaps we could use letters to designate the
sizes.

Well, maybe one day the boffins will invent this miraculous device.
Until then, we'll just have to toss the whole device because there's
just no other option due to our primitive tech.

/s





--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 8/15/2025 3:23 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Just one problem: like too many devices this day, it lacks a
3.5mm headphone jack. If I wanted to listen to music, I'd
either have to do it through the terrible built-in speakers,
or go wireless.

Nope.

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-EarPods-Headphones-Built-Control/dp/B0DCH8VDXF/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QK239E19XGFT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ViNGJLZXgWrXgwiUSPMf6cWZdx_LHWiOPsG6dl8yuyhFDwbNd23ChUmReRC0UTvHPH-zJmaI2CEIf_PFK4tuFhg7J-zgUXUrM3dGm1xNJJ203SnPvJWqijlvJjKqnrfj8lgscLg6gUmOCYOTkoP3qySw5fywGwCzkPpBthk8VnNFdx99AGCucM-_KvdRAYXTiuUqSX7vfqFil-g1XwhYr9DXRk63jlrbx3y46cBvyM4.FYL260djfpzUSEL-C-7NBqdUio4SQC1E0Y0kYw14RAU&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb-c%2Bwired%2Bheadphones&qid=1755707485&sprefix=usb-c%2Bwired%2Bheadphone%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-3&th=1

Or

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Headphone-Adapter-Converter-Samsung/dp/B07KJ87HYJ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2SHX9OO9MGZP4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JpnWeyRl9GM5rM9z3DpzEwE9WNGOolzk-gEbaSzlZ3kMzJ7uHK0TyvPaW1WTtE24Sg_XUrMHCvdmgu-Ox0zswDTmocSvMpG8IAXcfjwYMjjzp1AhRHpQH5XPWCM59KYzrIXtUoDu5ePMcwUUYw0kKM1dzXRdLKsNdQWVt3yn2kbUu2YrMbLghH-VAUc_E30emp5nEUx8aCIvkQOqsPwc5JVZP3B0K5mb9lJl53mmEoI.EsHffkBManBfJya61l2b5Cs0C0zfRQrBwCTDP_29y90&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb-c%2Bto%2B3.5mm%2Badapter&qid=1755707646&sprefix=usb-c%2Bto%2B3.%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

There's versions of both for whatever your connector might be.
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:13:41 +0200, H1M3M <wipnoah@gmail.com> wrote:

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

It's amazing that with all this technology we can't invent some sort
of standardized long-term electrical capicitor storage device that
can be removed/replaced from our electronics after their charge
drains or they wear out. I can imagine we'd want different sizes for different applications; of course, we'd need some sort of labelling
system to differentiate them. Perhaps we could use letters to
designate the sizes.

Well, maybe one day the boffins will invent this miraculous device.
Until then, we'll just have to toss the whole device because there's
just no other option due to our primitive tech.

The stupid thing is that my headphones are the Bose QC35. One of the
previous models, the QC25 used a AAA battery The QC 35 has a lithium
battery that has the exact size and shape as an AAA battery.Since they converted the headphones from dispossable batteries to lithium but they structurally they are identical. it shouls be easy to replace the
battery, but...

They went the Apple route all the way. Glue on the bettery lid so hard
to remove that you can destroy the internals while melting them, and
they soldered the battery to the circuit board.
Genuine planned obsolescence and asshole design, but back then I did not
have a choice of models and I needed good ANC for my own mental sanity.


And yes, I get the irony. ot the capacitor storage device... There was something called the "gumstick battery" in japan. A more or less
standardized rechargeable battery that was used in minidisc players,
digital media players... it was like a flat rechargeable battery.
Although it was associated with Sony, other brands also used it. Of
course, no one would buy new gadgets if you could keep repairing them forever...
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Just one problem: like too many devices this day, it lacks a
3.5mm headphone jack. If I wanted to listen to music, I'd
either have to do it through the terrible built-in speakers,
or go wireless.

You can get cheap USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapters. The USB-C spec
actually supports a headphone mode which allows passive versions of
these adapters to work, but most adapters these days are USB devices
with built-in DACs.
--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca:11068/
db //
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

H1M3M <wipnoah@gmail.com> wrote at 10:18 this Thursday (GMT):

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:13:41 +0200, H1M3M <wipnoah@gmail.com> wrote:

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

It's amazing that with all this technology we can't invent some sort
of standardized long-term electrical capicitor storage device that
can be removed/replaced from our electronics after their charge
drains or they wear out. I can imagine we'd want different sizes for
different applications; of course, we'd need some sort of labelling
system to differentiate them. Perhaps we could use letters to
designate the sizes.

Well, maybe one day the boffins will invent this miraculous device.
Until then, we'll just have to toss the whole device because there's
just no other option due to our primitive tech.

The stupid thing is that my headphones are the Bose QC35. One of the
previous models, the QC25 used a AAA battery The QC 35 has a lithium
battery that has the exact size and shape as an AAA battery.Since they converted the headphones from dispossable batteries to lithium but they structurally they are identical. it shouls be easy to replace the
battery, but...

They went the Apple route all the way. Glue on the bettery lid so hard
to remove that you can destroy the internals while melting them, and
they soldered the battery to the circuit board.
Genuine planned obsolescence and asshole design, but back then I did not
have a choice of models and I needed good ANC for my own mental sanity.

And yes, I get the irony. ot the capacitor storage device... There was something called the "gumstick battery" in japan. A more or less
standardized rechargeable battery that was used in minidisc players,
digital media players... it was like a flat rechargeable battery.
Although it was associated with Sony, other brands also used it. Of
course, no one would buy new gadgets if you could keep repairing them forever...

Oh yeah, I've seen gumstick batteries, they're pretty cool!
Non-removable batteries kinda sucks...
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2