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Episode 423 – We Think He Really Likes this Keyboard?

In this Week’s TechtalkRadio Show, Andy and Shawn want to find out about Matt’s new studio setup which looks like it came out great! Matt shared his recent transition to a rack-mounted case, which he found to be more efficient and better for airflow. He also discussed his use of a Sony ZV-10 mirrorless camera as a webcam, which he found to be effective for blogging and vlogging. Last weeks show had a listener ask about Mechanical Keyboards which Matt explained and discussed his mechanical keyboard, the Keychron v1 Max, which he found at Micro Center. He highlighted its features, including a 75% keyboard layout, mechanical switches, USB-C and USB-A ports, a rechargeable internal battery, Bluetooth compatibility, and a switch for Mac or Windows. Matt also mentioned the keyboard’s customizable firmware and the ability to change keycaps for different layouts. He noted that the keyboard lights up and has a tactile feel, making it the quietest mechanical keyboard he has ever used. Take a look at the Company Website at https://www.keychron.com

Shawn found a great deal and decided to buy in for a Dji Power 1000, a solar generator that can charge devices and potentially run small appliances like an air conditioner. He bought it at a 48% discount from Amazon, using a code from Dji’s Black Friday email. Shawn plans to use it for camping and when out grabbing photos for astrophotography. The group also discussed other portable power brands like Jackery and Anker, and the possibility of using solar panels to charge the generator. Andy suggested that listeners might benefit from joining Dji’s mailing list for potential deals.

After a listener question from Allan, Matt and Shawn discussed the pros and cons of upgrading to Windows 11. Matt and Shawn expressed their dissatisfaction with the bloat and ads in Windows 11, while the listener sought advice on whether to upgrade now or wait until October when Windows 10 support ends. Matt advised Allan to pull the band-aid and upgrade, as Windows 11 will receive security patches and updates, but warned about the potential annoyance of ads and recommendations. Matt also advised Allan to back up his files before upgrading his operating system and to use a disk cleanup tool to remove previous Windows installations after a certain amount of time. Andy also shared a question from Dave about recovering data from an old IDE hard drive, and Shawn suggested using a USB to IDE adapter to connect the drive to a computer stating they aren’t to bad in price and easy to use. Shawn found one on the Micro-Center Website from Vantec. Another listener question handled the subject of Black Friday/Cyber Monday TV Deals and how to tell differences between some of the screens. All this and more featured in this week’s TechtalkRadio Show,

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New Show – Zip Ties, Velcro and a Whole Lot of Cables

For this Week’s TechtalkRadio Broadcast, Andy, Shawn, and Justin discussed various topics related to technology and personal experiences. They talked about Matt’s computer issues, with Justin mentioning that Matt had moved his gaming computer into a rack mount chassis and was experiencing problems. They also discussed the importance of cable management, with Shawn emphasizing the need for flush-cutting zip ties to avoid injuries.

In the Photos, What a Non Flush Cut Zip tie looks like. Matt shared the Rack and then System with componants installed, then the finished product. The conversation then shifted to the topic of retro computer cases, with Andy sharing an article about Silverstone’s retro beige PC case. The team also reminisced about the past, discussing the effects of smoking on electronics and the challenges of cleaning them. The conversation ended with Justin showing off his new camera, The Sony A7 Mark IV camera. Justin explained the camera’s features, including its ability to shoot raw images, 4K video at 60 frames per second, and its built-in eye tracking feature. Justin also discussed his experience with Adobe Lightroom, a software he used to edit the photos he took with the camera. Andy and Shawn praised the camera’s quality and the benefits of using Lightroom for photo editing.

Another Project that Justin recently completed was installing permanent outdoor holiday lights. Justin shared his research on the company Jellyfish deciding to go with EnBrighten, in Justin study a more affordable option. EnBrighten lights come in 100-foot strings and can be individually controlled, allowing for various color effects and preset modes for different holidays. Justin also mentioned hiring a professional to install the lights, which cost him around $380.

A listener question came in regarding a request from the writer’s son for a Mechanical Keyboard. Justin explained the differences between budget keyboards and what can be found with a mechanical. Andy, Shawn, and Justin discussed their experiences with the Tyson-Paul boxing match and the issues they faced while trying to watch it. They shared their attempts to stream the fight, with Shawn mentioning that they eventually found an illegal stream to watch it on Discord. Justin revealed that he watched the fight somewhat legally through a live stream on X, which had 9 million viewers at its peak. The conversation then shifted to social media platforms, with Andy and Justin discussing their experiences with Twitter and the new platform Blue Sky. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the political nature of these platforms and their desire for a more curated feed. Justin mentioned that he has successfully curated his X feed to avoid political content. The team also discussed their presence on Facebook and Blue Sky, encouraging listeners to connect with them on these platforms.

Another listener question is handled, and it involved digitizing old VHS tapes and putting them of DVD. Shawn recommended not burning them to DVD. Shawn recommended using Legacy Box for digitizing old VHS tapes into a digital format, as DVDs are just taking up space. Justin suggested that the digitized content could be played on a TV via a USB slot. Shawn also suggested checking out the service’s website for a sale currently running at $8 per tape. In a segment from a couple of weeks ago, Andy mentioned his experience with the Epson FF680-W photo scanner and has found that Visioneer has a similar scanner and will work to check it out and compare its performance.

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The Oh Wow Moment! When It Starts Scanning! Epson FF-680W

In this week’s segment, we focused on preserving cherished memories—our photos. Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed how natural disasters and unexpected home incidents can devastate precious keepsakes like photos. While flatbed scanners have been around for decades and are useful for digitizing pictures, the process can sometimes feel complicated. Companies like Epson have stepped up to simplify this through continuous improvements in both hardware and software.

Services like ScanMyPhotos.com offer an excellent solution for those who prefer to have someone else handle the scanning, delivering digitized photos in a convenient format. While these services are reliable, some people prefer a hands-on approach. For them, the Epson FF-680W is a standout option. Part of Epson’s “FastFoto” line, the FF-680W was featured in a memorable ad campaign with Shaq and his mom, Lucille, aptly titled “Preserve What’s Priceless.”

What sets the Epson FF-680W apart is its easy setup and remarkably fast scanning capabilities. It connects seamlessly to your PC or Mac, where scanned images can be stored. We demonstrated how effortlessly it can scan a stack of photos while integrating with Epson’s app, and the results were truly impressive. The Epson FF-680W is available for $499. For More Info, Take a Look at https://www.epson.com

Below is the First Look at the Scanner that we posted on Social.

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Episode 421 – Close Encounters with a Great Looking Camera!

In this Weeks TechtalkRadio Show, Andy, Shawn, Justin, Matt and Slick gather together to talk the latest in Tech but also after not bieng able to connect with a guest, they noted her expertise in UFO and UAP Studies. This was in advance of a show in Tucson at the Rialto by her colleague Luis Elizondo, who is a former head of the Pentagon program investigating UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) and has written a book called “Imminent: Inside the Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs.” While the guest was unable to attend the radio show, the team decided to continue the discussion about UFOs. Shawn mentioned seeing unusual lights while trying to chase the Northern lights and the space station, but couldn’t attribute them to extraterrestrial sources. S!ick shared stories of lights moving in unusual ways in the Tucson area, but didn’t claim to have seen a UFO. Andy recalled seeing a string of lights on a drive between Phoenix and Tucson. The team agreed that while some sightings could be explained, others remained unexplained and intriguing.

Shawn reminded us about the early days of SETI@home, a distributed computing project that utilized home computers to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Shawn shared his experience of using the software, which involved processing raw data from satellites in the Gigahertz spectrum. The team also discussed the potential of other projects like HARPA, which uses CPU power to scan high-frequency radio signals. The conversation also touched on the concept of the “Great Barrier” theory, which suggests that advanced civilizations must pass a test of self-preservation before they can explore interstellar space. They reminisced about classic movies dealing with UFOs such as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “Mars Attacks”, and “The Day the Earth Stood Still” while Slick talks about the To Serve Man Episode on Twilight Zone and we find Justin isn’t a fan of the Classic Twilight Zone TV Episodes!

The Crew welcomes to the show Richard Neumann from Sub2R. The company has built a camera which is expected to retail for around $1,500 for the Square One model and $2,500 for the Studio 4 60 model, is described as having amazing quality. The camera is HDMI centric for the Square One model and SDI based for the Studio 4 60 model. Richard explained that the camera uses a Sony IMX 294 image sensor, larger format glass, and micro 4/3rd technology for ease of use and reasonable pricing. The camera is designed to be versatile, with interchangeable lenses and the ability to convert the video output to various formats. Richard emphasized the camera’s open architecture, allowing for innovation and customization.

Richard Neumann in a Square One Demo


Shawn shared with us a recent update in the DJI Air 3S Drone with a potential ban on importing the new DJI Air 3S drone due to concerns about forced labor practices and technology-based issues. Andy also talked about a product he recently shared on KMSB Fox 11 News 13, the Epson FF- 680W scanner. Shawn expressed interest in the scanner for his massive photo and video archive, as it could significantly speed up the scanning process. The team also discussed the importance of adding metadata to scanned photos for better organization and accessibility.

The Epson FF680W

A listener sent the team a question about using a physical keyboard with their iPhone, which led to a discussion about different Bluetooth keyboard options available such as the Logitech K480 and the Clicks System which the guys really liked, It is a actual keyboard that the iphone can snap into. They referred to the company website https://www.clicks.tech

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Episode 419 – The Future is going to be Pricy

In this episode of TechtalkRadio, Justin tells us about his recent visit to Las Vegas for a Conference and shared his observations on how much Vegas has changed since his last visit in 2017, including the demolition of the Tropicana and the construction of a new baseball stadium for the Athletics. Andy, Slick, and Justin also reminisced about their past visits to Vegas for CES. The conversation also touched on the rising costs of living in Vegas, with Justin sharing his experiences of paying $16 for a breakfast sandwich and $9 for a Starbucks coffee. One of the cool visuals in Vegas is the Sphere. They speculated about the materials used in its construction and the potential need for constant panel replacements. Andy shared a memorable experience from CES in 2008, when they attempted to get a car to drive to Vegas, Ford connected and hooked the crew up with the Ford Flex (See the Photos Below). Justin jokingly asked Andy to talk to Elon Musk about getting a Cybertruck. Andy then asked each participant about their dream electric vehicle to drive to CES in Las Vegas. Justin expressed his desire for a Tesla Model S Plaid, while Shawn, who has a fondness for Australian cars, chose a Holden SS. S!ick expressed a desire for a vehicle similar to the Ford flex, equipped with advanced ports and possibly an electric motor home. Justin suggested that electric motor homes might not be feasible due to battery limitations and weight issues.

Slick Striking a Pose next to the Ford Flex

The team discussed listener Bruce’s query about a device to independently control volume on a smart TV using a headset. Andy suggested using the new Roku Ultra with Bluetooth headphones, while Shawn added that Roku TV users can use the official Roku app to control volume in their earbuds or any Bluetooth headphones. The team also shared their experiences with kids and their fascination with keyboards, suggesting that an old mechanical keyboard could be a fun and educational toy for them. The team concluded that Bluetooth was the best solution for independent volume control, despite the potential issue of volume being too loud for others. Andy talked about his testing of the New Roku Ultra and why he likes the upgraded speed and Version 2.0 of the remote.


The conversation then shifted to a listener’s question about tracking mileage for tax purposes, with Andy suggesting a few options. Andy expressed his dissatisfaction with the QuickBooks Small Business program, which had significantly increased in price over the past four years. He mentioned that the program, which was supposed to track mileage, had been malfunctioning for two and a half weeks. Andy also explored alternative options, such as Mile IQ, which offers three pricing options, including a free plan for small businesses. Justin agreed that Mile IQ was a more cost-effective and efficient option compared to QuickBooks.

Andy, Shawn, and Justin discussed the features and potential impact of the DJI Air 3S drone, including its 1-inch sensor camera, 45-minute flight time, and 20-kilometer video transmission. They also discussed the anti-drone bill and its potential effects on the drone market, with Shawn suggesting that DJI is trying to sell as many drones as possible before the bill is passed. Concerns were raised about the potential misuse of drones, particularly in relation to national security, and the possibility of electronic jamming or countermeasures to neutralize drones. The team also discussed the potential of drones in various fields, such as real estate and event photography, and the increased ease of obtaining a Part 107 license for drone usage. However, no final decisions or action items were mentioned.

Justin expressed interest in getting back into photography, specifically considering Sony as a brand due to a professional photographer’s recommendation. Shawn advised Justin to opt for a mirrorless camera instead of a DSLR, citing advantages such as smaller body size, better battery life, and direct-to-sensor image quality. Shawn also mentioned that Sony is a strong contender in the mirrorless market. Andy suggested that Justin could review a Sony camera for a month or two. The team agreed to look into the possibility of Justin reviewing a Sony camera.

This Month is Cybersecurity Month and the team discussed the importance of cybersecurity awareness, with Justin emphasizing the use of password managers and S!ick suggesting taking a moment to think before responding to a text or email or even a popup.


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