# The Black Moor
> Articles, guides, or reviews on technology, amateur radio, or Linux as well as other various interests or hobbies of mine. 
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### My Code
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/code/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T01:45:44.000Z
I've written a lot of tidbits of code over the years, mostly useful for me, but some may be useful for others.

### chatdb

The primary code project that I think is the most useful and I spend the most time on has its own page, it's called [chatdb](https://theblackmoor.net/chatdb-irc-log-query-and-analysis?sametab&), and its primary purpose is putting IRC log files into a database and enabling a wide variety of queries and statistics for log analysis.

### thumbsup-search

[ThumbsUp](https://thumbsup.github.io/?ref=theblackmoor.net) is a nice simple Open Source tool to generate a static photo album. It however has no search included, so this is a Perl CGI that uses the SQLite database that ThumbsUp generates and points to the HTML and images that ThumbsUp itself generates and provides a robust search engine and map view of the images. I have created a gitlab repository here: [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/thumbsup-search](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/thumbsup-search?ref=theblackmoor.net) and a live example here: [https://thumbups.theblackmoor.net](https://thumbsup.theblackmoor.net/?ref=theblackmoor.net) 

### mpd-scripts

I had used Amarok for years and loved its dynamic playlists, but it hadn't been updated in quite a while and after some looking around decided to go with [MPD](https://www.musicpd.org/?ref=theblackmoor.net). However, MPD needs to be controlled by some kind of client so to recreate my beloved dynamic playlists I had to write something, so I did. Using the stickers functionality in MPD and creating a 'rating' I was able to easily define ratings for songs and use them to create playlists. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/mpd-scripts](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/mpd-scripts?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### rigtool

Controlling radios remotely in amateur radio has a ton of benefits such as being able to automatically know the frequency you're on so you can log contacts, but also basic control of the radio such as frequency, VFO, mode, power, etc. There are a number of programs that do this in Linux but I never found one that quite worked right or did what I wanted so I wrote a TUI called rigtool that does everything I want. Displays the current frequency, mode, signal strength, power, VFO, tuning information, let's me change frequency, power, scan, etc. I use it 24/7 and wouldn't be without it when playing radio. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/rigtool](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/rigtool?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### weechat-scripts

Collection of scripts that I've written for Weechat that I feel may be useful to other people. Currently has a quote database, an emoji finder, and a kek script to do obnoxious things. Also includes a few scripts to monitor for users who are bouncing as well as a script to annotate notes on a user so you can remember something about them or something to tell them, etc. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/weechat-scripts](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/weechat-scripts/-/tree/main?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### cryptcd

Wrapper scripts around fscrypt to make using fscrypt transparent by automatically locking and unlocking fscrypt encrypted directories. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/cryptcd](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/cryptcd?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### gqrx-scan

[GQRX](https://gqrx.dk/?ref=theblackmoor.net) is an excellent SDR program for Linux (and other OSes) but it does not have any way to scan or log information about frequencies so I wrote gqrx-scan to fill in that gap. It is able to scan a set of channels from a GQRX bookmark file, a CSV file, a frequency range, or just simply monitor a single channel or frequency. It can log information on things it finds as well as record audio. I often use it for antenna testing but I've also used it to record FRS or other activity around my house. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/gqrx-scan](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/gqrx-scan?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### APRS Scheduler

To be documented. I have a few repos that have overlapping functionality and really need to clean it up; but basically provides a way to feed APRS objects into Direwolf from a Google calendar. [https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/aprsobjects](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/aprsobjects?ref=theblackmoor.net)

#### Tuya Service

Tuya smart outlets can be easily controlled using the [cloudtuya](https://github.com/unparagoned/cloudtuya?ref=theblackmoor.net) library and my simple script, [tuyaservice](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/tuyaservice/?ref=theblackmoor.net). You could call things from curl, scripts, browser, create web pages, or more complicated integrations to use it to turn your Tuya outlets on or off. Other types of switches or querying of status are currently not implemented.

### Pi Blink

To monitor the temperature, disk space, and anything else I wanted on a Pi I use in an APRS node I wrote [piblink](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/piblink?ref=theblackmoor.net) which blinks an LED to indicate status. The Pi is online and could easily email me, but there are times it might be offline or some other issue. Plus it was a fun project to play with.

### lssnapshot

I often find myself wanting to look for unique versions of a file across my backups so I wrote [lssnapshot](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/lssnapshot?ref=theblackmoor.net) to do that very thing. It looks for all copies of the specified file and allows you to do comparisons, copy the file back to your normal disk, etc. Works for restic or btrfs and may work directly on other types of snapshots as well.

### Misc tools

And finally a list of my smaller tools, but still useful things to keep out there.

[Some scripts, settings, utilities to make good use of the MX Ergo in Linux](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/mxergo?ref=theblackmoor.net) (alerts for the MX Ergo in Linux via email, plus logging for information on how long the battery lasts)  
  
[Radioddity GD-77 related data, scripts, tools](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/gd77-tools?ref=theblackmoor.net) (create CSV files for the contact database for the GD77 for use with [OpenGD77](https://opengd77.com/index.php?ref=theblackmoor.net))  
  
[Sample init scripts for starting direwolf with hourly calibration for an SDR](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/direwolf-init?ref=theblackmoor.net)  
[tmux config files to share between my systems](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/tmuxconf?ref=theblackmoor.net) (some helper scripts to use an RTL-SDR as an APRS/[Direwolf](https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf?ref=theblackmoor.net) input)  
  
[Wrapper script to edit a file remotely over sshfs](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/editremote?ref=theblackmoor.net) (used frequently, but a bit of a specialist tool for me)  
  
[A simple bash script that wraps around your editor of choice to automate git commits after an edit](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/git-edit-wrapper?ref=theblackmoor.net) (still used daily, but not likely a tool other people use)  
  
[Records and correlates nick!user@host information for irssi](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/Stalker?ref=theblackmoor.net) (ie: fork of [Stalker](http://www.symkat.com/stalker?ref=theblackmoor.net) that I modified to write to a MariaDB database instead of SQLite)  
  
[Small color tweaks to cmatrix](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/cmatrix?ref=theblackmoor.net) (including instructions on how to build cmatrix on modern GCC)

### Old stuff

And some old stuff that I hang onto because I'm a digital packrat

[Walking Man hack that a bunch of little men walk around on the screen. Amiga source code, plus XPenguins theme](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/walkingman?ref=theblackmoor.net)  
  
[OpenNap NG, Open Source Napster server](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/opennap-ng?ref=theblackmoor.net)  
  
[Filesystem snapshots using rsync and hard links to optimize speed and disk space](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/rsync-snapshot?ref=theblackmoor.net) (I used this for many years, it has since been replaced with restic)

[Automated scripts to move spam around folders based on DSpam and Spam Assassin results](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/spam-automation?ref=theblackmoor.net) (in use for almost 20 years, but likely better tools out there these days)
### Contact
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/contact/
Last updated: 2023-07-22T19:54:52.000Z
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions on things I've posted about please feel free to reach me at wally@theblackmoor.net or on Mastodon at [https://mastodon.social/@khaytsus](https://mastodon.social/@khaytsus?ref=theblackmoor.net)
### Privacy
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/privacy/
Last updated: 2021-07-16T13:09:50.000Z
No cookies are stored on this site, so stop looking for them. They're all eaten!

That said there is [Google Analytics](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/?ref=theblackmoor.net) so I can see if anyone besides me looks here and a search engine so I can find something I just posted but still can't seem to find.
### About
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/about/
Last updated: 2025-03-19T16:58:35.000Z
This website will most likely be a thought dump, a random collection of notions, ideas, and things I want to note down. Maybe they'll be of use to you, or future me.

I am a husband, a father, a photographer, an amateur radio operator, a computer geek, and a mountain cyclist. I am generally known as Khaytsus in many places on the internet, and I even own [https://khayts.us](https://khayts.us/?ref=theblackmoor.net) (it's just a fun graphic, however).

Other interests include geocaching, flashlights, and general electronics, I even purchased a [work table](https://theblackmoor.net/tinkering-piddling-and-farting-around?sametab&) and modified it just for my electronic tinkering. 

One thing to note; I link to a lot of random stuff on this site for reference information but there will be no links to products unless I feel it's necessary to explain something I'm talking about and there will never be any affiliate links without the post being tagged as a Sponsored Review. If I link to something it is for information purposes only, if I am advocating something I'll make it clear.

Everything on this site was written by me no 'AI', no random sources. All bad grammar is mine alone. Everything here represents my experiences and opinions and do not represent those of my employer. 

My GPG key is F9C5 4613 57B1 FC8A 4F0A 9C6D 2E40 97CF 4736 809B
### All Tags
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/tags/
Last updated: 2021-07-02T16:22:10.000Z
_No content available._
### Mastodon Feed
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/mastodon-feed/
Last updated: 2023-07-22T14:17:07.000Z
This page is a feed of my Mastodon account. There's not much out there yet, and maybe never will be.

Warning; I am likely to post more non-sequitor or stuff with colorful language on Mastodon. However, it might be a nice way to jot down a quick thought of something that isn't really big enough to write a full post about, although there may be times that I follow up on it and do write a full post. Who knows, I do weird stuff sometimes.

This is possible due to the [Mastodon timeline feed widget](https://gitlab.com/idotj/mastodon-embed-feed-timeline?ref=theblackmoor.net) on Github, a few simple includes in the header and it just works!
## Posts
### PiSugar 2; a Raspberry Pi UPS that has left me a little bitter
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/pisugar-a-raspberry-pi-ups-that-has-left-me-a-little-bitter/
Last updated: 2026-09-02T16:12:41.000Z
TLDR; If you need a basic UPS for your Pi, one that can just let your Pi power off safely, the PiSugar 2 will do that. If you require the Pi to automatically come back on when power is restored, **you need the PiSugar 3**.

I have a Raspberry Pi 0 W in my car with a cheap USB GPS that tracks my location, stores it in CSV files, and uploads it to my server when it gets on Wi-Fi. It's not really intended for theft tracking or anything like that, as it does require my Wi-Fi to upload data, but I like doing this so I can look back at places I've been, etc. Some day I'll write up something more about the setup and put the code up on GitLab, although it's pretty specific to me and probably not super useful to anyone else. But with adaptation, one could change it to make different calls and upload into different places, perhaps use Darawich instead, or even add a cellular modem for real time tracking, etc.

I've had this set up for years, and it works pretty reliably, but I'm ashamed to admit that for all that time, the poor Pi just gets rudely powered off when the car turns off. I have it writing to disk as little as possible, but this is still pretty bad to do. I think I occasionally have a fsck on power up as the tracking either never starts, or starts super late, so, I wanted to fix all that.

A few years ago I looked for a UPS solution for a Pi that would of course power the Pi for at least enough time for it to cleanly shut down, so the Pi would have to know when power is lost. It also has to power the Pi on when power is restored. Given this is tracking my car, I really only want it doing that while the car is in operation, so running 24/7 is just adding wear and tear and lots of GPS data of my car sitting in my garage. At the time I didn't find anything that wasn't really just a portable battery; they didn't talk to the Pi, didn't cut power to the Pi when power is lost, turn the Pi back on when power is resumed, etc. Just recently I looked again, and now I am seeing the PiSugar modules, which either I didn't notice before or the older models did not support the things I needed.

### PiSugar 2 Saga

After (apparently not enough) reading, I decided the PiSugar 2 would be the right tool for the job. I got it, attached it, installed the software, vibe coded a script to monitor the PiSugar status and cleanly shut down when it loses power for more than N minutes, etc. It was all working great, until I actually tested it completely. Once the Pi, and the PiSugar, lost power, the Pi would power down cleanly, as would the PiSugar. Great! Plug the PiSugar back in.... nothing.

I initially thought somehow it was bricked, as it seemed to not be doing anything at all. After much googling, and then reading the PiSugar docs site more, I finally saw it. PiSugar 2 feature; Automatic power on when external power is restored. Two independent power supplies are required. So you have to plug in both the Pi and the PiSugar. What? After much more digging and testing, I can confirm that the PiSugar 2 will NOT automatically power on a Pi on when its own power is restored unless you power both the Pi and the PiSugar.

They mention the fact that you have to have two independent power connections (one to the Pi and one to the PiSugar) in a few places, but IMO not strongly enough. It doesn't make any sense why this is required. What's even more bizarre is that you apparently CAN set it to wake up at a set **time** just fine. So the PiSugar *can* turn on the Pi. Just, not at power restoration time? I don't understand this bizarre limitation. And no, it's not a "it can turn it on soon after" or there is some setting incorrect, it just simply can't do it. The only way the Pi will turn on with power restoration with a PiSugar 2 is for the Pi to itself also be directly powered.

Okay, weird, but, sure, we'll do that. Plug power into the Pi and the PiSugar, I can get a dual port 12V USB adapter, or use a 12V Y cable, etc, no biggie. Tested that this all works, and it does, until I realized a massive issue. The Pi will back feed the PiSugar if not powered from COMPLETELY isolated power supplies. Your average dual port 12V power adapter will back feed, as internally everything is connected together. Even if you use separate 12V USB power supplies, the 12V adapters will STILL back feed across through the 12V side! What this means is that when power is lost, the PiSugar thinks there's still power because the Pi itself is feeding it 5V now. So it'll never detect a power off, thus, can not shut down cleanly. The only way it'd work is if you had completely isolated 12V->5V power supplies powering each device. Unfortunately every 12V->5V car adapter I have here, including some name brand ones, don't seem to have any isolation within themselves. And hacking up something to isolate them didn't seem sane to me, and there's really no such thing as a USB cable or even intermediate dongle that has a diode in it to block back feeding as that would also drop the supply voltage.

So I returned the PiSugar 2 and got a PiSugar 3, because that model claims direct support to power on the Pi with only a single power cable plugged into the PiSugar 3 itself. I really hope this is true, because if it's not, I guess I'll be returning it too. Otherwise, I'll update this post, or maybe a separate post entirely. I think this is a cool project, and hope it'll work for me, but it just has some weird quirks.

### PiSugar 3; the solution?

After setting up scripts and learning how the PiSugar 2 worked, but finding out it did **not** do what it says it will do (automatically power the Pi up when power is restored) in a sane way, I returned the PiSugar 2 and purchased the PiSugar 3 instead. It was a bit more expensive, but the good news is that all of my scripts and things I'd learned along the way were effectively the same on the PiSugar 3\. In other words; I didn't have to change anything. My scripts work, and, finally, the Pi powers back up automatically when the PiSugar 3 receives power again. The only thing I haven't managed to make work yet, and I'm 99% sure this is on the Pi side, not the PiSugar side, is reading the RTC from the kernel at boot time before the system starts. I **can** read the RTC after the system starts, and the clock syncs from it, that's all fine and is working well (after some twiddling on Pi scripts) but that's happening 20-24 seconds into boot rather than immediately at boot. Again, I suspect this is Pi side, and the I2C isn't becoming available until well into the boot process. It's very possible this is a limitation of the *ancient* Stretch (Debian 9) install I have on this Pi. Keep in mind, this Pi never touches the internet, it only sends data to a server on my LAN, so besides having to deal with old crusty archive links etc, this isn't a big deal. If I ever rebuild the OS, perhaps upgrade to a Pi Zero 2, this might work better.

As long as I don't find any weird quirks from here out, it seems like the PiSugar 3 is going to work well for me. I just hope the battery doesn't give me issues long-term, but I have a feeling it'll likely be fine since the PiSugar 3 ***actually*** limits charging when it is set to, unlike the PiSugar 2\. It hovered around 80% the entire time I was doing testing, which is perfect.

### Bonus Jank

Also, super fun, is that they say they support the original Pi Zero, but you have to manually install an old buggy version of it to work at all. Anything newer than version 2.2.1 is compiled for ARMv7 and just immediately crashes on an original Pi Zero which is ARMv6\. This GitHub issue describes what's going on: [https://github.com/PiSugar/pisugar-power-manager-rs/issues/134](https://github.com/PiSugar/pisugar-power-manager-rs/issues/134?ref=theblackmoor.net)

Basically, you just need to specify the version when installing the power manager, and 2.2.1 is the last known one that works: 

> bash pisugar-power-manager.sh -c release -v 2.2.1

Maybe if the PiSugar folks get around to it, they could have their installer script install a separate ARMv6 build they could make, but so far, they haven't responded to the issue about this at all.

What's buggy? Well, for one, every HTTP, TCP, or Socket connection to the server creates a new file handle, so if you have a script querying battery voltage, battery percent, if power is plugged in, etc, every 3 seconds so it can cleanly power off the Pi once power is lost, this means that it's creating 9+ new file handles every 10 seconds. Eventually the server runs out of file handles and either crashes or just simply stops responding. I worked around this issue in my scripts and also extended the number of file handles the server is allowed, but it's still pretty wild that this is an issue. It may be fixed in newer versions, but since I can't use them I can't test that. There are also features in the PiSugar docs that simply don't work on the older server versions, such as the HTTP API, and a few commands. They just assume you're going to use the latest version; which I would, if I could!

Just to be clear; PiSugar 2 or PiSugar 3, doesn't matter. The software is common between the two, so the buggy old software issue is still an issue for me, although at least I worked around the file handle issue and probably won't have any problems in normal usage.

### Summary

I'd avoid the PiSugar 2 altogether and get a PiSugar 3 instead. I realize my usage is somewhat niche, but it's also really not. How many Pi's are out there doing important things that are set up in ways that the folks depending on them never have to directly interact with the Pi. They want it to just-work, but also survive power outages and cleanly shut down. They aren't going to go power the Pi back up manually (which apparently you can do by shorting some GPIO pins) and I'm not going either, it lives under the floor of the trunk of my car and until I messed with this PiSugar 2, I hadn't physically seen it for years.

Now that I'm using a PiSugar 3 and things are working the way I expect, I probably will take a little time to do some more cleanup on my scripts. I'll put the scripts, setup description, etc. in a GitLab repo, and do a write-up on the overall system.

However, the PiSugar 2 left quite a bitter taste in my mouth.
### Running custom Tomb Raider games on Linux
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/running-trles-on-linux/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T02:54:47.000Z
This 'guide' is intended to perhaps streamline, or simplify, or possibly muddy the waters even more, but the idea is that I've long been confused about the easiest way to run TRLEs on Linux. A TRLE is a custom Tomb Raider game created by Tomb Raider fans. TRLE itself stands for Tomb Raider Level Editor and originally shipped on the PC with Tomb Raider 5 (Chronicals) but in the years since there have been additional engines created which fix bugs, add features, etc.

The TR1-3 and 4-6 Remasters in Steam are terrific; but if you don't know about TRLEs think about them as "nearly infinite Tomb Raider games", check out [trle.net](https://trle.net/?ref=theblackmoor.net) and [trcustoms.org](https://trcustoms.org/?ref=theblackmoor.net). Both have the ability to search, filter for highest rated, etc., I'm not going to recommend any particular TRLEs but if you sort by rating you're going to find good TRLEs; and there are MANY of them. TRLEs can be based on Tomb Raider 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 and thus 'limited' to the moves in those games, such as a TR1 based game will not have Sprint, etc. Some TRLEs may have completely custom moves, animations, graphics, models, etc.

I can't speak for any big games, but the Tomb Raider and other small games I play in Steam, using umu-run, etc., all run great on my ten-year-old i7 machine with an Nvidia 970GTX video card and using an 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth controller.

But we need to be able to run them, and we may need some wine first.

## Using Steam

If you already have Steam installed, you can use it as a launcher for your games, and it'll use the Proton that it already has downloaded as well as maintain the latest version of Proton for you.

- Download a game, unzip it anywhere convenient
- Launch Steam and at the bottom left click Add Game -> Add a Non-Steam game
- Click Browse and then browse your file system to the TRLE path and click on the EXE and click Select
- You'll see the Steam "Add Non-Game Steam" window again, click the Add Selected Programs button
- Right click on new entry, select Properties
  - Rename it to the TRLE name
  - Go to the Compatibility tab and click "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool" and pick Proton Experimental
    - I assume this is required; it might have a default elsewhere

The game should be able to run like any other Steam game, assuming it's compatible. I tried a TRLE that works in Wine/Proton in Steam, and it appears to play the same. However, there may be times that you have to tweak something in the "wine install", such as installing a library, Mono, etc., and in those cases I don't believe games will run directly from Steam and you may have to install Wine/Proton directly in your distro. 

## Using umu-launcher

umu-launcher is a tool that uses the latest Steam Proton components, but makes it easy to launch a game (or possibly other Windows programs) directly and doesn't require Steam itself to be installed.

To get it, look to see if your distribution packages it, and if not, look for a pre-built package on the [umu-launcher GitHub](https://github.com/Open-Wine-Components/umu-launcher?ref=theblackmoor.net) release page. Keep in mind the launcher itself isn't what is running the games, but it manages the Proton and execution bits for you. No other Wine or Proton is required, and you can put your games anywhere.

## Installing TRLEs

First, we'll install one manually, just to see it work. But later, we have a script that will help organize and launch games.

Ultimately, you'll be unpacking your TRLEs into whatever path you want to use that has enough space (some TRLEs can be pretty large) so pick a TRLE out from trle.net or trcustoms.org. It will probably will be a zip file, cd into the directory you want to put your games in and make a new directory of the game you want to run, cd into it, and then unzip the TRLE you downloaded there. I've found a lot of games don't have a parent path for all of their contents, so I prefer to make one so it's not dumping a bunch of files where other games will eventually also live. Look to see if you see obvious game related things, or perhaps a single directory name, cd into it, and eventually you should see some .exe file, such as TR1X.exe. You should be able to just do umu-run TR1X.exe and the game launches! I've found that depending on the TRLE engine used, some games may have a pre-launcher EXE that does something or another, multiple EXE's, sometimes the actual game EXE is in a subdirectory, etc. Use common sense here, but you probably WILL ultimately have to try a few of the EXE's available to see which one works, or works best. I've found a lot which I had to dig into Engine/Bin/x64 and run TombEngine.exe 

Setting up keyboard, controller, etc., will vary from game to game, or engine to engine. Some will basically be pre-configured, some may not be, and you need to configure inputs, controller set up, etc., but most of the more modern ones using the TRX or the X/TEN engine more or less just-work. I first one I tested done by AgentXP (an EXCELLENT TRLE builder) using TR1X worked straight away with my controller, I did absolutely nothing, just started playing it like I would Tomb Raider 1\. I have since played several TRX games and they have all worked great.

If the game fails to load with a dialog about MSC or dependencies, try another EXE in the game files. I've found quite a few that have an EXE in the main path which does not work directly, but under a subdirectory, like Engine, there was an EXE that worked like mentioned above. I believe some TRLEs have "wrapper" EXE's which make older TRLEs work better on newer systems, but I'm not entirely clear why there are multiple EXEs in some cases. And I've often found these "wrapper" EXEs don't work at all, but digging in and finding the "real" EXE does. You'll just have to figure this out per-game.

And sadly, I've found not every game will work. TRX and TEN games I've found so far just-work, but I've yet to find an older tomb4.exe TRLE that works. They either don't run, crash immediately, or crash while playing. Don't be discouraged, there are a LOT of TRLEs.

Also keep in mind that your screensaver will very likely come on while playing if you use a controller, so you'll want to disable that, or you'll wind up with your screen locking on you while playing. My script below attempts to temporarily disable screensavers, so let's talk about that.

## I will replace you with a very small shell script

First off, I want to say that there ARE some TRLE launchers out there and if I manage to make one work, I WILL update this to mention them. But, so far, I can't seem to make them do anything. I imagine they're great, but… Maybe I'll figure it out. But until then, I can write bash like the worst of them, so let's go.

Linked below is a bash script that has a few options for installing and managing TRLEs. It is absolutely nothing fancy, but it will make installing and running TRLEs a little easier. It will not do anything about setting them up, etc., but will remove some manual steps and make it easier to run games, which is what want to do.

The link to the script, and a helper script which inhibits the screensaver, is available as a [snippet on my GitLab page at this link](https://gitlab.com/-/snippets/4929807?ref=theblackmoor.net).

The script has a few parameters to use it:

- install
  - Download and install a TRLE in the appropriate Wine folder
    - Give it the trle.net ID and what you want to name the TRLE (IE: the parent folder that it unzips into) and it'll try to grab the file and unzip it for you. I've found some games actually link to other websites, in which case you'll need to download and unzip them manually yourself.
- run
  - Using fzf magic against your games path, it will list out TRLEs that are available, then list the appropriate EXE files available, and then run the proton engine you've configured against that EXE. It will also attempt to disable the screensaver.
- cd
  - Using the games path and fzf, it will let you browse to where a game is but instead of running it, just drops you into that directory. Just makes it easier to try to manually figure out which EXE works, clean up old TRLEs, etc. When done, be sure to 'exit' as the script prompts you to do, as it creates a temporary shell to do this cd action.

## Setting up Controller for games that don't otherwise work or support it

I so far have **not** investigated this myself, but I have been told that antimicrox can help map a controller, presumably emulates keyboard input from a controller for games that don't have native controller support. I'll add more details here when I try this myself. Your Linux distribution may very well package this for you, so look in your own distribution before you try to install this from the GitHub page.

## Workarounds

The developer of one of the TRLE launchers gave me a few tips on running TRLE's in Linux, and while I have not yet tried or needed any of these, I wanted to make note of them here in case they're useful for someone else.

For some games, you may need dgvoodo2, which is a wrapper library for old graphics libraries in Windows. You would copy the ddraw.dll and dgVoodoo.conf into the level directory and try to run the game. Apparently it's not very stable and can sometimes crash and refuse to function again until you reboot your entire computer, I am not quite sure why that would be necessary but this is what was suggested.

If you play a TR3 game, the config file can get corrupted and if so, try removing the config.txt inside the TRLE path. 

And on TR2 and TR4 you may need to over-ride the winmm sometimes. I have no idea what this means, I'll add more when I do ;)

## TRX Engine

On a side note, I am aware of the TRX engine having native Linux binaries, but I'm not at all clear how I would use it to run games on Linux. If/When I get more information here, I'll add more details. For games using the TRX engine, it might offer some advantages to use the native TRX binaries, but this said, every game I've run so far run really well with only the occasional stutter or micro lag.

## If you really want to use Wine/Proton

If you prefer to manually use Wine or Proton, your distribution may have it in its repos, or you may opt to use Wine, or even a different Proton, etc., all of that is up to you. I've often heard GloriousEggroll's custom Wine/Proton is best, but it is deprecated for umu-run. You can still download it if you prefer it, however.

Go to their GitHub page at [https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/wine-ge-custom](https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/wine-ge-custom?ref=theblackmoor.net) and go to releases and download the latest release, IE: wine-lutris-GE-Proton8-26-x86\_64.tar.xz for example.

I 'opt' to put files like this in /opt, but you can put it wherever you prefer, your home, whatever. I personally prefer to keep 'installs' like this out of my homedir. I also like to symlink to the installed name, so later I'll know what version I'm using, etc., again, this is up to you.

```
cd /opt
tar xf wine-lutris-GE-Proton8-26-x86_64.tar.xz
ln -s lutris-GE-Proton8-26-x86_64 proton
```

In your shell rc, add the appropriate path to your PATH variable. In my case, this means I'm just adding /opt/proton/bin to my path.

Once this is done, open a new shell etc., so you pick up the latest path, and you should be able to run winecfg and it should pop up a window. If your display resolution is high, like mine, you'll have to squint and look for the Graphics tab and change the DPI. I set mine to 196, you set yours to whatever makes sense.

When installing a TRLE using Wine/Proton, you may install games into the \~/.wine/drive\_c path so Wine/Proton find other dependencies, but I'm not 100% sure here.
### Google has ruined WearOS
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/google-has-ruined-wearos/
Last updated: 2026-01-17T15:19:28.000Z
A while back, Google decided that, for the betterment of the Wear OS community, they would use the Watch Face Format, a descriptive language definition of a watch face that was only capable of the things that the Watch Face Format supports. Initially, they said that watches which shipped with Wear OS 5 or greater would require Watch Face Format; not great, but a problem for the future, and perhaps more time for Watch Face Format to maybe get updated to something more useful than the features a $50 feature watch (vs smartwatch) would support.

Then, apparently, Google changed its mind. **Starting in January 2026, the Watch Face Format will be required for watch faces to be installed on all Wear OS devices.**

This means that Watchmaker can no longer send its own watch faces to Wear OS devices, thus completely breaking all functionality within the watch face. Not only are a bunch of UI and graphical options gone, but Tasker integration and LUA scripting are impossible. If you want to see what the watch face above is **supposed** to look like, look at my [previous post about watches](https://theblackmoor.net/does-anybody-really-know-what-time-it-is/).

Okay, so Google says battery life is greatly improved with Watch Face Format, so most people who don't care about fancy watch faces have a better experience, right? Except the battery life is as bad, or worse. However, to be fair, it's hard to directly compare as my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 also updated from One UI 6 to One UI 8, and the battery life could simply be worse now. Since the update, I've only gotten 18 hours on a charge (100% to 25%), whereas in the very recent past, I would easily get a full day.

I loved my Wear OS watches; I've worn one for well over 10 years. This one will be my last. If I'm going to have a feature watch, I'll just buy one for a third of the price of a smartwatch and have a week of battery instead of barely a day. You screwed it up, Google, god knows why.
### Wuben E7 Flashlight
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-e7-flashlight/
Last updated: 2025-12-01T05:13:40.000Z
Wuben continues to make a pile of flashlights, and they're often going on sale. My wife decided to pick up three E7s as practical gifts this Christmas, and I got to peek and play with them a bit. The E7 isn't new by any means, but this is my first chance to look at one, so here goes.

I'll frequently be making comparisons to Wubens' X0 model, as the two lights are the same form-factor and similar in operation; however, the X0 has a few more features but less output.

## General Specifications

- 60.6x24x28 (2.38x.94x1.1 inches) (not including the belt clip, with belt clip 60.6x31x28)
- 80g / 2.82oz, IP68 (2 meters / 6 feet underwater for 1 hour)
- Drop resistance is stated at 1.5 (5 feet)
- Turbo mode output is specified to output 1800 lumens, 132 meters / 433 feet of throw, and 4356 candelas of output.

## What's in the box??

In the simple packaging, you get the light itself, a 1100mAh Wuben-branded 18350 lithium battery, a 60cm / 2ft A to C charging cable, a simple wrist lanyard, two spare o-rings, and a manual.

The battery is shipped in the flashlight with a small blue plastic insulator to prevent the light from turning on inside the packaging, so you need to open the tailcap and remove the plastic insulator before using the light. I always recommend charging things fully before using them; however, the battery was reasonably well charged out of the box.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/boxcontents-1.jpg)

Box contents

## Body Style

Like their X0 model, the LEDs on this light fire out from the side. You hold the light up to view ahead of you, but the belt clip and tail magnet make it easy to secure the light and aim it in the intended direction. While you can use it like a normal flashlight, the E7 excels at being clipped onto something. Unlike the X0, the E7 has an actual usable belt clip, which is strong enough to be secure but flexible enough to attach to anything vertical. Note that if you want to use this light on a hat or as a headband, the clip itself will not do that, as the light will be facing directly down (or up); however, Wuben does sell an inexpensive headband that the light can clip into.

Otherwise, the body is rather stylish, with lots of industrial lines and fittings, but is smooth with no sharp edges, which could damage a pocket.

Since I have three different styles of E7 here, I can compare the color and finish. The Black and Army Green versions are very smooth and feel like anodized aluminum with laser-cut markings. The Khaki version, however, has a very slightly rougher texture to it, and while the markings still appear to be laser cut due to the color of the body, the markings blend into the color of the light itself, making it almost look like it has no markings on it at all. I'm not sure, but the Khaki version looks painted, which could make its finish less durable, but at the same time, scratches would likely show up less on the Khaki color, given the very low contrast of the laser markings.

Amazon sells the Army Green model, which I do not see on the main Wuben site, as well as the Khaki and Black models, all with 6500K LEDs. Amazon also carries the 5000K model, which they call "Medium White" in reference to its 5000K LEDs.

The mode button is finished in the same color as the main body, but feels and sounds as if it is hard plastic. The rest of the body is rather thick aluminum, and the flashlight as a whole feels light enough to be an EDC light, yet substantial and beefy enough to take some abuse. Being a square shape, it's not quite as comfortable in a pocket as a typical round flashlight, but I have carried the Wuben X0 EDC for long periods, and it just takes some getting used to.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/face.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/button.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/backside.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/leftside.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/rightside.jpg)

View from each angle; just crooked enough to annoy everyone, including me

## Modes

This light is pretty easy to use, like most Wuben lights, and gives you the most useful features in the simplest way. To turn the light on, you simply press the button, and it turns on to the last primary light mode you used: Low, Medium, or High. It also has a Turbo, Strobe, and an SOS mode; however, it has no "Moon" or extremely low output mode, which can be handy to get around in the dark without disturbing other people. This light also does not have any custom light output settings like some of their other lights, like the X0, have. Note that in all modes, both LEDs are active.

I'm not sure what method is used to drive the LEDs at lower outputs; however, I can see no flicker, so if it's PWM, it is at a very high refresh rate. I've also seen a few folks say that this has a rather good driver, so in general, you're not going to be disappointed in the light output quality even on Low mode.

Press once to turn the light on to the last mode you used. It will then cycle through the 3 modes (Low, Medium, High) with a long-press (1s) of the button. Turbo and Strobe or SOS modes are never remembered; the light always turns on in Low, Medium, or High with a single press of the button.

- Low (5 lumens, 60 hours of runtime)
- Medium (150 lumens, 4.5 hours of runtime)
- High (400 lumens, 1.3 hours of runtime)

### Turbo Mode

Turbo mode is 1800 lumens and is stated to run for 1 minute at this level of output, then it drops to 800 lumens for 1 minute, and after which it will switch back to High. The body of the flashlight gets warm, but not hot. The lens, however, gets extremely hot, extremely fast, and you would not want it against your body in Turbo. The same thing is true for the Wuben X0 on Turbo. In contrast, my OLight Baton 3 on Turbo, the entire head of the light gets hot enough that you would not want to touch it for long.

Turbo mode is accessible with two quick presses when the light is on or off, so it's a nice touch that accessing Turbo mode is done in a consistent way. When you are in Turbo mode, to return to the previous mode, you again use two quick presses.

If you're in Turbo mode and hold the button for 1s, it sets the light back to Low, regardless of what mode (L, M, H) you were in before. Seems odd to me that it doesn't just return to the previous mode, but I could call it a feature, I guess.

### Strobe mode

Three quick presses of the button will set the light into strobe mode,whether the light is on or off. Strobe has an interesting feature that utilizes both LEDs to alternate the strobe pattern. For about 2s, it strobes both LEDs at the same time, then for 2s it alternates between the LEDs. This makes the strobing visually different and could draw greater attention than a consistent strobe. Strobe mode is specified to output 1000 lumens.

### SOS Mode

While in strobe mode, if you press the button three times, it will enter SOS mode. SOS mode is specified to be 200 lumens.

### Lock out

Four quick presses of the button will lock the light out, but this also makes it much slower to use, and I rarely use lock-out on an EDC flashlight, as I want to have it always ready to go when I need it. If it's a secondary light in a backpack, lockout is a good option, however.

When you lock the light out, it flashes the main LEDs three times to indicate that it has locked. If you attempt to turn the light on, it flashes the LED in the button itself 3 times, indicating it is locked. It is unfortunate that they did not make it flash 4 times to remind you that it requires 4 quick presses to unlock.

No amount of pressing or holding on the button will make the light come on when it is locked until you unlock it. 

When you unlock the light, it always defaults back to the Low output setting.

### Long-press when off

Fortunately, a long press (more than about half a second) from off does not turn the flashlight on. This is a smart feature and will reduce accidental activations in the pocket or in a pack. I have seen lights in the past that a long button press will turn the light on, either after a short period of continued pressing or after releasing.

## Beam pattern

With this light having two LEDs, you would almost expect to see two hotspots in the beam pattern; however, they seem to be very slightly angled, or their TIR lens is designed to make them converge into a large, floody blob. By floody, I define this as having a large hotspot, but also having a large amount of the light distributed as a flood. A large portion of the light output is directed in an almost 180-degree flood pattern in front of the light, both horizontally and vertically, effectively lighting everything in front of the face of the light.

This makes this light excellent for seeing the ground in front of you with excellent definition; however, it is not ideal for illuminating something at a distance, even with 1800 lumens. Wuben claims 132 meters / 433 feet of throw; however, you'll want a different light if you really need to throw a tight beam of light a long distance.

In my experience, a floody light is ideal for an EDC. Too much throw and you don't have enough light around the beam for seeing around you, and too much flood eliminates all throw of light, limiting how far you can see. This light does hit the sweet spot for how much it throws as well as how much it illuminates around you.

## LED Color

The light color output seems to be extremely consistent across all modes, unlike some flashlights that have color tints to them, which look worse in Low and sometimes tinted differently in higher modes. This model is offered in both 5000K (cool white, but slightly warm) and 6500K (cold white) varieties, so make sure you pick the right light for your application. The 5000K model will improve color rendition, while the 6500K model will have more punch and throw farther. I can not measure the light color directly, but to my eye, the 6500K models I have here are all a very clean, pure white color with no obvious tint at any output level.

I do not have the 5000K model to compare against; however, that model is specified to also be using Osram P9s and otherwise has the same features and light output. 

## Battery indicator

When you turn the light on, an LED illuminates inside the button that indicates the battery state of charge. A solid blue light indicates that the battery is 90% or higher, blinking blue is between 40% and 90%, solid red is between 15% and 40%, and blinking red is below 15%.

High and Turbo modes are not available when the light is blinking red. As with all lithium chemistry batteries, I suggest that you recharge anytime you see it indicating red to prolong the lifetime of the battery.

## Battery

An 18350 battery is supplied with the light, but swapping it out is as simple as removing the tail cap. Always use protected cells, and be sure to insert the battery with the positive side in.

Note that while this is rather close in size to an RC123, it is not, but an RC123 battery will work in the light. It is not likely recommended, but in a pinch, this seems to work fine. If you need to do this, I recommend you limit your light output modes and know that battery life will be significantly less, as RC123 cells have about half the capacity of an 18350\. A CR123, on the other hand, has a much lower voltage and will not work.

I have seen some posts that using an unprotected battery and inserting it backwards can damage both the battery and the flashlight. I highly recommend you stick with protected 18350 cells except in an emergency.

## Tail cap

The tail cap threads on securely and smoothly, has an o-ring for weather sealing, and has a rather strong magnet which allows you to position the light on a metal surface at any angle. Fit and finish are nice on the tail cap; however, it does not seem to align with the main body of the flashlight. I have three examples here, and none of them align perfectly. On one of them, the lanyard attachment point is about 10 degrees clockwise from the clip, the second one is 30 degrees clockwise, and the third is 300 degrees clockwise. It does not affect the functionality of the light, but could bother folks who are detail-oriented.

The tail cap does have a hole for a lanyard, but it is exceptionally small and rather difficult to attach the included lanyard.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/tailcap.jpg)

These are all tight. I KNOW RIGHT?

## Belt clip

The belt clip feels strong, yet flexible enough to attach to a belt, pocket, shirt, backpack strap, or anything you need. It's also low profile and smooth enough not to want to remove it, but in case you do, it can be removed with a T6 Torx bit. It secures the rubber dust cap for the USB port; however, I would recommend leaving it in place, as it only adds 5mm to the depth of the light and is rather practical to have.

## Water resistance

The light is specified to be IP68, or 2m / 6ft underwater for up to one hour. This effectively means you can use this light in any situation or weather, and even to a limited amount underwater; however, it would not be recommended to use this kind of flashlight for even shallow swimming or diving.

It is not specified if the rubber cap that fits into the charging connector is part of the water resistance or is primarily designed to protect the connector, but I would recommend keeping it closed when not charging the light.

## Accessories

The light comes with a simple wrist lanyard and belt clip, but Wuben also offers extension tubes in matching colors to convert the light into an 18650 battery cell light, a headband that the light can clip into to make it a headlamp, and*,* a motion sensor to control the light by motioning with your hand. I do not have any of these accessories, but I may get the headband in the future and will update this review if I do.

I do want to mention, however, that I've seen a lot of negative reviews of the motion sensor saying that it drains the battery within weeks when not in use because the sensor itself stays active 100% of the time. If you use the sensor, I would recommend unplugging it from the flashlight when not in use.

## Beam Patterns

Here are a few shots of the E7 beam pattern. As always, it's difficult to demonstrate in images what a beam pattern looks like in real life, but you can get an idea of how wide the flood is. You do not get a great sense of the hot spot in some of the images, but hopefully enough to get a sense of what it will look like in real life.

### Beam patterns on desk

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/beam-vertical.jpg)

Beam pattern in the vertical, or how wide the beam is

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/beam-onside.jpg)

Beam pattern from the side, or how high and low the beam is

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/threebeams.jpg)

Three E7s for fun

### Beam pattern outdoors

*Coming soon. TK*

## Wuben X0 Comparison shots

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/e7-x0-front.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/e7-x0-side.jpg)

E7 (Left) X0 (Right); very similar design, size, and function

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/wrongneighborhood.jpg)

X0 came to the wrong neighborhood

## 

## Conclusion

Like the Wuben X0, the E7 puts out a ton of usable light, has a very usable belt clip and magnetic tail cap, but is still somewhat awkward to use as a normal flashlight. My experience with Wuben lights I own is that they do have exceptional standby time, but I do worry that if not recharged occasionally when my wife or kid needs to use the light, the*,* battery will be drained. But it is compact enough to disappear into a purse or a glove box, and I have no doubt about the build quality that this light will work for many years to come.

*This is neither a paid nor sponsored review. I normally don't mention this for every post, but since I have done sponsored Wuben reviews in the past, I wanted to make it clear that this one is not. My wife got three of these cheaply to give out as Christmas presents, and let me get my hands on them first.*
### INIU Qi2 Certified 15W Mag-Safe Wireless Charger
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/iniu-qi2-certified-15w-mag-safe-wireless-charger/
Last updated: 2026-01-17T16:57:24.000Z
After I found that my cheap Qi charger that I had used on my Pixel 3 and 6 wasn't working properly on my Pixel 10, I eventually gave in and got the only charger that seemed high quality and was said to work well with the Pixel 10 series, and that was the [Belkin 25W 2-in-1](https://theblackmoor.net/belkin-qi2-25w-wireless-charger/). I have (entirely too many) details about that charger in its article, but to summarize, it's excellent, but I really dislike the battery charging at 40C and realized that I really just wanted a **slower** charger. I generally only charge the phone once a day, and that is overnight, so charging slowly is perfectly fine, keeps the phone cool, and makes me worry less about battery longevity. And while I am not going to return the Belkin, I do find the $60 price tag pretty high, and I saw a post on Reddit claiming that the INIU charger works great on the Pixel 10, and it's only $20.

I wish I'd known this sooner. It's pretty good and a third of the price, and since the Pixel 10 (and Pixel 10 XL) are limited to 15W wireless charging, buying a 25W charger was overkill. Since I have the Belkin and have done a lot of testing with it, I will be doing a lot of comparisons to that charger in this article.

The Amazon listing for this charger says that it is not for Android phones, but it's likely that it has not been updated since the Pixel 10 came out, and previous Pixel phones did not support MagSafe Qi2\. TLDR: It works fine with the Pixel 10.

## Design/Features

This is a basic round puck design that, being Mag-Safe (or PixelSnap), attaches itself to the back of your phone in precisely the right location and attaches very securely. It has a low-intensity green light ring around the charging pad and a built-in fan to reduce heat while charging. The 5ft cable is built into the unit and terminates in a USB-C connector and is supplied with a 20W PD wall adapter.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/puck.jpg)

Top of the charger, including its permanent USB C cable

### Fan

The fan is super quiet. When I think of a small, low-profile fan, I think of high-pitched noises and the fan sounding strained, but this is very, very quiet. The way it is designed is very simple; it pulls air in through the bottom of the puck, and it winds up blowing out around the charge side of the puck, but it is only moving a small amount of air. The fan inlet is on the bottom of the charger, and it directs air up and then around the charging pad itself, moving just enough air to help cool the phone while charging. The puck has small feet on the bottom so that even with the phone facing up while on a desk, the fan isn't blocked; however, if you're charging on something other than a hard surface, it's likely best if you charge with the phone face down, so the fan intake isn't blocked. I will do some testing to see if the charging cycle runs cooler with the phone facing down, so the fan potentially has better airflow, but I suspect it won't make any difference.

While charging, you can actually feel air blowing away from the bottom of the phone, particularly if the phone/charger is warm, you can feel the warm air being pushed away. How effective this actually is would probably be hard to measure, even with many test cycles; however, even a small amount of air moving vs static air can help cool things.

In a quiet bedroom at night, you might be able to hear it, but it's likely not a concern even then. On my desk, I can't even hear it running with other ambient noises in the room (PC case fans, etc.). When I'm charging the phone using the supplied 20W wall adapter, the fan is slightly louder than when charging off a non-PD 5V charger (more on that later), but it's quiet enough that it doesn't bother me. More on the fan at 5V later. The fan can be turned off using a button on the bottom of the charger; however, this only disables the fan for a single charge and always defaults to on.

One thing does bother me about the fan, however. When the phone completes charging, it doesn't seem to *ever* turn off until I remove the phone entirely from the charger. I've let it sit on the charger for well over 30 minutes a few times, and the fan was still running. Remaining on for a period to help continue to cool the phone after a charge cycle is good; however, this seems like a design flaw. Once the fan is no longer needed, it should turn off entirely.

And a minor thing; I think the fan turns on when charging rather than being regulated by any kind of temperature sensor, so even charging my Pixel Buds Pro 2, which stay rather cool, the fan came on while charging.

The only other thing to mention is that over time, fans can fail from ingress of dust, hair, etc., so hopefully, if this happens, it won't affect the charger usage or performance.

### Light Ring

Around the top of the puck is a very low-intensity ring of light that comes on for 60 seconds when you plug in the charger and then goes off. When you put a device on the charger, the light comes on for 60 seconds and then goes off. While I prefer nothing creating light in the bedroom at night, I'm not quite sure of the purpose of this light. I initially thought it may be to help locate the charger in the dark, indicate charging status, etc., but no. 

The button on the bottom of the charger that turns off the fan also turns off the LED, so it seems that the only point of the light is to indicate that the fan is enabled.

### Supplied Wall Adapter

The supplied USB-C PD charger is specified as being capable of 5V3A, 9V2.3A, or 12V1.7A. Has an ETL logo; hopefully, it's real and not just a 'fake' logo. During a charge cycle, the adapter only gets slightly warm.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/chargeriniu.jpg)

Super artistic picture of the wall adapter

### USB Cable

The cable is built into the charger, and even though I would prefer the charger to have a plug so that I could use any USB-C cable, the included cable feels pretty good, not too stiff, not too thin, and has a braided sheath.

## Charging Tests

### Supplied 20W Charger

Using my USB power meter, I measured that when charging, 21W is drawn at the USB-C port, 9V at 2.3A. On the phone, I have seen a peak of 3030mAh in Ampere.

On the first test, I charged the phone screen up, as this will likely be how I typically use the charger. I started the charge with the phone at 51%, and ended at 80%. The phone got up to 38.6C, and it charged at .8%/min. Interestingly, even though this is "only" a 15W charger, the Belkin 25W charger charges at .9%/hr on average, but given my Pixel 10 is limited to 15W wireless charging, this makes sense. So, effectively, it charged the same as the Belkin charger.

My second charge cycle was invalid, and I have removed it from the table. Play Store auto-updated apps mid-run, which slowed the charge down and increased the temperature. I say more about this at the end of this article.

In my third charge cycle, I disabled Play Store Automatic updates and saw a more consistent temperature curve that leveled out at about 38.3C and charged at .7%/minute.

Fourth run, not much to mention, consistent charge and temperature curve.

Fifth run, phone face down to see if the fan facing up made any difference in charging rate, temperature, etc. I will likely run this again to make sure (TK), but the temperature curve stayed flat much longer and did eventually reach 38.8C.

| Starting Battery | Ending Battery | Avg %/min | Start Temp | Peak Temp | Total Time | Note                        |
| ---------------- | -------------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------- | --------------------------- |
| 51               | 80             | .81       | 23.2C      | 38.5C     | 36         | Run 1, 20W Input            |
| 35               | 80             | .75       | 28.8C      | 38.3C     | 60         | Run 3, 20W Input            |
| 23               | 80             | .84       | 27.8C      | 39.4C     | 68         | Run 4, 20W Input            |
| 25               | 80             | .72       | 28C        | 38.8C     | 76         | Run 5, 20W Input, Face down |

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/iniu-20w.jpg)

Typical charge graph from supplied 20W USB-C adaptor (Run 4)

### Charging at 5V

I tried charging it from a normal 5V supply using an inexpensive A to C dongle from an Anker 6-port charger, and it works! 5V at 1.3A is what my USB power meter showed, so it was drawing about 6.5W. The phone reported 950mA incoming current in Ampere*,* which is slow*,* but overnight, that's perfectly fine as long as the phone stays cool. I'm not sure, but*,* I think the fan is also quieter at 5V. Charging took 116 minutes, it averaged .3%/minute, and the maximum temperature was 33.1C, but only for a very short period. In reality, most of the time it was under 31C, but for about 15 minutes at around 55% battery, it went up a few degrees, likely from the Play Store updating apps. Again, the fan seemed to stay on after charging, even though the charging puck itself never got warm, and it would have cooled off more in just a few minutes.

Charge cycles 2 and 3 at 5V both stayed about 30C nearly the entire time, except for a 30-minute bump that raised the temperature to 33C on cycle 2 and 31.2C on cycle 3, approximately 30 minutes in the middle of the charge cycle. After that, it dropped back down and averaged around 29C. Not entirely sure what to make of this temperature increase.

Run 4, I left the fan on, and while the fan noise is so quiet I didn't notice it at all, it also didn't appear to really make any difference in the temperature peak or graph.

I suspect that running on 5V, you can turn the fan off without any real difference in temperature while charging, since it's so slow, which is perfect for overnight.

I have tested the Belkin on 5V, and it will not charge at all.

| Starting Battery | Ending Battery | Avg %/min | Start Temp | Peak Temp | Total Time | Note                      |
| ---------------- | -------------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------- | ------------------------- |
| 42               | 80             | .3        | 24.7C      | 33.1C     | 116        | Run 1, 5W Input           |
| 48               | 80             | .33       | 29.0C      | 33.1C     | 96         | Run 2, 5W Input no Fan    |
| 34               | 80             | .33       | 30.1C      | 31.2C     | 138        | Run 3, 5W Input no Fan    |
| 16               | 80             | .36       | 30.6C      | 31.3C     | 180        | Run 4, 5W Input, with Fan |

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/11/iniu-5v.jpg)

Charge graph when charging at 5V from USB A to C adapter (Run 4)

## Charging Pixel Buds Pro 2

The Belkin has a secondary 5W charger, which is handy if you need to charge the phone and earbuds at the same time, but the INIU charger is capable of charging the earbuds by themselves and at the same charging speed as the Belkin charger would. The fan comes on during charging, even though things stay cool.

Interestingly, this will also charge my Pixel 6 at a 500mA charge rate. I probably would not buy this charger for a Pixel 6, but in a pinch, it will work.

## Wait, why is this not charging?

During my testing, I've put the phone on the charger once (using the supplied 20W charger), and about 30 minutes later, I realized that the battery percentage had not moved. The fan was running, so the charger detected it was connected to the phone, but the phone wasn't charging at all. I looked in Ampere, and it showed the phone was using power as if it were not charging at all, and my Tasker logs show the phone was plugged into AC the entire time, and it continued to get warmer for 30 minutes (started at 24C and was 29C when I 're-plugged' the charger), but the battery percentage stayed the same the entire time. I removed the puck and put it back on, and then it was fine. I have no idea what happened, but if this ever happens again, this thing is getting returned. During this non-charging period, there was no indication at all that it was not charging, and I only noticed because I checked the battery percent.

## Belkin 2-in-1 vs INIU

Since I have the Belkin 2-in-1 25W Charger (really, 3-in-1, if you include the USB-C port), I feel compelled to make some more direct comparisons.

### Charging Capabilities

The Belkin can charge your phone and has a 5W wireless and 5W USB-C output that can all be used at the same time to charge multiple devices. The INIU can charge a small device, like the PBP2, at the same speed as the Belkin, although not at the same time as the phone, so if you charge your phone and earbuds every night, the Belkin might be better, having multiple chargers in one.

If you have a Pixel 10 or 10 Pro, the phone itself is limited to a wireless charging power of 15W, so either charger will charge wirelessly at the same speed in theory. In reality, I have seen the Belkin charge at .95%/minute peak and the INIU peaks at .85%/minute. The Belkin does have a 45W PD wall adapter vs the 20W PD wall adapter in the INIU, so if you'll ever use just the wall adapter for the fastest possible charging speed, the Belkin would likely win here.

### Battery Temperature While Charging

At 15W charging speeds, both chargers will easily raise the temperature of the phone; however, the INIU, with its built-in fan, seems to keep it a few degrees cooler for shorter charge cycles. However, for longer charges, the phone does get up to nearly 40C. After multiple test cycles, I don't think the fan makes any significant difference in charging temperatures.

For overnight charging, however, the ability for the INIU to run off a standard 5V supply and charge more slowly and stay cooler is a big advantage.

### Convenience and Portability

Both magnetically attach as soon as the phone is nearby, but the Belkin would likely win here as the phone is in a vertical standing position and can double as a clock, etc. Both have 5-foot/1.5M long USB cables, but the Belkin has a detachable cable.

As for portability, the INIU wins here for its small puck size; even though its USB cable is permanently attached to the puck, it is still smaller than the Belkin, even when the Belkin is folded.

### Comparison Conclusion

The Belkin offers more, but the INIU is more flexible if you care about how fast your phone charges and how much heat it creates while doing so, because it will charge at a lower rate from a 5V source. It is capable of functioning from any charger, it is a third of the price, and it will wirelessly charge a Pixel 10 at the same 15W rate when using the supplied or any other compatible adapter. The Belkin is slightly more convenient to use with its upright stand form factor, and the secondary charger could be useful occasionally.

### Price

At the time I'm writing this, the INIU is $20 and the Belkin is $60\. Both come with rather good PD wall adapters and are complete packages, unlike some wireless chargers I've seen in the past that require you to have or purchase a separate PD power supply.

## Play Store Auto Updates

In case you want to play along at home, I've observed, googled, and confirmed that the Play Store defers auto updates until the phone is at least at 50% state-of-charge. So as soon as the phone hits 50%, it'll download any pending apps and both use battery (slow down charging) but also significantly warm the phone up, throwing off your data. You'll need to turn off automatic updates while testing to get good data.

## Battery Health and Charging

I'm aware that there is a YouTube video whose creator did testing on phones and in their testing determined that max charge and charge speed did not indicate excessive wear on the batteries, however, while I realize multiple phones were used in the testing this was only a single test, single tester, and does not consider real time usage of phones nor long term ownership. Battery University will remain my go-to for battery advice, and while I highly suggest you read their pages on your particular devices' battery chemistry, it comes down to a few simple rules. Charge early and often (do not overly discharge regularly), and cooler is better (especially during charge cycles and at higher states of charge).

## Conclusion

Both the INIU is a pretty solid charger with a strong magnet, flexible charging speeds, and a compact size. I wish the fan button stored its state and, when disabled, remained disabled; however, since the noise level of the fan is so low, this is really a non-issue. A detachable USB-C cable would have also been nice.

I wish I had purchased the INIU first instead of the Belkin, especially for my daily charge, which is typically done overnight.
### Pixel Buds Pro 2
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/pixel-buds-pro-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-07T14:15:12.000Z
I am a lover of earbuds, earphones, and anything audio. I don't have anything **expensive**, but I do have a few pretty nice things. For my nicer wired headphones, I have a Fiio BTR3 Bluetooth interface that does LDAC, so I have the ultimate wireless quality experience when I am sitting back and wanting to go deep into the details.

But when I'm tootling around the house, doing yard work, or at the grocery, 'true wireless' earbuds are the way to go. I've had a bunch of them over the years, most of them honestly junk until I got the Pixel Buds Series A. I've used them since early 2022, and their case has lived in whatever pair of pants I'm wearing that day ever since, and I have listened to them for countless hours. I've not noticed any battery degradation; they have no damage, and they're basically still like-new as far as I can tell. But audio seems always to be getting better, ANC is pretty enticing, and well, $200 ($100 for Pixel 10; $100 for a mishap where they didn't add my Pixel 6 refurb to the order somehow) store credit at the Google Store and $20 more, and I had myself a pair of Pixel Buds Pro 2.

## Fit, Finish, Quality 

Yep. Seriously, though, these compete with all of the earbuds in the $200 range, except on Bluetooth codecs, which I'll get to later, but turns out it's really not that big of a deal. They feel exceptionally comfortable in my ear for hours; I have even slept in them, which is the first time I've ever been able to sleep in earbuds and them not hurt or push into my ears, etc. They feel good, they're very lightweight in the ear, and they go into the case nicely with obvious audio cues to tell you when each earbud has been securely plopped into place. They are great to use and *easy* to use, which is where these types of earbuds shine.

As I mentioned in my [Series A post](https://theblackmoor.net/pixel-buds-series-a/), convenience is king in 'true wireless' earbuds. For this to be true in reality, they have to have good battery life, a good fit, work dependably, and sound good enough. These do; hands down.

## Bluetooth Codec Weakness 

Pixel A buds were only AAC; I accepted this as they sounded fine, and let's face it, they're pretty cheap. I had a hard time swallowing the fact that the Pro 2 is **also** only AAC. However, after having several sets of headphones or earbuds in recent years that are AAC, I've decided that the codec itself is *good enough* for casual listening. Don't let me understate it here; the sound quality is actually quite good, and I'm very happy with the whole range of frequencies the Pro 2s provide, as well as the reasonably flat, even response and the ear seal, all leading to a very enjoyable listening experience. They are tuned very similarly to the Series A, so I took the existing Series A equalizer settings I use in PowerAmp and ultimately took a little bass out and a little less treble as the Pro 2s had a little more power in those areas, which was nice, as the Series A were a little weak on both.

TLDR: it's a non-issue, especially for most listening sessions. If you want super critical earphones, earbuds are probably not the right delivery mechanism to start with.

## ANC

I have a pair of Sony 900Ns with ANC. They're low-end headphones, but I've always thought them pretty good. They're LDAC, isolate pretty well, and generally have really good sound quality. I've never listened to a *really* good set of earbuds (or headphones) with ANC, so these are the only headphones I can really compare against.

And the Pro 2's **blow them away**. I was amazed at how much noise the Pro 2s eat in ANC mode. My AC condenser is a rattling annoyance and drives me crazy when I'm outside on the porch; Pro 2's make it go away. Fan noise from my desktop; gone. Cars going up and down the street outside; they don't exist.

To be clear, ANC is **not** going to remove everything. It works best on lower frequency noises that are a continuous drone, so some higher-pitched noises or noises that come and go aren't as attenuated. But most things are reduced greatly, even snoring. Don't tell my wife; she snores.

I've also had the opportunity to compare them against the Anker Q45 headphones, which are said to be pretty decent on ANC. Pro 2's beat them in every way, but not quite as drastically as how badly they destroy the Sony 900N's. Man, there ain't nothing like new stuff to make your old stuff look shoddy.

## Transparent/Adaptive Mode

Most ANC headphones have a Transparent mode that allows you to hear the world around you a little more easily without removing the earbuds or headphones. Most do a pretty okay job at this, but are still muffled. The Pro 2s honestly feel like you took the earbuds out. Everything is clear, there is no weird delay, it's a bit spooky. No sounds are amplified, but it really sounds like you took them completely out of your ear.

Google takes this one step forward with their Adaptive mode, which is effectively the Transparent mode with some added features. If your environment is particularly noisy, it will raise your media volume to compensate. If there are loud sounds around you, they will attenuate those sounds. It's honestly a great mode for shopping, or even sitting around in the house or at work when other people may be asking you questions.

There is also an option called Conversation Detection that will recognize speaking and drop into Adaptive mode and pauses your media so you can carry on a conversation without removing the earbuds. Technically, it does work, and if you start talking it will recognize it within a few seconds and then if it detects the speaking has ceased it will turn ANC back on and resume your media. In reality, I've found about a third of the time it does this even while the other person is still speaking to you. I gave up on it and I just manually pause and go into Adaptive mode with touch controls. It is also pretty sensitive about detecting a conversation if you're singing, humming, a TV is on nearby, etc., which is slightly annoying but not the end of the world. Turning ANC on while someone is in mid-sentence is pretty bad, however. Google is a smart company with lots of software engineering experts; they could make this work better with smarter detection of voices, faster transition in/out of ANC mode, etc. They could also let the user adjust how sensitive the detection is and possibly give them the option to manually return to ANC by tapping the earbuds rather than it automatically doing it.

## Battery Life

It's great, honestly. You'll easily see 7+ hours with ANC on, 12+ hours with ANC off, and the case will recharge the buds 2.5 times. The official specifications say 8 hours of listening with ANC, 12 hours without ANC, and a **total** listening time of 30 hours with ANC and 48 hours without ANC. They also claim an hour of additional listening time with only 5 minutes of charging; so if your earbuds do get low, just a short time in the charger and you're jamming again.

I have noticed that the case battery seems to drop about 3% a day, but pretty sure this is because each earbud and the case are actively on the Find My Device network, so that when you leave the case in a pair of pants or a backpack, you'll be able to locate it. The Series A earbud case, on the other hand, if it was closed, it was off. This was great for battery life, but there was no assistance in finding it. You can find the case via Bluetooth tracking, or the case itself has a speaker in it to emit loud enough noises to find it fairly easily.

I have set up a profile in Tasker to monitor notifications to get the case battery and a separate profile to track what the case battery percent may be over time, even if it hasn't gotten an update, by simply subtracting 3% a day from the last known value. Hopefully, this will alert me that the case battery might be getting low, even if I haven't used the earbuds in a while. Unfortunately, unless I open the case for a few seconds, it doesn't send the notification. I'm going to continue to look for a way to get the case battery level in a better way.

According to the internet (but not officially specified anywhere that I have seen), once the case reaches 20% the phone should notify about low battery. 20% is pretty low, but at least there is a warning built in.

## Battery Status

I love that the current battery percentage on each earbud **and** the case is directly shown in the Battery widget, or when going into the settings, even when not actively using the earbuds, it has an up-to-date battery status on Left, Right, and Case at all times. The Series A, you could only see the status of the Left and Right earbuds when they were in use, and there was no indication of the case battery status at all.

## The case also has Bluetooth / Find Hub

Interestingly, even though I've found nothing on the internet that talks about the case having its own separate Bluetooth, it clearly does. The Find Hub is able to make the case beep when it has no earbuds in it, even when the case itself is closed. Also, when the earbuds are out of the case and the case is opened, it will send a notification to the phone of the current battery status. Interestingly, in Tasker, I have a profile set up to run a task when the earbuds connect to the phone, and when the case connects, it seems to use the same Bluetooth MAC address.

Find Hub is able to send loud noises to the earbuds or to the case in case you can't locate them, although I don't believe there's any way for it to guide you to a room where they may be. If you can figure out the MAC address, a third-party app may be able to do this, but I am not sure. They are in the Find Hub, so if you leave them behind somewhere, hopefully another Android device will hear their transmissions and update their location so you can relocate them.

The Series A earbuds had the ability to ring the earbuds, but the case has no speaker on it and also has no Bluetooth capability of its own, so finding the case could be more difficult if you somehow lost it. I always store my earbuds in the case, so most likely if I'm wearing the earbuds, the case is in a pocket, but I'm glad that the Pro 2s have more capabilities to locate them.

## TPU Case

I put a skin on my Series A case, but for some reason, this time I went with a TPU case. The one I got has a latch that prevents the case from opening, even has a secondary latch (yo dawg...) that absolutely stops the case from opening. I never had a problem with this on the Series A, but I could see the case opening in a pocket and potentially getting damaged. No chance of this with the case I got, plus it's overall pretty protective. There is an obvious extra bulk in my pocket, but I got used to it pretty fast.

## Charging

I put my typical magnetic USB-C plug in the case so I can charge it on any of my magnetic cables around the house, and this is likely how I'll primarily charge the case. However, it does support wireless charging, and it does charge pretty well in the [Belkin 25W Wireless Charger](https://theblackmoor.net/belkin-qi2-25w-wireless-charger/) I got for my Pixel 10\. It gets warmer than charging over USB, but it is honestly really convenient. I've also had no issues wirelessly charging in the TPU case.

## Conclusion

I see no reason I won't use these nearly every day for the next few years, as I did with my Series A, I love them. They sound better, they're even more comfortable, and the ANC does a great job of blocking out annoying noises. It would be interesting to be able to compare their sound and ANC against the new Pixel Buds 2A, but I imagine some folks who do audio reviews better than I have already tackled that job.

Oh, and thank god, the Pro 2s don't have the problem that the Series A have where connection/disconnection sounds are **insanely** loud.
### Google Pixel 10
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-10/
Last updated: 2026-01-17T17:00:57.000Z
I don't change phones frequently. It's honestly a hassle, and I suspect I don't take advantage of half the 'features' modern phones offer. But after my Pixel 6 suffered [catastrophic loss of containment](https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-6-goes-pop/) on its battery, I decided that even though I had replaced the battery, and it seemed fine, I was unsure about how good a job I did replacing the gasket around the screen, and therefore, unsure about the water resistance of the phone after the repair. And honestly, it was about time. The 6 still had a year of support left, but more and more features were not coming to the 6, so I ordered the 10 on release day. Sure, I could wait a few months and look for sales, but Google was offering $100 in-store credit, and I had [something else in mind ](https://theblackmoor.net/pixel-buds-pro-2/)to also upgrade, and I personally like to be part of something I believe in; and I believe in the Pixel line-up.

## Setup and Migration

As mentioned before, this is the part I really dislike, but I was highly impressed with what Google has done here, which migrated apps, app data, phone settings, but also the entire contents of my 'sdcard', including all of my local music. I don't know when this improved migration was developed, but I don't recall this when I upgraded from the 3 to the 6\. I started out just letting the phones migrate without plugging them into each other, but at some point, it said that if I plugged in the USB cable, it would go faster, so I did that. I don't recall how long the process took, and it'll vary by how many apps, how much local storage you use, etc., but it didn't really take all that long, and I was pretty happy with the results.

Sure, this is the time you discover some of your apps are no longer in the Play store so they can't transfer, or are 'incompatible', etc., and I wish there was some sort of summary they would send to your Gmail or a note on the phone or something alerting you to the things which did not transfer, but none-the-less, I went through my apps and found a few 'missing'. Several of which I was able to easily side-load, a few I decided I wasn't using anymore or had already really replaced with something else, etc. All in all, validating my apps only took maybe 30 or 45 minutes total. 

I did have some quirks in the SD card migration. First, anything with a .nomedia file contained in the parent directory did not copy over, which I find rather odd. The .nomedia file is intended to prevent things from showing up in photo galleries, such as icon packs, etc. I noticed that when I found some Tasker tasks were missing icons. Not a big deal to fix, just seems odd. 

Another oddity I observed, not necessarily directly related to the SD card migration itself, was that all of my local Notifications / Alarms / Phone Ringtones were triplicated on the 10\. I noticed this in the Sounds app when updating notifications for things, and ultimately combined all of them back into one directory and cleaned up duplicates and re-scanned media. After that, no more duplicates were shown in the Sounds app, and I was able to assign notifications to things again.

I'm not sure how much Google can do about notification sounds, but it seems like every migration, some of them are maintained, and some of them are not. All of my personal ringtones were maintained, most of my app notifications were maintained, but some of them were set to the default. It's possible this was due to me cleaning up the duplicates, and perhaps it had assigned one of the duplicate files I cleaned up, and then did the next best thing and just reset it to the default notification sound, not sure.

Luckily, my Samsung Watch 4 migrated over to the 10 effortlessly, including my custom watch faces, etc. This, too, was impressively simple and slick.

## SIM Migration

This was legitimately something I was concerned about; I'm on T-Mobile prepaid, and their customer service is, to be kind, **awful**. I did not look forward to having an issue and having to work with them to resolve it.

So I put it off for a week or two, messing with the new phone, twiddling settings, etc., finally decided to migrate from the SIM on my 6 to the eSIM on the 10\. And when I went to do it...... it just worked. I scanned a QR code, tapped a few things on the screen as it prompted. It was done. I had service. Okay then, nice! Whew!

## New Shiny!

As mentioned earlier, there's a lot of stuff I really don't use to its full capability on my phone. I don't use many "AI" features. I've been pretty happy with the camera on the 6 for casual photos, etc. This said, there are some pretty impressive features that have been added between the two phones. Some of them are dumb, like most of the AI stuff, honestly, but who doesn't want to take a picture of their car and tell Gemini to put the car in the middle of a runway and give it a wrap. 

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/1760990748194.png)

I'm not even sorry, I LOLed. Gemini edited image of a real photo.

Other things, eh, phone honestly doesn't feel faster, doesn't run longer on battery, doesn't feel any different. It's basically all the same. But that's really okay with me, I know it's good for years to come, both physically and software support, and there are little perks here and there that I enjoy. Honestly, there are so many software features on the Pixel 10, I don't think covering any of them here makes sense; there are lots of other sources detailing them, and I would not do as good a job at it.

## Accessories

I always use a case on my phone, so as usual, I went with a minimal Spigen case as I really like how much protection they give without additional bulk. The Spigen Rugged Armor MagFit, to be specific. It has the 'PixelSnap' magnets built into the case so that you can use it with any of those type of accessories, including wireless charging stands.

My old no-brand cheap wireless charger was not functioning with my Pixel 10 for some reason, so I grabbed a [Belkin Qi2](https://theblackmoor.net/belkin-qi2-25w-wireless-charger/) charger, which I've written an article on as well. 

## Summary

I don't update for every new device, but ultimately, each time I do, I'm happy I did. I do like to hang on to devices as long as they're trouble-free and supported, and prefer to keep electronics out of the landfills. This makes my eighth Google device, starting with the Nexus 1, and my fourth Pixel device. I still use my [Pixel Tablet](https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-tablet/) daily, and overall very happy with my Google devices.
### Belkin Qi2 25W Wireless Charger
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/belkin-qi2-25w-wireless-charger/
Last updated: 2026-04-15T14:15:19.000Z
I upgraded my aging Pixel 6 for a Pixel 10 a while back, and attempted to use the wireless charging dock that I used on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 6 with zero problems. On the Pixel 10, however, the charger itself gets extremely hot, particularly **after** it has finished charging. At the time, I had no idea why my old charger did not work, but I do now (details later in post). However, I like wireless charging, so I somewhat reluctantly looked around for a suggested wireless charging cradle for the Pixel 10, and I settled on the Belkin UltraCharge 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger with Qi2 25W. Say that three times!

# My devices, cases, etc

I am using a Pixel 10 (base model) with the Spigen Rugged Armor MagFit case; I have not tried without it, as I never take a phone case off except to clean it periodically. This case has magnets built into the case for compatibility with magnetic (Pixelsnap) accessories.

I also have a set of Pixel Buds Pro 2 in a generic TPU case that I will be evaluating and charging on the stand.

# Charger design

The charger is designed to be foldable for portability and I saw some reviews where folks said the hinge isn't quite stiff enough to stay up, but so far I've not had any issues with this, but I've always held the phone in a way that I can feel the charger behind it and align it (prior to having magnets) and this also works to align the phone to the charger and then it just clicks into place. The great thing about the magnetic attachment is that you can't possibly put the phone on incorrectly. It will work at any angle, and no worries about not perfectly centering the phone in the exact middle of the charger like I've had issues with in the past on other wireless chargers.

The charger also has a secondary 5-watt wireless charger on the top of the base, which works perfectly well with my Pixel Buds Pro 2, and even has an extra USB-C port on the side, which can supply 5 watt. I have charged the phone and my Pixel Buds, and it appeared to not affect it charging rate, but the ability to charge from all three locations at full speed at once is not explicitly mentioned in the specifications or marketing.

The primary charging pad has a rubber coating over it, so there's likely no concern with its strong pull, and the rubber coating also keeps the phone in the orientation that you prefer.

There is a chance that contamination on the rubber pad could scuff the back of the phone without a case. Not a problem on non-magnetic chargers, but on a magnetic charger like this one, with the magnetic force between charger and phone, I could see this being possible. I always use a case, but I know some folks do not.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/phoneandearbuds.jpg)

Phone and earbuds in place for charging

# Charger usage

The magnets in the Belkin are very strong and have no problem holding the phone securely in any orientation. To remove it I even have to wrap my fingers around the bottom of the phone so my fingers go between the phone and the charger, which lifts it off the magnetic pad and releases it. Not complicated, just strong enough that you're not going to just pick the phone up and it detach without doing this.

I have also charged my Pixel Buds Pro 2 on the secondary 5W charger in the base, and even in their generic TPU case, they seemed to charge just fine.

# Charge times and heat

Any time I mention a charging rate, I am referring to the data that I see in the Android app Ampre. I can not otherwise verify precisely how fast things are charging except for how fast the device charges (ie, %/min) or the value that Ampre gives me. I have found in the past that it seems pretty close, but it could vary between devices in how accurate it is. For percent and battery temperature, Tasker logs this information on the phone. For the Pixel Buds. I am using an infrared thermometer and just manually logging information by watching the case battery status from their settings.

### Pixel 10

I've monitored my phone charging a few times on the charger with the phone settings set to charge to 80%. I've done this for personal reasons, but it also helps in this charge analysis, as there should be no end-of-charge slowdown as the battery approaches 100%. The following is what I've observed:

| Starting Battery | Ending Battery | Avg %/min | Start Temp | Peak Temp | Total Time | Note  |
| ---------------- | -------------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------- | ----- |
| 25               | 80             | .85       | 29.2C      | 39.8C     | 67         | Run 1 |
| 40               | 80             | .95       | 29.7C      | 38.3C     | 45         | Run 2 |
| 33               | 80             | .84       | 26.3C      | 39.3C     | 60         | Run 3 |
| 35               | 80             | .9        | 30.6C      | 39.6C     | 50         | Run 4 |

On runs that needed to charge more (1, 3, and 4) as soon as the temperature reached just under 40C, it only charged at 0-.2%/hr, and the temperature dropped, and then the charging speed picked back up after that and shortly after completed charging. It appears to me that the phone or charger throttles back about this point. On the 40-80 run (2), its peak temperature occurred as it was finishing charging.

Below is a graph of Run 4\. There are a few small temperature peaks, but right at about 73% charge, the temperature rises and throttles back for a few minutes, then continues until it charges to full (80%). I don't believe the state of charge is why the temperature peaks at this point; I believe it's simply building up heat until it reaches a threshold and just happens to be around 70% as my charges are pretty similar.

I'm not entirely clear why the temperature continues to fall from that point, although it does appear that at the peak of near 40C it throttles back entirely, then for a total of about 6 minutes it is only charging at a rate of .5%/minute, picks back to 1%/minute, and then charging completes. Including separate percent/temp charts and charge rate charts, as it's hard to show them on the same chart with such large scale differences.

And in case you're wondering, times are captured in UTC; I am really going to bed around midnight. These graphs start when I put the phone on the charger.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/chargechart.jpg)

Charge vs Temperature for Run 4

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/ratechart.jpg)

Charge rate in %/min for Run 4

All wireless chargers generate more heat in themselves and in the phone than wired charging. This charger has what Belkin calls their Passive ChillBoost technology, which in this case means the charger monitors heat and manages the charging speed to keep heat down to a reasonable level. There's no way to disable it, so comparing how effective this is would be difficult, but presumably, they throttle charging if the charger gets too warm. The charger can't directly measure the phone temperature, but it may monitor it indirectly. Belkin also makes other chargers with "Active" ChillBoost, which contains a fan that most likely reduces heat more than their "Passive" models, at the expense of extra noise.

Charging wirelessly does raise the temperature up to 40C, which is higher than I'd really prefer. A slower wireless charge (if it were possible) would be better for battery longevity.

After doing some testing with the [INIU Qi2 Certified 15W Mag-Safe Wireless Charger](https://theblackmoor.net/iniu-qi2-certified-15w-mag-safe-wireless-charger/), which will charge at a lower speed when charging from 5V, I decided to see if the Belkin charger could run at 5V off of a normal USB power supply, but it cannot, so there is no way to slow down the charge rate.

### Pixel Buds Pro 2

Charging my Pixel Buds on the secondary charger seemed to charge at the same rate and only a small increase in temperature compared to a USB charge cycle. I have no real way to measure their temperature directly, but using a temperature gun, I measured the following:

| Starting Battery | Ending Battery | Avg %/min | Start Temp | Peak Temp | Total Time | Note                  |
| ---------------- | -------------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------- | --------------------- |
| 57               | 100            | 1.1       | 23.3C      | 27.9C     | 40         | With TPU Case         |
| 55               | 100            | 1.0       | 18.3C      | 25.5C     | 43         | Without TPU case      |
| 54               | 100            | 1.0       | 21.6C      | 24.5C     | 46         | USB, without TPU Case |

The temperature does rise a bit on the Pixel Buds while charging, but not enough to be concerning, and only a few degrees over a USB charge.

# Included 45W Wall Adapter

I should also mention that the wall adapter that's included is a pretty solid charger on its own if you need an even faster charge. It claims to be Power Delivery 3 certified and charged my Pixel 10 at 5500mAh peak, but typically saw 4000mAh as I watched the rest of the charge cycle. The wall charger is included with the wireless charger, but should you be curious about looking at it more specifically, it appears to be the Belkin BoostCharge Compact USB-C Wall Charger 45W, model WCA013dq.

And for the observant, no, I don't have a USB cable included in any of the images, but the one that is included is quite nice and plenty long at 5 feet (1.5 meters).

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/chargerandadapter.jpg)

Wall adapter and the wireless charger folded

And here are some stats for directly charging the Pixel 10 from the included wall adapter for comparison.

| Starting Battery | Ending Battery | Avg %/min | Start Temp | Peak Temp | Total Time | Note  |
| ---------------- | -------------- | --------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------- | ----- |
| 29               | 80             | 1.3       | 32.2       | 37.6      | 40         | Run 1 |

Charging from the wall adapter charges faster, but not for very long. Within 16 minutes, the heat peaks at 37.6C and then the heat declines from there because the charge rate also declines from about 2%/minute to 1%/minute. 

*I'm going to do at least one more data run*, *and if things are looking consistent, I'll add graphs.*

Charging using the 45W adapter does charge quickly, but it will quickly raise the temperature up to nearly 40C, which is higher than I'd really prefer. A slower wired charge would be better for battery longevity.

# Things I wished it had

Honestly, I do wish this one had the Active cooling technology on it. The charger they offer with the Active cooling, with a built-in fan, likely keeps things cooler, but it is twice the price. On the Active model, you can also turn off the fan with a switch, which, presumably, would behave similarly to how the "Passive" models function.

And since they already have a switch on the charger to tweak the fan being on or off, it would be really nice to have a Slow Charge feature built into the charger. Most of the time, I am charging overnight, so even 10 watts would be more than enough to charge the phone more slowly and cooler. My old charger charged my Pixel 6 slowly, but never got noticeably warmer during charging. 

# Summary

Overall, the wireless base and the 45-watt wall charger combined are a pretty good value for what this charger sells for. A lot of other chargers do not include the wall charger, or the wall charger can't be used on its own. I don't like heating up the phone while I charge it, but in reality, it doesn't heat the phone up all that much, and it's very convenient, especially when using the phone in bed. I can quietly reach over and put it on the charger without disrupting my wife. The option for a slower wireless charge rate would be very welcome, however.

*Everything in this post has been purchased by me, for me, no sponsors in any way, and neither Google nor Belkin is in any way involved. I mention products by name so you can look for them yourself, but there will be no links except potentially to other articles I have written myself.*

## Wireless Charging Standards Addendum

I originally was unclear why my Pixel 10 didn't work on my older Qi charger. I initially thought maybe it was asking too much of it, the charger itself being a cheap no-name one was maybe the issue, etc. Turns out, it's actually the Pixel 10 that is at fault. 

TLDR; the Pixel 10 (all models) only supports Qi 2 or higher. Anything else does not negotiate charging properly (or at all) and will not work. This includes almost all older Qi chargers, sadly including most of those included in desks, accessories, and vehicles. The link below has some more information, there may be other good sources of information on this as well. As of April 2026, nothing has really changed on this front, so I'm not sure at this point that it will. It might have been a design decision that requires Qi 2 and the Pixel 10 may never support older chargers.

[Your Pixel 10 might not charge wirelessly — and Google knows whyAll wireless chargers are made the same, right? Well, according to Google, that is not the case. Some users have noted that when trying to charge their![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.png)Android HeadlinesAlexander Maxham![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/thumbnail/Google-Pixel-10-Pro-Fold-AM-AH-04.jpg)](https://www.androidheadlines.com/2025/10/your-pixel-10-might-not-charge-wirelessly-and-google-knows-why.html?ref=theblackmoor.net)
### Google Pixel 6 goes pop
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-6-goes-pop/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T13:55:27.000Z
Pulled out the phone a few days ago, and something felt off, like the case was pushed over the corner. I lightly squeezed the corner to pop the case back on, nope. Looked. Oh boy. The screen is getting pushed out by the battery. You could have given me SIX MORE WEEKS to get the Pixel 10, and you could have rested, but no, you gotta be like this!

I have an iFixIt battery repair kit on the way; hopefully, the phone doesn't explode before it arrives, and everything goes smoothly. I will add some comments on the process here, although honestly, the swollen battery ejecting the screen has probably made the repair significantly easier. Until then, I'm charging it slowly during the day so I can keep an eye on it, not carrying it around, and keeping it in Extreme Battery Saver mode to reduce the amount of charging it needs.

Something, something, /r/spicypillows

### iFixIt to the rescue

I got the entire kit, which comes with everything you need to take the phone apart. Granted, my screen was already coming apart, so I'm not convinced that the suction cup that came with the kit would be all that useful, but everything else is included, well laid out, and all useful and functional. The website also gave excellent instructions on how to detach the screen and remove the battery, but unfortunately, the instructions ended there. It did not explain the use of the four sets of 'stickers' that come with the kit. Two are obvious, ish. One replaces some clear plastic stickers that were on the back of the original battery (but I have no idea what function they serve!). One replaces the stickers that surround the battery, taping various things; I'm unclear if these are designed to secure, insulate, ground, or shield components. One sticker replaces the gasket around the phone, and one, I have no idea what it is. The whole process, including me moving quite slowly and delicately, took about an hour.

After everything is checked and reassembled, the kit even suggests how to make sure the new battery is properly calibrated by charging to 100%, leaving the phone charging for at least two more hours, and then letting the phone discharge to empty. After this, use the phone normally.

Removing the battery was slightly terrifying, but once it was removed, I put it in a metal box I have and will figure out what to do with it later. I'm not sure if battery recycling places will accept a swollen battery.

I will post updates after using the replacement battery for a while, but I'm hoping that there is nothing to report except that it just works. iFixIt calibration instructions are pretty simple; charge the new battery to 100% and then leave it on the charger for at least 2 hours. Then, unplug the phone and use it normally until it powers down on its own due to low battery. Afterward, the battery is calibrated and ready for normal use. It took 43 hours for the phone to power off, which is pretty decent. Hopefully, this battery lasts for a few more years, but I plan on replacing the phone at some point.
### Does anybody really know what time it is?
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/does-anybody-really-know-what-time-it-is/
Last updated: 2026-01-13T15:04:15.000Z
I have always been fascinated by watches and have always had one, even as a child, when most other kids did not have one. I had a few Swatch watches, several of them lost because of the slide-on band "feature", a few very cheap digital watches which I still thought were neat because they were digital, and later a Casio Calculator watch and even their Databank watch in my late teens. Both the Calculator watch and Databank watch were impossible to use for anything complicated, but they were still neat. After that, I had several "hiking" watches of different types that had barometers, compasses, etc, which, if calibrated before going for a hike, were reasonably accurate.

My wife purchased a Citizen Navihawk Blue Angels C300 for me in the late 90s, and it is a great-looking watch with a ton of neat features and watch face complications and I wore it for over 15 years, but it is, unfortunately, semi-broken, and the mode button barely works due to a very fragile plastic wishbone part inside the watch. It still works, and I keep a battery in it, but I'm afraid to wear it very much. The main image on this post is my watch, which has a few minor bumps and bruises but is otherwise in excellent shape. The LCD panels are weird-looking in my picture, but I think that was due to the lighting above my desk.

I picked up a refurbished WearOS watch in 2016 and immediately fell in love with how configurable they are and how I can use [Watchmaker](https://getwatchmaker.com/?ref=theblackmoor.net) to customize the watch face any way that I want with a ton of graphical features and Lua scripting to create strings, variables, or control the UI. While recharging every day isn't ideal, it's also not a big deal. I charge the watch while I shower and get ready for the day or when I'm working at my desk. Most often, the battery isn't much below 40 or 50 percent, so it takes less than an hour to charge. Would it be useful on a camping trip or somewhere away from power? Not so much, but I'd also have to charge my phone, so I don't find 1.5 days of battery life a big deal.

After many watch faces and then tweaks upon those watch faces, I have used the same watch face for a few years now. I still occasionally make a tweak to it, but that's the beauty of WearOS and Watchmaker. If I want to change something, I can. I love that it's very quick to glance at to get the information I want, but it also has a ton of information packed into it. I've had a few people ask me about it over the years, so I figured I would write it down. It is called Daydweller, and it originally came from [https://getwatchmaker.com/watchface/daydweller](https://getwatchmaker.com/watchface/daydweller?ref=theblackmoor.net) so I'd like to give all credit to the original watch face developer; without the original watch face, I would not have what I have today.

Here is what the watch with my modified Daydweller watch face looks like. This is not a great picture; there are a few bright spots from my lighting here, but it's pretty representative. This is my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 with a Ringke bezel on it, which adds some protection to the watch. It's somewhat gaudy, but I liked that it added the minutes to the watch itself, so the watch face itself does not have to, giving me more room for other things. Yes, it's rotated like .1 degrees clockwise, it annoys me too.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/11/gw4.jpg)

Modified Daydweller on my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Overall, the watch is a 24-hour analog clock with four complications that look like they are inset into the watch face. The hours are in a dark blue gradient, with the moon phase overlaid on top. How much of the moon is shown represents the current moon visibility; however, there is no indication of the actual moon phase. Finally, the sunlight hours are overlaid on top of that in the form of a yellowish arc that indicates when sunrise and sunset are.

There are four main complications on the watch. On the right is the day of the week, date, and my watch (left) and phone (right) battery indicated by a 180-degree arc with a color gradient to indicate the state of charge. On the bottom is my heart rate, how many steps I have taken today, and barely visible there is a ring that forms around this complication to indicate the percentage of 12k steps I have taken today. On the left is the current temperature, high and low temperatures for today, a current weather icon, and in the background, the blue shading indicates the current humidity level.

This watch face also has a few more tricks up its sleeve in that it also displays upcoming calendar events as well as precipitation, as shown in the following image. In green here, you can see an "Example event" which indicates an upcoming calendar event as well as represents when it starts and ends, as well as an upcoming rain event shown in dark blue. On a busy day with lots of rain, the watch face can start to look pretty busy.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/11/watchface.png)

Screenshot of watch face, normal view

I can also hide some bits of the watch if I want to see the calendar event or date easily by tapping the middle of the watch face.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/11/hidden.png)

Screenshot of watch face, with hands hidden

Speaking of interacting with the watch face, there are things assigned to each of the complications. The 24-hour clock complication launches the World Time application on the watch, the calendar complication launches the Agenda application, the heart rate complication launches the Health app, and the weather complication launches the weather app. There are also three other tap zones; one I have mentioned that if you tap the center of the watch, it hides and/or fades the moon image, water, and watch hand elements on the watch to make it easier to see some things. If I tap in the bottom left, it switches to a watch face that's easier to read outdoors, and if I tap the bottom right, it launches a set of buttons that let me turn lights on or off in the house.

When the watch is idle, it hides calendar text, the moon phase, and the seconds hand to enhance readability. I can't easily get an image of this state, as I can't make a screenshot of it in this state, and if it's not on my wrist, the watch goes completely blank for power savings.

The watch also has one more feature (and probably a few I've honestly forgotten!); there are several elements on the watch that are highlighted in a color based on the day of the week. The first time zone dial, the day of the week, and the seconds hand. Thursday is Green, and Friday is Cyan, and overall ROYGBIV = MTWTFSS.

By the way, in case you're curious about my outdoor watch face, it's originally called "F04 Colors" and it can be found at [https://getwatchmaker.com/watchface/f04-finalv3-7-colors](https://getwatchmaker.com/watchface/f04-finalv3-7-colors?ref=theblackmoor.net). It's very readable outdoors, but like my Daydweller, it is information overload. It has been heavily modified by me, but again, without it as a base, I could not have made what it is today.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/11/digitalwatch-1.png)

Heavily modified FC04 watchface, so much information

If you want to see what kind of watch face I would make, well, prepare yourself. This was just an experiment, and it's kind of useless, but it is functional. Hours are on the outside, minutes in the middle, and the second hand is on the inside. The time here is 13:59:31\. This is a 12-hour watch, but I could easily make it 24 hours.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/11/markers-1.png)

Markers watch face

### For those curious about how I get data into the watch

Watchmaker is exceptionally powerful; it can get data from weather sources, and it has powerful Lua scripting and a ton of UI elements to draw on the watch face. But it doesn't have any notion of upcoming rain. At a very high level, I have a CGI on my server that collects weather data from [Open Weather Map](https://openweathermap.org/api/one-call-3?ref=theblackmoor.net) that I use for several things, but one of them is providing lots of detailed weather data to Tasker on my phone. And when Tasker downloads that data, it does some parsing of the data and then sends a bunch of variables into Watchmaker, which then is able to utilize that data in the Lua scripting. If I'm at home, my watch gets the temperature and humidity from the sensor in my yard; otherwise, it uses the weather API data.

## Watchmakers Future

Bleak. That's the single, simple way to describe it. WearOS 5 onward requires all watch faces to be published in a format Google created called Watch Face Format. Watchmaker has already adapted to produce this format; great! Except that a **huge** number of features that it previously had are no longer possible. Tasker integration, LUA scripting, among a number of other things, is simply impossible to do in WFF. The Watchmaker developers and likely other WearOS developers are in discussion with Google to make WFF more functional; however, I do not look forward to my older watch failing and needing to upgrade and losing the features of my favorite watchface.

Update: As of January 2026, **all** watch faces are required to be Watch Face Format, thus completely breaking my watch faces as well as likely most available ones. Thanks, Google.
### Stanley Cross Bottle
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/stanley-cross-bottle/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T14:06:10.000Z
My wife is obsessed with water bottles; she has them all over the place, and she seems to think I should also be obsessed with them. For Father's Day, she purchased the [Stanley Cross Bottle](https://www.stanley1913.com/products/the-stanley-cross-bottle-23-oz?ref=theblackmoor.net) for me, and I thought it was an interesting enough item to talk about, given how popular Stanley bottles and hydration in general are. We often go on walks and hikes, and I've mentioned a few times I need to look to find a bottle that hangs at my waist or a sling for my water bottle instead of carrying the bottle in my hand the entire hike. So when she saw the Cross Bottle, she decided to get it for me.

The bottle comes in a variety of colors, but she got the Mint color for me, as online it looks blue, but in person it is a rather pale mint color, which does match the name. The top part of the bottle is darker and more saturated, whereas the body of the bottle is a lighter mint color. The strap does not exactly match the color of the bottle, but it is a pretty close match to the top of the bottle. The bottom of the lid matches the top color of the bottle, and the top of the lid is transparent plastic, which looks slightly more blue than the rest of the bottle.

### The Bottle

The bottle itself is slightly thick and wide to hold in the hand. Having medium-sized male hands, I think this bottle could be slightly difficult to drink from single-handed if you have smaller hands. The dotted pattern along the sides does add grip, and of course, you can always hold it with both hands. The bottle weighs 1.4lb (.64kg) empty and 2.93lb (1.33kg) when full of water. This is honestly pretty heavy, but the bottle materials are thick and durable, and it is double-insulated to keep liquids cold for long periods. The bottle opening is 1.5" (3.8cm) wide and makes for easy filling, inserting pieces of ice, cleaning, etc. The ice from my ice machine easily fits into the opening; no special shapes of ice for bottles are needed here. While sitting on a solid surface, the bottle is quite stable, and it has a rubber pad on the bottom, which makes placing the bottle on hard surfaces quieter than some other bottles.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222326561.jpg)

Side profile of the bottle

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222822214.jpg)

Wide opening for filling

### The Lid

The lid has a straw, which you can remove if you do not want to use it, but if you leave it in the bottle, it pushes into an indentation in the lid and will stay in place will allowing you to drink from the bottle with the straw. If you prefer to drink from the spout or pour into your mouth, the lid works very well for that and delivers a consistent pour into your mouth. I've also tried pouring into my mouth with the straw still in place, and that seemed to be no problem; I was somewhat expecting to get some water shot up my nose from the straw itself.

The lid is really comprised of a bottom and top piece, which are all quite well put together; overall, the lid itself removes entirely from the bottle to allow easy cleaning, filling with water, adding ice, etc. I imagine you could fill the bottle with the lid still in the bottle, but it is easier if you remove it. The bottom piece easily screws into the bottle and is designed to cleanly pour water and/or secure the straw for drinking. The clear top of the lid screws onto the bottom section to seal the bottle and is securely attached to the bottom part of the lid by a strap, which is flexible but also hinged, so there is no concern of wear and tear on the strap between the top and bottom parts of the lid. With the lid tightened down reasonably tightly, there is no leaking from the bottle.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222727909.jpg)

The lid can be entirely removed from the bottle for easy filling and cleaning

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222930316.jpg)

Lid open, with straw secured in place

### The Straw

The straw itself is a very sturdy, clear plastic that has a bulge at the end of one, which fits into the lid of the bottle, and the opposite end of the straw is shaped so that it does not seal against the bottom of the bottle and make drinking difficult. The straw is easily removed and washed, and due to the design of the lid, its use is completely optional. The straw can not, however, be turned upside down and captured inside the bottle as it does not fit in that orientation. It fits securely in the lid, and there is no worry about it falling out while in use. The straw is intended to remain in the bottle and pushed into the lid during normal use; pulling it out to drink is possible, but it is not necessary. The straw sticks out about .8in (2cm) from the lid, making it easy to drink from while on the go. The straw can empty the bottle with only a small gulp of water remaining, so its placement and design fit the bottle perfectly.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222605912.jpg)

The bottom of the straw is cut out to make drinking easy

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222646053.jpg)

Full view of the straw and the slight bulge that holds it in the lid

### The Strap

The strap is very soft, and the buckles are well-designed, and overall, the strap feels quite premium. It measures 59 inches (150cm) at maximum length, measured at the tips of the buckles, and 40 inches (102cm) at minimum length. The buckles that attach to the bottle have significant overlap as they open, ensuring there is no way they will ever accidentally release. And of course, they fit quite securely on the bottle for carrying and are easily removed. The buckles also freely rotate on the strap, making orienting the strap very easy and allowing the strap to lie out nicely when sitting on a surface with the strap still attached.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/06/PXL_20240629_222430829.jpg)

The strap is a premium piece of soft fabric and dependable buckles

### The Tests!

Stanley does not specify any amount of time that it will keep liquids cold, nor do they specify if the bottle can also be used for hot liquids; however, I imagine that within a reasonable temperature hot liquids would be just fine in this bottle.

I did a small, unscientific test on the bottle to see how well it would stand up in the heat. I put two small (1.5x1.0 inch, or 3.8x2.5cm) pieces of ice into the bottle and filled it with water from my Brita container in the refrigerator. The water in my fridge is around 40F (4.5C). I put the bottle outside on my patio table in full sunlight, and the air temperature was 90F (32C), and left it for two hours. After two hours, I brought the bottle in and immediately checked both the temperature of the bottle itself and the temperature of the water inside, and found both to be very reasonable. The bottle itself was 110F (43C), which may sound quite warm, but it was nowhere near too hot to hold and keep in mind the bottle was in full sunlight the entire time. The water inside the bottle was at 50F (10C). In real use, I would put a lot more ice in the bottle, and it would rarely be sitting out in full sun, so I expect that on any length of hike, the ice will never have a chance to melt.

As soon as I had a chance, I went hiking with the bottle in the woods, mostly in the shade, and the temperature was 85F (29.5C). I filled the bottle with about 10 pieces of ice and cold water from the refrigerator and started out. I hiked for 90 minutes in a mix of shade and sun, and it was a 30-minute drive in each direction. I drank all the water I needed on the hike and still had some remaining when I got home, and when I emptied the bottle found that it still had the majority of the ice I had put in it. Next time, I think I'll put one or two ice cubes in the bottle because 10 was too much!

### Carrying the bottle

Carrying the bottle with the strap is quite comfortable, and there is no rattle while walking around with it on the strap. At its minimum length, the bottle lands a few inches from my armpit and is pretty comfortable to walk with. If you prefer, you can rotate the strap so that the bottle is slightly towards your chest, or behind your back if that is more comfortable. Having the strap short and the bottle tight to my chest is how I prefer to carry it; however, at its shortest setting, it is a little awkward to drink from, so I extend it about six inches from its shortest length for my 5' 11" (1.8M) height. With the strap at its maximum extension, the lid of the bottle lands just below my waist and swings around a bit more; however, everyone has different preferences, heights, and shapes, and the strap offers plenty of adjustment to fit anyone.

There is one thing to note here: if you want to carry the bottle without the strap, there is nothing to hold onto except the bottle itself. The lid hinge is too small to hold, the buckle mounting points are too small to get a finger through, and the smooth, rounded body wouldn't be fun to carry for an extended period. I suspect that any canteen sling or pouch would work fine with the bottle if you do not want to use the included strap or already have a canteen and just want to upgrade the canteen itself to get one that keeps its water cold longer.

### Minor Nitpicks

I have a few minor concerns with this bottle. The first is that the clear plastic upper portion of the lid is pretty slick and a little hard to open if your hands are wet or sweaty; I think I would have preferred the material on the top of the lid to be the same as the rest of the top of the bottle, which is a firm but slightly grippy hard plastic material.

I have also unscrewed the whole lid instead of the top portion of the lid a few times using the bottle, but only when I was initially using it. I seem to have figured out how to open it correctly since then, and it hasn't happened again. 

I also seem to cross-thread the top of the lid when screwing it back down if I'm not looking, so I've found myself looking at the lid as I screw it down to make sure it's not cross-threaded. I'm concerned it would damage the lid, but it also will leak if it's not screwed down securely.

I also wonder if the bottle was dropped, could it damage the lid, but if that ever happened, I imagine a replacement could be purchased from Stanley and may be covered by the warranty; the warranty part is unclear to me from reading their warranty page.

### Summary

Would I have purchased this bottle myself? Honestly, probably not. It's heavy, I'm not a fan of the lid, and it's pretty expensive. That said, I am probably not the primary market for this bottle. My wife and her friends pre-ordered the bottles in multiple colors and are all excited about trying them out on walks and hikes. So in summary, this is a solid bottle that'll keep your liquids cold while comfortably hanging from your neck for walks, hikes, or any adventures, and will look stylish doing so.
### Even smart phones get confused
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/even-smart-phones-get-confused/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T14:09:52.000Z
I've owned the Pixel 6 since it was released; just like the Pixel 1XL and Pixel 3XL, I ordered it during the announcement, so I've owned it since October 2021\. As of June 2024, my Pixel 6 battery life has been poor for the last 6-9 months, but I just assumed the battery was slowly failing. What happens is that every day, 4 or 5 hours after taking it off the charger, the phone would show the battery to be 60% charged. I thought the battery was shot; however, one day it suddenly showed 3% about mid-afternoon when I had not charged it yet that day, and out of curiosity, I just left it alone. It quickly went down to 1% but then stayed there for at least 10 hours before it shut off. That told me maybe Android's battery calibration is just incorrect.

Smartphones, tablets, computers, etc, keep a map of battery charge so they can give you a more accurate view of your battery status. Lithium-ion batteries change their voltage very little during the majority of their discharge, so it's hard to say what to call a specific percent without mapping it. However, over time, it can get calibrated incorrectly.

### We can test that!

So to test this, I charged the phone to 100% the next day, and I just let it discharge over the day. I only used it lightly, but otherwise normal usage, including the normal apps that sync, notifications, emails, etc. I also disabled Battery Saver so that it would discharge faster than the last 20%. Ultimately, the phone ran 40 hours, which works out to an average of 2.5%/hr, which is pretty typical in my experience when your phone is actively doing things (cellular, wifi, apps syncing, etc).

I charged it the next day, and when I powered it on, the battery had gotten so low that the fingerprint reader lost data (so that was annoying), but then, strangely, when I recharged it, it only charged about 40 minutes on an 18W charger to 100%. According to various sources, this phone will charge from empty to full in about 2 hours, so it seems that the battery is either not being used to its full capacity or has lost capacity. Uh oh. I then again used it very lightly that day, and 4 hours later the phone was showing the battery at 82% so I'm not sure if anything has improved. By the end of the day (15 hours or so), it was starting to look pretty good at 55%. Improvement!

The day I charged it normally and again used it lightly and at bedtime, the battery was in the 50% range.

I kept this pattern of usage for another week, and it continues to be around 60% by bedtime, so I'm convinced that the primary problem with my phone "running out of battery" by lunchtime was just calibration.

I've not played any games on the phone during this testing. I know games are pretty hard on the battery, so I plan to resume some normal gaming on the phone in a few days and then compare the results.

Two-month update: battery life has seemed pretty okay since the recalibration. I typically see 45-50% by bedtime now after normal usage of the phone during the day. Some days more, some days less, depending on how I've used the phone that day, but this is a vast improvement over seeing 60% at lunchtime.

Annoyingly, four or so months later, this crept back in slowly, and at five months I'm calibrating again. The phone was at 1% for 14 hours, and the battery was still at 3.652V. I don't know the exact data for this specific battery on at what voltage the battery is at what state of charge, but 3.5V should be around 10-15% at a very conservative top end. It could be much lower, but I also don't want to push it too far. I'd like to figure out if there is something I am possibly doing that is causing this calibration issue to happen. I am not charging mid-day unless it's low, I have not been playing games on the phone, I generally only charge on my wireless charger overnight, and use the phone lightly over the day. 

### Wait, this has happened before!

A few months ago, I was using my Pixel Tablet as I do in the evening, and it was at about 70% state of charge, and I needed to reboot it for some reason. After it rebooted, the battery showed 100%. I continued to use it for another hour or so, at which time it dropped to about 95%. When I put it on the dock, it did not start charging since the battery status was over 90%. I have no idea why this happened, but I decided to go ahead and discharge the device to see if that'd fix it. I have no idea if it did, but battery life seems pretty normal on it currently, so I just leave it alone.

### Warning: don't do this unless you think you need to

Note that the whole exercise was to recalibrate the battery state of charge with Android; cycling the battery itself is just the only way to do this, and is not something you should regularly do, as it's much harder on the battery to cycle a battery from 100 to 0\. Ideally, it should be maintained between 60% and 80% but that's not reasonable on a phone; just keeping it from discharging below 40% daily will usually make the battery last a long time. However, [Battery University](https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-603-how-to-calibrate-a-smart-battery?ref=theblackmoor.net) still recommends an occasional recalibration using the method I used here.

### Summary

In the end, did I accomplish anything? Sort of; I think I now know my battery is probably okay, or at least not as bad as I thought. It ran 40 hours, and that is pretty reasonable with a bunch of apps updating their data, stuff syncing, etc.

But I'm also still not convinced the battery is in good shape. 40 hours is good, but there's no way it can charge from 0% to 100% in 40 minutes. However, it was previously at 60% by lunch (4 hours after taking it off the charger), and now it's 60% late evening (15 hours after taking it off the charger). Still, I'm not quite sure what to make of all of this, but it is better than it was. I think what's going on is that the battery is worn out to some degree, but it was also very miscalibrated.
### Chamberlain Dumb Garage Control
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/chamberlain-dumb-garage-control/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T14:13:54.000Z
A lot of 'smart' things are pretty dumb. Some of them are useful, some are helpful, and some are e-waste. The Chamberlain Dumb Garage Control (model myQ-G0401-ES) is all three. However, for $20, if you can make it work and your phone is compatible with the app, you may find it useful.

In case you're reading this and have no idea what this device is, it's a 'Smart' garage door sensor (to detect what position the door is in) and garage door controller (to open or close the door), controlled by an app and ecosystem called MyQ, and can be attached to nearly all modern garage door openers. MyQ has a lot of other hardware (keypads, cameras, etc) in its ecosystem as well.

I am not going to get into too many details on the whole MyQ system, app, hardware, etc, here, but here's the gist. When it's working, it lets you raise or lower the door and it'll send you notifications when the door opens or closes. You can also see the current status of the door and how long it's been in that state. No matter what the internet says, this does not let you close the door after N minutes or hours, but it does have a simple schedule that lets you close it at a specific time of day. Doesn't mean it works, but you can set it. More on that below.

There are, however, some pretty big limitations. It used to work with Google Home and Alexa, but no longer supports either ecosystem. The required app, MyQ, does not work if your Android phone does not pass Play Protect Certification (in my case, a completely stock but bootloader-unlocked Pixel 6), and on a compatible device, my Pixel Tablet, I was unable to set up the Internet Gateway in the MyQ app, as it would never let me pick any Wifi networks.

I tried having my tablet on either of my 2.4GHz routers, tried playing with the channel it was on, AES/TKIP, and tried a different SSID. None of these things mattered. I'm unsure where the breakdown is, but I suspect incompatibility with Android 14\. However, with much internet searching, I pieced together a manual method to get the thing online and paired it with the MyQ app.

### Manually making this dumb thing work

The first thing to do is install the MyQ App from the Play Store and make sure you can register (using email or any of the services they provide), you can log in to the app, and get to a screen that lets you add devices. If the login fails every time and you don't have another device to use the MyQ app, you might as well stop now. If you haven't ordered the thing, don't, and if you already did, start boxing it up. You can't use it without the app; period. When the app refused to function on my bootloader-unlocked Pixel 6, I kept getting "*Error 401.122\. Please try again later.*" It is my understanding that this is the error you'll get if the app doesn't trust your device, but there's nowhere that officially documents this.

After you have verified that you can use the MyQ app, go ahead and plug in the Internet Gateway, and it should have a blinking blue LED. If it's not blinking, hold down the Gear button (the middle one) for a few seconds until the device beeps and then reboots, and after that, the blue LED should now be blinking. I do not know if this matters for manual setup, however.

Here is a step-by-step on how to manually get the Internet Gateway online and get it paired in the MyQ app. Note that I did most of this inside the house; you don't need to be standing around in the garage, but make sure the wifi you pick for the device will work in the garage. 

- Using your phone, tablet, laptop, or whatever, look for MyQ-XXX wifi and connect to it. If your device complains that you can't reach the internet just tell it to stay connected regardless.  
  - This should give your phone/tablet/laptop a 192.168.1.X IP and the IP of the Internet Gateway itself is 192.168.1.1
- In your browser on the device you connected to the MyQ wifi, go to [http://192.168.1.1](http://192.168.1.1/?ref=theblackmoor.net)
- This should load a webpage that lets you start a wizard to pick a wifi network for the Internet Gateway to use. Pick your wifi network, enter the password, and follow the instructions.  
  - Make sure to pick Wifi that will work in your Garage; ie: if you have multiple 2.4GHz networks pick the one most likely to be reliable in the garage.
- At some point the wizard will try to go to another hostname and likely fail or give you an error because your phone/tablet/laptop/whatever can't reach that address. Don't worry about that just yet and check to see if it's online by checking to see if the blue LED has turned off and the green one is on. The green LED may blink for a few seconds as it connects but once it connects it should stay lit solidly. If the green light continues to blink that likely means the Wifi signal is too weak.

At this point, the device is online; but is not paired to your MyQ account so you can't use it yet.

- Launch the MyQ App
- Click the Add button in the MyQ App  
  - DO NOT pick Smart Garage Hub
- Pick Accessory
- Pick Internet Gateway
- Input the MyQ serial number that's on the label on the bottom of the Internet Gateway or printed on the Quick Start Guide.

If this all works, it should now be connected to the internet and be paired with the MyQ app. The MyQ app will then walk you through all of the physical setup of the Internet Gateway, pairing and mounting the door sensor, etc. If this all works, the device should function at this point.

### Scheduled Closing

I wanted this thing so I could potentially close the garage remotely if it gets left open, and that's a bust; so what else can it do? You can have it close the door on a schedule. You pick which days of the week and the time, and it'll close the door. However, you'll want to watch to make sure it closes the door at the time you expect it to, as I've seen it both close the door an hour late and the notification is an hour early. If I set it to 10 pm, it may close at 11 pm, but the notification is for 9 pm. I'm not entirely sure what it's doing. 

If you want the door to close automatically, set a closing time and monitor it to ensure it's closing when you expect it. It is also likely a good idea to set a second close schedule soon after to ensure it does close.

### Notifications

The app does seem to be reasonably good at sending a notification when the door opens, closes, or a scheduled close is executed; however, as mentioned above, I'm not sure what the app is doing with timestamps, as they do not appear to match local time. You can change the notifications in the app, and there are options to send you an app and/or email notification for open, close, and stopped events.

I'm unclear when the Stopped notification triggers. I assume it should trigger on any or all of the following: Door sensors will not allow closing, the door encounters something and stops itself, or the door sensors are tripped during closing. However, I have not yet been able to get a Door Stopped notification from any of those, so I'm unclear under what circumstances that notification is sent. When the door fails to close in any of these situations, it just sends a Door Opened notification, and the app will show a message that the door has failed to respond.

One day, we parked one of our vehicles in the garage, but did not pull in far enough and blocked the safety sensors. I expected to get a notification alerting me that the door did not close, but the garage door remained open all night without any warning.

On a side note, if the door does fail to close twice in a row (such as me fiddling around trying to trigger the Stopped notification), the app will show you there was a problem with the door and refuse to close it. You will need to close the door with a garage remote or control pad, and then once it sees the door has closed, it will clear the error condition, and the app will operate again.

### Well, now what?

And now, if you're like me, you can only control the door or see its status from your unmodified device because you can't log in to the MyQ app. For me, this means I can't control it using my phone, only my tablet, which I don't always take with me. 

I also have two Chromebooks, one of which is in Developer mode and is unable to use the MyQ app, but the other is not in Developer mode and can use and control the app. So if your device can't use the MyQ app but you have a Chromebook, try installing the app from the Play Store on the Chromebook and see if you can log in successfully on it.

In summary, would I buy this again? No, the app and support are garbage. If I had the manual wifi setup information to begin with and just set it up manually, I would have been much less frustrated than the annoying broken wizard setup in the MyQ app. And in the end, I still can't monitor the garage door when I'm away from my house, as I don't take my tablet with me most of the time.

### Kill the Beeper

Any time the door is about to close, the Gateway box flashes its lights and beeps for several seconds, and then for the entire time the door is closing. While this may be a valid safety feature, it's exceptionally loud, and you can hear it from several houses away. If it bothers you, look on the internet for how to disable the beeper. It is rather trivial; you remove two screws and take the front cover off of the beeper unit, which leaves it in place on the board (no soldering, etc), but it is no longer able to make noises. This will disable all beeping from the unit, including during setup, but the setup beeps are not really necessary.

### Roll your own

If you're handy with a Raspberry Pi or an ESP32, you could easily wire up a sensor to attach to the door, which is connected to a Pi for sensing the door position. The Pi could also have some wiring out to the door opener on a GPIO pin, which will open/close the door by connecting the appropriate door closer contacts on the back of the door opener using a small relay to isolate and protect the Pi. You would also need some kind of system to remotely access the Pi and send it commands or see the status of the door, but if you're handy enough to wire this all up, that part is likely easy.

I'll fill out more here sometime, but just wanted to make a note of the possibility of rolling your own remote door sensor and opener.
### Wuben X2 Flashlight
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x2/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T14:26:21.000Z
I have carried an EDC flashlight for many years; technically, I carry two, as I also have a small Fenix L0D on my keychain. In each car, I have a flashlight; I have one on my desk, my bed, in the garage, etc. I even have a few throwers that concentrate their light in a very tight spot for lighting something up at a great distance. I didn't have any lights that light up everything nearby and at a distance until now. The Wuben X2 has a beam pattern that covers a great amount of area with enough grunt to also go the distance.

### Specifications

Let's cover some of the basic specs of the light. It has three Osram P9 or Samsung LH351D LEDs in a row with a shared orange peel reflector, which produces a very wide flood of light and has output levels of 5, 100, 400, and 2500 lumens. Its dimensions are 85x39x20mm (without belt clip) and it weighs 115g. Two 14500 batteries power it; however, these are not user-serviceable. It has an IP68 waterproof rating and specifies that it can survive in 2m of water for up to 1 hour.

Runtime on 5 lumens is 80 hours, and then 100 lumens will run for 10 hours, 400 lumens for 2.5 hours, and finally, Turbo mode has 2500 lumens but will throttle back after one minute to 800 lumens for 1 hour. It also has Strobe and SOS modes, which both can be quickly activated, but the user interface is designed so that they aren't easily activated by accident. More on the user interface later.

### Look and Feel

I wasn't initially sure how usable or comfortable this light would be in the hand, and not having thought much about the dimensions initially, when I held it I was surprised that it's both much smaller than I was thinking and also a lot more comfortable to hold than I had imagined. All of the edges look sharp and utilitarian, but in reality, they're all quite smooth and refined with no sharp edges or corners except one; where the head of the flashlight connects to the battery portion, it's a little sharp along the body near the screws but not in a way I think is concerning at all to the hands nor a pocket. The belt clip does add about 5mm to the stated dimensions, but it could be easily removed if you do not need the clip. Given this is a side-by-side cell battery, I probably don't need to say that this is not a light that will ever roll away from you, as it's quite rectangular but does give you options for being placed on its side, tail, or clipped to something.

Like other lights from Wuben I've looked at recently, this light appears to be built to be bulletproof. Its body is thick and exceptionally sturdy, and with the thick metal button and slightly recessed LED lens, I suspect you'd have to try to damage this light.

The way the body is designed on this light, you could also put glow-in-the-dark resin in various places to customize the light further and make it easier to find in the dark.

### User Interface

So far the Wuben lights I've looked at have a similar interface, so you're likely going to hear some repeated information here if you've read my other reviews, however, I think it's worth stating for each light individually how it operates as that can be as important, or more important, than the light output when it comes to how and when I'll carry and use a flashlight. Like other Wuben lights, the X2 has multiple light output modes, all easily selected, has SOS and Strobe cleverly hidden away in the UI, yet easily reached but also has the exceptionally compelling feature that lets you adjust each mode to the precise lumen output that you want it to have.

The X2 user manual explains each of the modes well, but basically, it has a memory function so that when you turn on the light it always turns on to the mode you were last in (low, medium, or high), holding the button cycles through the light outputs, and Turbo is a quick double-tap when the light is on or off. This light also has a great feature that if you long-press the button when the light is off it will go directly into low mode; a feature that is almost essential to not blind yourself in the dark fumbling through modes or when trying to be incognito. Triple-clicking the light when it's off will put it in Strobe mode, making this mode quick to reach but not easily accidentally activated. If you want to lock the light out from turning on in your pocket, four quick clicks will put it in locked mode, and the same will take it back out of locked mode. I have, however, noticed one small quirk when you lock the light. When you unlock it, it always defaults back to the lowest output setting. In general, it feels like Wuben has put a lot of thought into how people use flashlights.

### Custom Light Output

Wuben has gone one step further and added a feature that I've rarely seen from other manufacturers but is exceptionally useful: custom light output, and they've even gone further with this feature than any light I've seen in the past. I've seen some lights that allow you to set their light output, and then that output is the default every time you turn on the light. Some will also have alternate modes, such as forcing it to High output, etc, but Wuben allows you to customize all three normal light modes in reasonable ranges within each. For example, if the Low mode is too low, you can adjust the output to be between 5 and 100 lumens in that mode, and once that is set, every time you go to Low mode, that light output level is used. Same for Medium (100-400) and High (400-800), respectively. I feel that Wuben has really smart default settings of 5, 100, and 400, respectively, that are very well spaced out and are quite reasonable defaults. But if you want High to be 800 lumens without waiting for Turbo to throttle down, or 100 lumens for Medium is too high, etc, you can customize the light to your desire. You can change the custom light level at any time, but if you want to return to the factory settings, there is a procedure in the manual that will allow you to do this.

### Power button and Charging

Wuben has an interesting take on how to do a power button that they are using on some of their more recent lights. The button is a large metal tab on the side of the light, which has a very positive feel and flips open to reveal the charging port. The button is held in place by reasonably strong magnets, and I don't think it would ever flip up in normal use by accident. The button under the metal cover is rubber, but it seems well-designed and protected. The USB-C charging port is covered by the metal tab, but it is otherwise not covered and has no rubber insert, which can be annoying on some flashlights to remove to recharge. Time will tell if pocket lint will be an issue in the port, but the metal flap should otherwise protect it.

I tried to charge the X2 from a Power Delivery USB charger, and it did not appear to support PD as it remained at 5V. I do not currently have a QC charger to test it with. I also tried a variety of random USB chargers I have around, all of which are 5W or higher, and the X2 always charges at 5V/1A, which is 5W. This matches what the manual says, but I like to try rechargeable devices on a few different chargers to see if there are any quirks or issues, and this light seems to be fine. The manual says that a full charge should take about 3 hours, and the battery capacity listed on the bottom of the light says it is a 2Ah battery, so that tells me that the light does do some intelligent ramping down once the battery is approaching full, which is excellent, as this puts less stress on the battery. As it approached full, I watched the charge rate drop from 5W to 3.5W and down to .5W over the last 30 minutes before charging finally completed. 

The head of the light gets very lightly warm to the touch after charging for a while. The light can be turned on while charging, and it does appear to continue to charge at the normal rate; however, given the design of the light, I doubt this is something you'd typically do.

When you see the battery status indicator turn red when you turn on the flashlight, I advise you to charge the light as soon as possible. According to the manual, it turns red at 40% state of charge, which is lower than I prefer to discharge Li-ion batteries. If it turned red at 60% this would be better as charging at 60% is ideal to keep your battery working as long as possible. If your battery indicator light is blinking red, I would **highly** advise you to use the light as little as possible until you can recharge it because blinking red indicates that the battery is at 15% state of charge or lower.

### Battery Replacement

One let-down about the design of the X2 is that the battery is not designed to be easily user-replaceable. Wuben is very clear that the light should not be disassembled and even has printed such text on the base of the flashlight. I will not get into great details here about the possibilities of replacement, perhaps I'll cover that in another article sometime, but needless to say, not all is lost. The batteries are two 14500 cells in series and are hard-wired to the driver board. With careful disassembly and some experience with battery safety and soldering, I don't imagine replacing the batteries would be too difficult if you find that they are getting weak after years of use. So while you'll never be doing a battery swap "in the field" with this light, not all is lost, as it's quite possible to do if you know how. That said, don't take the bottom off the light that explicitly says "Do not disassemble," as that would likely void your warranty, and the batteries won't come out that way.

### Warranty

Wuben has excellent warranty policies that will replace any light, no questions asked, within 30 days if there is a quality issue with the product, and for 1 year, Wuben will repair the light for free. They also offer a 1-year warranty on batteries, which is excellent, as I am used to seeing batteries excluded from all warranty-related claims and consider this to be a consumable item. Wuben also offers 5 years of free repairs for quality issues and paid lifetime repair on their products. For all of the details, read their [Warranty Policy page](https://www.wubenlight.com/pages/warranty-policy?ref=theblackmoor.net).

So even if your battery does fail five years from now, you could contact Wuben and find out how much they would charge to repair the battery if that's beyond your skill level. 

### Real World Usage

The Wuben X2's size puts it just above what I would consider an EDC light; however, there's no reason why you could not carry it in a pocket every day. It's rather compact, has lots of useful modes, lock-out, tons of light output, etc. For me, however, this is probably a light I would carry if I feel I "need a light", similar to how my phone can take excellent photos, but if I am going to "take a photo" intentionally, I will grab my SLR. Sure, my EDC light will cover most situations, but what if you're looking for a lost cat, car keys, etc, this flashlight will put some serious light on the situation. Let's say you're looking for car keys in the grass, with a normal light, you probably have to scan the beam of the light back and forth across your path as you walk, as most flashlights concentrate their light into a central hotspot. This light does that as well, but the flood around it is immense, and with the amount of light it can put out, there's no need to "scan" as you walk; you can just point the light ahead of you and let its wide beam do the work. I'm not an expert when it comes to optics and design, but I believe the central LED on this light is creating a hot spot in the middle, while each LED to the side is dedicated to creating a wide flood of light. Most floody lights create a huge cone of light, most of which light wasted in the periphery, but this light creates a large oval that is excellent at lighting up everything directly in front of you. One use case that comes to mind when using this light is urban exploring; it would work great to illuminate an entire room at once without scanning the beam around. 

For most flashlight reviews, I'll do comparisons along the way against other similar lights, but the X2 is pretty unique in my collection, so there's not a lot I can directly compare it to.

Size: As mentioned earlier, the Wuben X2 sounded larger on paper than it is in the hand. I have what I would call fairly small male hands, and it fits in my hand very nicely, and I've had multiple lights in the past that were wider, although typically were shaped like a round tube. If you've ever had a C-cell battery flashlight, the X2 is only 2mm wider than a C-cell, so even a very slim C-cell light would certainly be wider than the X2.

Features: The X2's modes, mode memory, and user interface are similar to what you'll find on a lot of similar lights in the market; however, the ability to customize the light output makes the X2 (and several other Wuben lights) stand out.

Design: The square body with various cut-outs, fins, etc, gives the light a very industrial look. Exposed screws and grooves make it quite attractive to look at, but it is still easy on the hands and pockets. The pocket clip, however, is a bit disappointing. Most flashlights for years have used what is coined "deep carry," meaning the clip attaches to the light and then curves back down. The light happens near the lens of the light, so that if you clip the light inside a pocket, almost the entire light is in the pocket. The clip design on the X2 would leave around 15mm of the light sticking up. You also sometimes see pocket clips that are designed so that they have an S shape so that they can be clipped to something in both directions; the X2 can only be clipped with the lights facing the same way as the clip. You could not clip this light to a hat, for example. This light has no magnets in it, just in case you may have been wondering.

Ergonomics: As mentioned before, I'm surprised at how nicely the light fits into the hand, how comfortable it is, how the button is in the perfect position for the thumb, etc. The head of the light is indented on the corners a bit, which makes picking the light up and knowing which end is which without looking easy. The pocket clip, of course, makes knowing which side is up, but even if you removed it, the bottom side of the light has some deep grooves in the position where the button is on the top side, which would easily let you feel which side is which. If you want to reach into a pocket and put your thumb on the button quickly, this light's design makes that easy.

Battery: The batteries in the X2 are two 14500's which are soldered directly to each other and then have short leads to the driver board in the head. You will not be easily changing them, however, assuming they are good cells and you treat them reasonably well, they'll last you several years, and replacing them is technically possible by removing the head from the light. This will certainly void your warranty, but by the time the batteries are worn out, most likely the warranty period will have expired.

Just a quick note on batteries: if you try to keep the batteries above 60% and keep them reasonably cool, they will last you for a long time. The battery indicator does not indicate 60%, but as soon as you see it at 40% (red LED for 5s), think about charging it when possible. If you need to use the light, use it, but day to day, if you keep the batteries above 60% you'll get a lot more useful cycles out of the cells.

Charging: The X2 charges via USB-C, and the port is underneath the metal flap button on the top of the light. The flap protects the port from damage, but I imagine dust, lint, etc, could still get in there. Given the IP68 waterproof rating, I assume the charging port is of the waterproof variety, but I am not sure. The specs say 3 hours for a full charge. I plan on doing a quick test to see how much power this light pulls from a few charging sources, such as will a PD charger will charge it faster, will it charges off of a basic 500mAh charger, etc. The light does come with a charging cable, which doubles as a lanyard and even has a measuring tape printed on it. I think it's a neat touch, but the cap on the lanyard comes off entirely too easily, and the measuring tape is pretty inaccurate, but it would do in a pinch.

Light output: The three emitters on this light put out an enormous amount of light in a very wide oval, as mentioned earlier. You will potentially need to use a higher power mode to see the same distance as another flashlight with a tighter spot beam, but for looking down a trail, watching where you're walking, looking for a set of keys, etc, this light can not be beat. As is typical with the Osram P9 LEDs, the color tint is very neutral and lightly warm-tinted white. 

Heat: You would think that having three emitters in such proximity would generate a lot of heat, but the efficiency of the LEDs in this light makes operating it a pain-free operation. Even on the default High output (400L) for several minutes, the body and lens cover are only very slightly warm. On Turbo by the time the light throttles down, the body has gotten warm but not so hot that you can't hold your fingers on it, and when it drops back to 800 lumens, it cools off from there. I've had flashlights that I'm pretty sure would melt through a pocket if they got turned on accidentally and are way too hot to touch the lens or head of the light after any amount of Turbo usage, and that's not an issue at all for the X2.

Overall, how do I see myself using this light? If I were going for a walk or a hike in the dark, this would be an excellent light to carry along, as it will easily illuminate your path. You can't clip it to a hat or a pocket and use it hands-free, but the clip is well-designed and easy to use, so you could have a primary headlamp of some sort and have this clipped to a pocket for easy reach to get more light as needed.

It also comes with a red diffuser you can put over the head, which could serve as a beacon if you were walking in a group to allow everyone to more easily see each other. Judging how far away someone else is from you based on the light they're holding can be tricky, but the red cover on the light clipped to a backpack would make it quite easy to judge where they are ahead of you. The red cover would also likely work well to see where you are going without ruining your night vision, and on High mode, even with the red cover on, the light puts out quite a lot of light. I would probably recommend not using Turbo with the red diffuser on, as I'm not sure what kind of material it is. It is a soft rubber, and if it is a silicone-type material, I suspect it would be perfectly fine, although I don't see a use case for using the light with the diffuser on it on Turbo, honestly. You could also use the diffuser to protect the head of the light if it's in a bag or pocket with other objects, although I suspect it would not be necessary. I have also used the red cover doing night photography, and it does seem to preserve night vision while giving me plenty of light to adjust camera settings.

### Long Term Usage

I have been carrying both the [Wuben X0](https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x0-knight) and the X2 for about a month now, and I initially expected that I would carry the X0 EDC and keep the X2 within reach when I need more light; however, I've found that even though the X2 is larger and heavier, it's a better EDC light in a few ways. I find the X2 extremely easy to orient in my hand as soon as I reach into my pocket, so that as I remove it, I am already ready to turn it on. This is something I find pretty important in EDC lights; I want to be able to use them in an instant. I also want Turbo mode available in an instant in case I need to throw out a lot of light quickly, and the immediate access to Turbo mode via two quick presses of the power switch works great.

I find the light output of the X2 works great in many close-up situations, as mentioned a few times in this review the beam pattern is extremely wide, which allows you to use the light without "hunting" around which is handy if you're working in a tight spot and don't want to keep moving the light to different locations where you're working.

I have wished a few times that the X2 had a magnetic base like the X2 and my Baton 3 have, however, most of the time I can just orient the light to bounce off the general work area or just lay on the floor and it does the job with its beam and light output. I also wish that the pocket clip were a bi-directional clip, as I haven't used the clip at all except in evaluation and comparison. I have not yet removed it, but I most likely will remove it at some point to make the light thinner, as I don't find it very useful for the ways I use a clip. It is sturdy, tight, and very usable, but I don't tend to use clips very often. If you do remove the clip and you opt to put the screws back in the flashlight, so they don't get lost, they do screw down flush to the light.

Runtime, charging, durability, etc, there's little to report besides the light still looks and operates like brand new. I have only needed to charge the light one time, even though I've used it extensively. I still wish the battery indicator alerted me when the battery charge was at 60%; 40% is lower than I prefer to discharge batteries, and due to that, I'll likely recharge the light before I even see the battery status LED indicate it needs charging.

When I'm walking around with light pockets, most likely my Baton 3 will remain my EDC; however, I find myself carrying the X2 more and more.

### Beam Patterns

As mentioned a few times, the beam pattern on this light is exceptionally wide and covers the entire path in front of you. I'll add more beam shots soon.

Below, I've compared the Wuben X2 on the left to the Wuben X0 on the right. In my [review of the Wuben X0](https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x0-knight) I describe the beam pattern as being very wide and floody. The Wuben X2 makes the X0 look like a spotlight!

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240325_040228059-smaller.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240325_040201160-smaller.jpg)

Wuben X2 on the left, Wuben X0 on the right

### Suggestions to Wuben

First off, keep the user interface and the customizable light output. It's great, and it sets your flashlights apart from many others. And keep making interesting lights; your lineup contains a variety of options from basic normal flashlights to exceptionally high output options, as well as interesting colors and finishes that should cover the needs of almost any flashlight lover.

Consider an external charger similar to OLight, which uses a system that snaps onto the flashlight and charges it externally, but without needing to plug a cable into the flashlight. I know you guys have a very similar X3 light that charges via some pins and/or wireless, but a pin system is pretty cheap, makes recharging easy, and allows you to remove the USB port, which is one less thing to get damaged or allow water intrusion.

Make the pocket clip deep-carry, and consider making it the style that lets you clip from either direction without physically moving the clip. This light is a little big for something like clipping to a baseball cap, but it'd be handy to have the option.

And now some crazy ideas... Make the battery pack able to charge a phone; the X2 only has a 7.4W battery, but it could still be handy in a pinch as an emergency portable charger. Maybe even consider a way to put a small knife blade in the knife; integrated into the side of the light, probably wouldn't take up much additional room, and would be another handy emergency feature.

### Conclusion

This light isn't too heavy or bulky to slip into a pocket while going for a walk in the evening, but once the sun sets and you need some light, it'll provide plenty of it. Carry it in a pack or store it in the car, or maybe it's still the right size for you to EDC. As for me, I'll be reaching for this light a lot, but probably not as my EDC. I have a lot of lights, and most of them I've never considered an EDC light, so don't take this as a criticism. This light is lightweight and compact enough, and has excellent features to fit a ton of use cases.

As with most product reviews I do, I will update this after I've had more time with the product and how its functionality, fit, and finish hold up in everyday life.

### Product Links

This is a sponsored, but not paid, review, and the product was provided to me at no cost. If you want to check out the X2 or any other Wuben flashlights, here is the link to the [Wuben X2 Product Page](https://www.wubenlight.com/products/wuben-x2-compact-and-handy-easy-carry-light-2500-lumens?ref=theblackmoor.net). The flashlight body is available in aluminum, brass, or even titanium and in a variety of colors, and if the X2 isn't your style, check out some of their other lights. If you prefer your light come with Samsung LH351D LEDs, you'll need to order any color except black; the black model comes with Osram P9 LEDs. Do keep in mind that the Samsung LEDs have better CRI, but their output is lower at 1800 lumens vs the 2500 lumens in the Osram models. If you prefer to shop on Amazon, you can check out the [Amazon Wuben X2 link](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRMZN9YW?th=1&ref=theblackmoor.net).

### Wuben Partnership

I do want to note that while I am overall impressed with the X0 and X2 I was provided to review, I have not been impressed with Wubens' communications. During the review process, I asked several questions, most of which went unanswered. They did answer a few questions about referral links and made some overall suggestions on styling this article better, but did not answer any technical questions I had. I also offered my assistance on poorly worded web pages and product manuals, and they never responded to those offers at all.

They did not ask me to make any content changes to this article beyond minor styling updates, which was excellent, and I was originally excited to work with them, but it was rather disappointing to spend time writing this article and the hours and attention it took to accurately document the flashlight, and to have all questions, feedback, and further emails ignored. I followed up with them multiple times, but received no further responses.

### Packaging and Contents

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_000911426.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_000925262.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_000936238.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001101463.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001135283.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001219210.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001238792.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001156676.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001540574.jpg)

Neat box, and a few nice additions

### Various profiles of the light

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001342983.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001356237.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001403912.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001410748.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001422753.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001434128.jpg)

Boxy but attractive and comfortable to hold

### Lanyard/Charge Cable/Ruler

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_001506179.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_002532230.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_002539897.jpg)

The lanyard is also a ruler, if a bit inaccurate
### Wuben X0 Knight Flashlight
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x0-knight/
Last updated: 2026-01-17T15:14:28.000Z
I have carried a variety of small lights in my pocket (EDC) for years, most of them being CR123-powered lights for the compact size and power density, although I've also carried AA battery-sized lights in the past. I prefer to carry such a flashlight in my pocket, not in a holster, so it has to be compact, with smooth edges so it does not ruin my pants pockets, and it has to have the features I am looking for in a light I carry every day. Does the Wuben X0 fit the bill? Let's find out!

### Specifications

First off, a quick round of features and specifications; the light is 82g (with supplied battery), 57x24x28mm, and has a light output of 1, 50, 150, 250, and 1100 lumens. It is powered by a CR123 battery and comes with a rechargeable 1100mAh (4.07Wh) RC123\. It has a single side-firing Osram P9 LED which produces a very useful floody output with a defined hotspot and is waterproof (IP68).

Runtimes vary from 130 hours on Moon (1 lumen) to 2.5 hours on high (250 lumens). Turbo mode (1100 lumens) will ramp down within a minute to 300 lumens, which will run for around 2 hours. It also has Strobe and SOS modes, which can both be quickly activated, but the user interface is designed so that they aren't easily activated by accident. More on the user interface later.

### Look and Feel

While most flashlights have a pretty basic formula where the emitter is at one end of the light and shines outward, the X0 has the LED on the side of the flashlight. This changes the ergonomics slightly but not negatively and allows for some alternative carrying positions to normal lights, such as clipped to a pocket or a backpack. It also has a very strong magnet on the end of the light for attaching to a work surface for hands-free operation. Being a side-emitting light, which often makes a light slightly more squared off or forces a bulge on the side of the light, Wuben took a slightly different approach and made the entire light squared off. All the edges are smooth, and it feels good in the hand and gives the light a rather distinctive, even futuristic look. Given that this flashlight is rather squared off on the sides, you'll have no worries about it rolling away from you. If you do not need the belt clip, it is easily removed from the light and will make it slightly smaller.

To add to the futuristic look, they included 8 slots on the light in various places where you could insert tritium vials to give the flashlight a unique look and make it glow in the dark for many years without any light source to charge it, like traditional glow-in-the-dark materials. If you do decide to put tritium vials in your light, just be warned that they are not cheap, and the cheap ones are likely just traditional glow-in-the-dark materials and do not glow on their own. That said, you can always get the cheaper glow-in-the-dark vials or mix glow-in-the-dark powder into epoxy and put them into the slots.

If you're looking for a light that's built to be bulletproof, this light will fit the bill. Its body is thick and exceptionally sturdy. I imagine it'd take a ton of abuse as long as the button or LED doesn't get damaged.

### User Interface

I've had many flashlights where the user interface lets down the entire light; either the light offers too many modes that are hard to use, it doesn't remember the last used mode, too easy to accidentally get into strobe mode, or just doesn't offer good modes to vary the output of the flashlight to fit the needs of a flashlight you carry every day. The X0 has none of these limitations, and it has a cool trick up its sleeve that's rarely seen on consumer flashlights: the ability to customize the light output. More on that later.

The X0 user manual explains each of the modes well, but basically, it has a memory function so that when you turn on the light, it always turns on to the mode you were last in (moon, low, medium, or high), and Turbo is a quick double-tap when the light is on. This light also has a great feature that if you long-press the button when the light is off, it will go directly into Moon mode; a feature that is almost essential to not blind yourself in the dark fumbling through modes or when trying to be incognito. Double-clicking the light when it's off will put it in Strobe mode, making this mode quick to reach but not easily accidentally activated. If you want to lock the light out from turning on in your pocket, four quick clicks will put it in locked mode, and the same will take it back out of locked mode. I have, however, noticed one small quirk when you lock the light. When you unlock it, it always defaults back to the lowest output setting. In general, it feels like Wuben has put a lot of thought into how people use flashlights.

### Custom Light Output

Wuben has gone one step further and added a feature that I've rarely seen but is exceptionally useful: custom light output, and they've even gone further with this feature than any light I've seen in the past. I've seen some lights that allow you to set their light output, and then that output is the default every time you turn on the light. Some will also have alternate modes, such as forcing it to High output, etc., but Wuben allows you to customize all four normal light modes in reasonable ranges within each. For example, if Moon mode is too low, you can adjust the output to be between 1 and 15 lumens in that mode, and once that is set, every time you go to Moon mode, that light output level is used. Same for Low (15-50), Medium (50-150), and High (150-300). I feel that the default settings of 1, 50, 150, and 250, respectively, are very well spaced out and are quite reasonable defaults, but this feature makes the X0 extremely flexible and lets you customize it to the light output you need.

### Power button and Charging

Wuben has an interesting take on how to do a power button. On the X0, the button is a large metal tab at the end of the light, which has a very positive feel and flips open to reveal the charging port. The actual button under the metal cover is rubber, but it seems well-designed and protected. I have had lights with rubber buttons on them that have worn down from wear in a pocket, and this cover will eliminate that issue. Also, no worries of fingernails or other things digging into the button, as it's not designed for the user to directly push it; rather, it is activated through the metal cover. The USB-C charging port is obscured by the metal tab, but it is otherwise not covered and has no rubber insert, which can be annoying on some flashlights to remove to recharge. Time will tell if pocket lint will be an issue in the charging port, but the metal flap should pretty well protect it.

I tried to charge the X0 from a Power Delivery USB charger, and it did not appear to support PD as it remained at 5V. I do not currently have a QC charger to test it with. I also tried a variety of random USB chargers I have around, all of which are 5W or higher, and the X0 always charges at 5V/1A, which is 5W. This matches what the manual says, but I like to try rechargeable devices on a few different chargers to see if there are any quirks or issues, and this light seems to be fine. The manual says that a full charge should take about 1.5 hours, and the battery capacity listed on the bottom of the light says it is a 1.1Ah battery, so that tells me that the light does do some intelligent ramping down once the battery is approaching full, which is excellent, as this puts less stress on the battery. As it approached full, I watched the charge rate drop from 5W to 3.5W and down to .5W over the last 15 minutes before charging was finally completed. 

The body of the light gets slightly warm to the touch after charging for a while. The light can be turned on while charging, and it does appear to continue to charge at the normal rate; however, given the design of the light, this is nearly impossible to do while the charger is connected.

When you see the battery status indicator turn red when you turn on the flashlight, I advise you to charge the light as soon as possible. According to the manual, it turns red at 40% state of charge, which is lower than I prefer to discharge Li-ion batteries. If it turned red at 60% this would be better as charging at 60% is ideal to keep your battery working as long as possible. If your battery indicator light is blinking red, I would **highly** advise you to use the light as little as possible until you can recharge it because blinking red indicates that the battery is at 15% state of charge or lower.

### Battery Replacement

A huge aspect of my purchasing decision on flashlights is the battery; design, size, whether I can use my own batteries, are the batteries are oddly sized or proprietary, etc. The X0 uses a standard RC123 battery, and I have tested some batteries I have here at the house and can confirm that a typical battery will fit and function. Be aware that this light is rather powerful and will require a battery that can provide a lot of current for Turbo mode; not all batteries are designed for such loads. Usually, I find that such batteries will suddenly disconnect themselves and require being placed in a charger to make them work again. If you use a third-party battery, test it before going out into the dark to make sure it can handle the load.

### Warranty

Wuben has excellent warranty policies that will replace any light, no questions asked, within 30 days if there is a quality issue with the product, and for 1 year, Wuben will repair the light for free. They also offer a 1-year warranty on batteries, which is excellent, as I am used to seeing batteries excluded from all warranty-related claims and consider this to be a consumable item. Wuben also offers 5 years of free repairs for quality issues and paid lifetime repair on their products. For all the details, read their [Warranty Policy page](https://www.wubenlight.com/pages/warranty-policy?ref=theblackmoor.net).

### Real World Usage

As mentioned before, for a flashlight to make it into my pocket as my EDC, it has to be compact, has to have multiple modes/output levels, has to have reasonable output as well as runtime, and has to be reliable. I only carry one light at a time, so that light has to do everything I need. I am very picky when it comes to my EDC light and have purchased new lights with better features (often increased light output) over the years to replace my existing light, only to decide later that the features and function of my old EDC light are better and the new light is put into service in some other way. So in the last 15+ years, I've had three EDC lights which I carried in my pocket every day, everywhere I went. A Fenix P2D, a Nitecore Defender Infinity, and an OLight Baton 3\. The Nitecore DI had a similar output to the P2D it replaced, but could ramp the output to a precise level, which I found exceptionally useful. The Nitecore DI remained my EDC for many years, even though its light output was only 130 lumens, and I considered replacing it several times. The first light to finally replace it was the OLight Baton 3 because of its compact size, very useful floody output, and its insanely bright turbo mode. It is, however, not without its flaws.

The Wuben X0 covers everything I need day to day; very low Moon level output, all the way to 1100 lumens, and almost anywhere in between. So the question is, can it replace the OLight Baton 3? You may not have a Baton 3 of your own to make comparisons to, but the overall observations will hopefully be relatable. 

Size: Wuben X0 is slightly shorter but slightly thicker at 57x28mm compared to the Baton 3's 63x21mm. In the pocket, I do notice that the X0 is slightly squared off vs the round tube of the Baton 3, but the difference is pretty minimal, so I will consider this one a draw.

Features: Wuben X0's modes and user interface are similar enough to the Baton 3; however, the ability to customize the light output on the X0 gives it a big advantage, so X0 wins on features.

Design: Both lights look nice, both appear to have slightly sharp edges, but in practice don't, and both will not damage pockets. However, the Baton 3 has a major weakness in its power button. It is rubber, and over the two years I've owned it, the button has worn down purely from wear in my pocket. I don't know if it will wear to the point of failure, but it worries me. Seems OLight realized this was a flaw and has replaced this with a metal button in their refresh, the Baton 4\. X0 wins here because its button should never wear out.

Ergonomics: The Baton 3 is a traditional flashlight with a button on the side, and the LED emits from one end of the light, a formula that has been around for many years. While the side-emitter has also been in use for many years by the military, it has not seen a lot of use in the consumer flashlight space. The position of the LED on the X0 works great when clipped onto something, but when held in the hand, I can't quite seem to figure out where to put my fingers. If I hold it kind of like a Bic lighter, my finger in the front gets in some of the light. If I pinch it from the sides, it's a little awkward, and I can't easily change modes. I think this one is a draw as both designs have their benefits. Walking with the Baton 3 clipped to a hat makes it a quick and easy headlamp and works better than the X0 clipped to a pocket when walking, but for close-up work, either is fine.

Battery: The Baton 3 is going to lose this round immediately; it has a custom battery. That said, replacement batteries were not too expensive at a little under $10/pc, and I purchased two additional batteries and rotate through them every few months. However, long-term, these batteries will eventually degrade, and the light will not use standard RC123 or CR123 batteries at all. X0 uses standard batteries. If you ever do need to replace the battery, you just need a tool that grabs the bottom of the flashlight, such as a tool to remove a watch backplate. I usually just use a rubber dog ball as the rubber is grippy enough to press against a flat surface and unscrew. I've done this on several watches, and I've also verified that this trick works on the X0 and leaves no scratches or marks. This said, you are not likely to be changing a battery "in the field" with this design.

Charging: The Baton 3 is a winner here as it has a magnetic puck charger that just snaps onto the bottom of the light to charge it, versus plugging a USB cable into the light. That said, I find myself charging the light perhaps once a month on average, so this is not too concerning for me.

Light output: Both have similar Turbo output; the X0 will do 1100 lumens, and the Baton 3 will do 1200 lumens. While the Baton 3's 1200 lumens sounds impressive on paper and is impressive in person, its normal 300-lumen High mode is often not enough light, as the beam battery is so floody. The X0's beam is an even wider flood with a soft hot spot in the middle. Great for some applications, but may not be great in others. Neither light is designed as a "thrower", and I prefer to have more flood than tight spot on an EDC, but there has to be a compromise, or just too much light is lost in the periphery. The Baton 3 wins here; it has plenty of flood for seeing everything around, but can throw plenty of light ahead of you, while the X0 seems to throw out a wide wash of light without reaching very far.

Heat: The body of the Baton 3 gets painfully hot within seconds on Turbo mode, while the body of the X0 never seems to barely have gotten warm by the time it has ramped down. Same with the emitter TIR/lens; the Baton 3 gets painfully hot quite fast, whereas the X0 takes a lot longer and doesn't get anywhere near as hot.

Overall, for "EDC Winner," I think it's mostly a draw. I will update with a long-term usage summary and how the X0 has held up, and see if it remains my EDC or if the Baton 3 sneaks its way back into my pocket.

### Long Term Usage

I've been using the X0 and [Wuben X2](https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x2) for a month now as an EDC, and I've found myself reaching for the X2 more than the X0\. The X0 is lighter, smaller, and produces plenty of light for most things I use EDC flashlights for; however, I find that I tend to fumble to find which end of the flashlight has the switch, and about 25% of the time, even sometimes have the light facing me when trying to turn it on. The body is too symmetrical to grab and quickly turn on without a little fumbling. I do prefer its lower light output for midnight bathroom visits, and I've used its magnetic base a few times, doing small repairs or getting light in a tight spot that I can't hold the light and reach in, so I will keep this light within reach. But with the pocket clip and somewhat awkward shape (both finding the button and holding it without getting fingers in the way), I think I'll likely carry my Baton 3 as I can very quickly reach into my pocket, find the switch, and have the light pointed at something, which I find pretty important in an EDC light.

As for other long-term items like charging, battery, durability, etc., there's not much to say here other than the light still looks and operates like brand new, and I've charged it twice after quite a lot of use, and I have no new concerns about charging or runtime. I find it does get pretty dusty in a pocket, and with the industrial design with notches and cutouts, the dust does seem to accumulate a little more than some other lights I've EDC'ed; however, giving it a quick rinse under the sink tap makes it look good as new.

### Beam Patterns

Demonstrating beam patterns can be quite difficult to convey, but overall, as mentioned earlier, the X0's beam pattern is very wide with a soft hotspot in the middle. Nonetheless, here are some shots across my cutting mat on its centimeter scale side for comparison against my Baton 3\. In real life, the X0 is a very wide wash of light. It even lights up the ground directly in front of my feet, whereas the Baton 3 feels almost too tight a beam in comparison. I will add more beam shots to this gallery very soon. As for color, the Osram LED in my light is exceptionally white and does not show any green or blue hues at any light level that I have noticed, whereas my Baton 3 has a distinctly green hue, which I have largely ignored after using it for two years, but in comparison to the X0 looks pretty bad. The beam shape on the X0 is slightly imperfect, but nothing you would ever notice in any normal usage.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041326279-2.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-13.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-12.jpg)

All pictures, Baton 3 on left, Wuben X0 on right

### Suggestions to Wuben

First off, keep the user interface and the customizable light output. It's great, and it sets your flashlights apart from many others. And keep making interesting lights; your lineup contains a variety of options from basic normal flashlights to exceptionally high output options, as well as interesting colors and finishes that should cover the needs of almost any flashlight lover.

Consider an external charger similar to OLight, which uses a system that snaps onto the flashlight and charges it externally, but without needing to plug a cable into the flashlight. I know you have at least one light that charges via some pins and/or wireless, but a pin system is pretty cheap, makes recharging easy, and allows you to remove the USB port, which is one less thing to get damaged or allow water intrusion.

Make the pocket clip less stiff; it will go over a pocket, but just barely. Given that I feel the strongest use case of this flashlight is clipped over something, this is one area I think that should be improved sooner rather than later. The clip looks great, but it really should be made out of a different, more flexible material.

Make the battery easier to access by hand. I know the smooth surface of the magnet is a feature of this flashlight, but perhaps there could be a way to keep that and make it possible to change the battery without tools. It's also quite difficult to know when the compartment is screwed down all the way.

### Conclusion

Is the X0 for you? I think it's going to come down to how you need to use your flashlight. The Wuben X0 has all the features a flashlight lover would ever need, so the deciding factors may be the side-facing LED design and whether the ability to change the battery on the fly is important for you. I think this light is great at providing a lot of light in front of you as you walk, but it's not great at sending a lot of light very far away. Holding the light is different from other lights, but perhaps the whole idea of this flashlight is that you don't hold it; you clip it to things, and that it excels at. 

As with most product reviews I do, I will update this after I've had more time with the product and how its functionality, fit, and finish hold up in everyday life.

### Product Links

This is a sponsored, but not paid, review, and the product was provided to me at no cost. If you want to check out the X0 or any other Wuben flashlights, here is the link to the [Wuben X0 Product Page](https://www.wubenlight.com/products/x-0-knight-the-brightest-edc-flashlight-in-your-pocket?ref=theblackmoor.net). It comes in a variety of colors, and if the X0 isn't your style, check out some of their other lights. If you prefer to shop through Amazon, you can check out the [Amazon Wuben X0 page](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8SCGN97?th=1&ref=theblackmoor.net).

### Wuben Partnership

I do want to note that while I am overall impressed with the X0 and X2 I was provided to review, I have not been impressed with Wubens' communications. During the review process, I asked several questions, most of which went unanswered. They did answer a few questions about referral links and made some overall suggestions on styling this article better, but did not answer any technical questions I had. I also offered my assistance on poorly worded web pages and product manuals, and they never responded to those offers at all.

They did not ask me to make any content changes to this article beyond minor styling updates, which was excellent, and I was originally excited to work with them, but it was rather disappointing to spend time writing this article and the hours and attention it took to accurately document the flashlight, and to have all questions, feedback, and further emails ignored. I followed up with them multiple times, but received no further responses.

### Packaging and Contents

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-1-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-0.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-2.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-3.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-4.jpg)

Box and Contents

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-5-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-10.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-9.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-8.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-7.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/03/PXL_20240322_041345365-6.jpg)

Various profiles of the light
### Why am I doing sponsored reviews?
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/why-am-i-doing-sponsored-reviews/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T14:40:21.000Z
The first reason I already stated above, I am an enthusiast. I like shiny, I like neat features, and I like when a product has a feature that makes sense for the product, but it's never been done before or has been improved in this particular product.

The second reason is you. You're reading this. You're interested in what I'm reviewing, so I'm doing it for you. To non-enthusiasts, a product (such as a flashlight, for example) is something you pick up at the box store and use, or maybe your life or work depends on it, but you couldn't care less what it looks like or what features it has as long as it gets the job done. An enthusiast, however, wants to know every feature, design element, quirk, issue, etc, and in many cases may purchase a product not because they need it but rather because it's interesting. How do you know it's interesting? Reviews. I'm writing what I'd like to read when I'm researching a range of products or a specific product to determine what I'm going to buy or perhaps just stumble across something and impulse buy it because it looks neat.

The third reason is to encourage companies to keep making neat stuff! Yes, you can get a lot of products I may review at any box store, and they'll do the same job. But they don't have the same look, feel, functionality, ability to be customized, etc. I would like to do what I can to personally encourage companies to make interesting products so that you and I have cool toys. This also gives me a voice, both from my reviews as well as correspondence with a company, to provide input into future products. In an enthusiast market, feedback is exceptionally important as a company is not filling a basic role or niche as much as they are providing a product that excites their customers. What if this year's product is great but has a quirk or the user interface could be improved, or a new feature added, or even a feature that doesn't seem useful removed? Reviewers are a great way to provide feedback to a company so that they may take that feedback and incorporate it into future designs.

The products I review will primarily be aimed at the budget-minded enthusiast. Again, using the example of flashlights, I would rather review ten $50 flashlights than one $500 flashlight, as I think this sort of segment would cover the bulk of the market. Many people would think $50 for a flashlight would be outrageous no matter what features it has, but I don't think my reviews will be particularly useful for that person. However, they may get a better understanding of the differences between a $15 light and a $50 light, and the right review may make them an enthusiast. On the other side of the market, the folks who have collections of $1000 titanium flashlights will not likely be served by my reviews, but even those folks may want an EDC flashlight that they can use every day and not be worried about losing value.

Each sponsored product I review will be tagged with the Sponsored Review tag, and they will always include information about how the product was sponsored, whether it was free, discounted, loaned, etc. At my discretion, I may accept some level of feedback and update my review if a company insists, especially in the case that I've misunderstood, misrepresented, or otherwise had some complication that unfairly misjudged a product. My reviews will not, however, be filler for talking points or be heavily edited. What I review will be my personal opinion about the product in the ways that I have used the product.

I do not currently do video reviews, I do not have specialized equipment for evaluation or testing, and I do not have examples of every other similar product across a market. When I can and when it is appropriate, I will make comparisons to another product. Anything I review will be something that I use, and I will likely explain how much and for what purposes I use each product in its review.

I also will not likely do any destructive testing unless I'm provided multiple copies of the same item for the explicit purpose of doing destructive testing on one of them. The primary reason for this is so that I can re-evaluate products later if I need to, allows me to do side-by-side comparisons to a similar product that I may receive at a later time, and I also generally feel like destructive testing is destroying a good product and contributes to waste.
### Tomb Raider 1-3 Remasters
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/tomb-raider-1-3-remasters/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T16:07:28.000Z
It's spring of 1997, I'm bored and looking for a game for my PlayStation. I go into Toys R Us, find a game I can't even remember the title of now, and decide to grab another game so I would have two new ones to play. I stumble across this game that shows flying mutants, the Egyptian Sphinx, and various other locations, and it's pretty cheap, so I grab it.

Almost 30 years later, I'm still playing Tomb Raider 1.

Just months later, Tomb Raider 2 came out, and I waited in Toys R Us for hours for them to put it on the shelf. Same for 3, 4, 5, etc. I've played them all many times, done them all without using a medpack, pistols only, all secrets, and even did some rudimentary speed runs in the late 90s compared to other people on the rec.games.tombraider Usenet newsgroup.

Amazingly, news hit in mid-2023 that they were remastering Tomb Raider 1-3 and it would be out on Lara's birthday, February 14, 2024\. I had my doubts they would make the date, had my doubts that the updates would be worthwhile, had my doubts that they wouldn't change the engine, controls, etc. They surpassed all my expectations and gave us a game that is near "bug for bug", "glitch for glitch", and almost identical to the originals with greatly improved graphics. I've never been so happy to be so wrong.

### What's Great 

If you are a veteran Tomb Raider player, ie, games 1-5, know that everything you love about Tomb Raider is faithfully reproduced with improved graphics and models, and that all of the "bugs" and "glitches" you may know and love and exploit are still there. Fence gaps? Yep. Corner bug? Yep. Bump jumps? Yep. I'm not a speed runner, so I am not sure how precise the game is, but for the casual player, you would likely never notice a difference in playability. 

What's also great is that they not only included Tomb Raider 1-3, but they also included the expansion levels that were available at the time: TR1 Unfinished Business, TR2 Golden Mask, and TR3 The Lost Artifact. On top of that, they even made New Game Plus quite different (for good or bad; hint: it's **terribly** difficult now.)

No more third-party software to run Tomb Raider on modern PCs, no patches, no praying, no "oops can't use the widescreen patch on this level", it just works.

Don't like the traditional controls, called "Tank Controls"? Maybe you're a more modern game type of gamer, try "Modern Controls", perhaps they suit you better. 

There's a camera mode! Not only can you play stupid tricks by posing Lara with enemies and other silly things, you can also explore around the level and perhaps look in places you've never seen before, or even cheat a little and look ahead and see what's around the next bend. If you're using a controller, try holding L2 or R2 and moving the joysticks around; you can move Lara around in 3D space and position her exactly where you want her within a certain distance of where you started camera mode.

Consistent 60fps! The old games ran mostly at 30fps and in some places would judder and vary; no more, 60fps all the time.

Achievements! If you're an achievement hunter, there are 269 across all six games. Some of them even pay homage to the more serious players, such as a run without using a medpack, pistols only, etc.

With Modern Controls, I have a feeling a whole new era of speed-running Tomb Raider will emerge, with new strats, new times, and new ways to beat the game with astounding speed.

Possibility of updates! The classic games there was no reasonable way they'd ever be updated again, but now they could push out updates and fix (unintended!) bugs, texture weirdness, etc.

### What's not so Great

It seems like Tomb Raider 3 and Tomb Raider 1, in that order, got the most attention. For the most part, both are beautifully done and well thought out, with some exceptions noted later. Tomb Raider 2 looks nicer than the original release and certainly is graphically improved; however, it doesn't seem to have gotten the polish that 3 and 1 did. A casual player may not notice it, but some people who traditionally prefer Tomb Raider 2 have noted that multiple levels just don't look quite as nice, sometimes even preferring the original graphics. I don't think it's quite that drastic; however, it does feel like 2 did not get the attention the others did.

Some textures are not as nicely updated as others. Tomb Raider 1 lava looks pretty bland until you get far away from it, and then it looks really nice. Tomb Raider 3 water, particularly in Madubu Gorge, has areas where the water does not look like it's deadly, and even some textures appear to "float" above the rest of the water, and in some cases, even almost appear to be going the wrong direction. In Tomb Raider 2 a lot of the items like keyholes, ladders, etc, are not connected to the wall and just appear to be floating. I've also seen places where things like Piranna are not visible, even though they are there in the game and visible in the classic graphics. Same with fire; in the classic graphics in some places the fire is easily visible but is easy to miss (and die!) in the remastered graphics.

A few common bypasses or tricks seem to be slightly more difficult to pull off, although I suspect over time folks will come up with new setups that work for the Remasters.

The Remasters added an echo effect, which sounds nice in some areas, but very strange and jarring in others.

### Wait, don't you use Linux?

Yes, and it runs perfectly in Steam using Proton. I was hesitant as I've never tried this before, but I've had absolutely zero issues. My understanding is that the resource requirements of the game are very low; quite a low-end computer without a lot of GPU power will work perfectly fine.

### THANK YOU

I don't know whose idea it was. I don't know who was in the meeting, who decided they could make money from almost 30-year-old games by remastering them, but THANK YOU. I hope you do make money, I hope it was worth your time, and I hope sales are great. I hope this brings some newer players back to trying out the legacy Tomb Raider games. Heck, some "2013" players may even play Tomb Raider now.

I hope that sales are good enough that they also remaster 4, maybe even 5\. Heck, let's go crazy, remaster Angel of Darkness, and make it the game it was supposed to be instead of the game it became. But do 4 and 5 first.

### Mods

Tomb Raider games have had various mods over the years (no, we're not going to talk about ***that*** mod) to change various aspects of the game, improve graphics, etc. There are already various mods being done for the Remasters as well; however, there is at least one built in.

If you hold L1+R1 while loading a game (or starting a new game), Lara will have her iconic sunglasses on while playing the game. However, this doesn't show them during cutscenes by default. If you hold the same keys (L1+R1) when a cutscene is about to play, she'll also wear them during the cutscene. It'd be nice if it automatically enabled the sunglasses during cut scenes if enabled for normal play. You can even play the level normally (no sunglasses), but hold the keys before a cut scene and get her glasses, so it appears these function independently of each other. For reference, L1 and R1 here are the buttons for Look and Walk, respectively, so on PC or remapped controls, you'll need to use whatever buttons/keys are mapped to those functions.

Nexus Mods seems to be the primary place where mods for games are contained. Be sure to back up your files and follow instructions closely for any mods you install. They do replace game files and could potentially even corrupt the game, game saves, etc.

### Screenshots or it didn't happen

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240216172615_1.jpg)

Lara and Joanna posing. Yes, her name is Joanna. Do you not know Joanna?

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240218154840_1.jpg)

Lava makes Lara pretty hot

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240220175249_1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240220175257_1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240220175706_1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2024/02/2478970_20240220175714_1.jpg)

A few comparison images
### Fixing Amazon's Thermostat
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/fixing-amazons-thermostat/
Last updated: 2025-11-09T14:49:14.000Z
As mentioned in the main article on the [Amazon Smart Thermostat](https://theblackmoor.net/amazon-mostly-smart-thermostat/), this thermostat is designed for modern central Heating/Cooling systems that can do partial heating and cooling and can efficiently keep a home at a given temperature without cycling on and off. However, older systems are either on or off, and the way the scheduling is designed for this thermostat does not work well with these older systems. 

It's described more in the article, but as an example, if you set the Heat to 68, it will turn off as soon as it reaches 69 and turn on as soon as it drops below 68\. This initially feels like something you would want, but what happens on older furnaces is that the system will cycle on and off every 15-20 minutes when it's hot or cold outside, which is excessive wear and tear on these systems. Most thermostats have a wider window, sometimes referred to as *swing*, which allows the house to warm up a bit beyond the desired temperature, as well as allows it to drop below it. Most thermostats are 2 degrees, some 3, and some even allow you to configure it. So far, Amazon has not acknowledged that there is any issue with their thermostat, and so far has not allowed users to configure this in any way.

### The Fix

Amazon appears to have no interest in fixing this bug after being reported by numerous users, including myself multiple times, so the only fix is to create routines. If your needs are simple, the routines aren't bad, but if you work from home some days of the week or have various exceptions, the starts can get messy pretty fast. Here's an example of a very simple setup that effectively keeps the temperature of the house around 68F in the Winter (heating).

| Rule  | Day     | Time        | Condition       | Set Temp | Name of Routine          |
| ----- | ------- | ----------- | --------------- | -------- | ------------------------ |
| 1     | All     | 00:00-23:59 | If Temp > 69    | 66       | W - A - T Above 69       |
| 2     | All     | 23:00       | (time only)     | 60       | W - A - T 60 at Night    |
| **3** | **M-F** | **6**       | **(time only)** | **70**   | **W - WD - Set Temp 70** |
| 4     | M-F     | 6-23        | If Temp < 67    | 70       | W - WD - T Below 67      |
| **5** | **S,S** | **9**       | **(time only)** | **70**   | **W - SS - Set Temp 70** |
| 6     | S,S     | 9-23        | If Temp < 67    | 70       | W - SS - T Below 67      |

The first routine says if the temperature exceeds 69 degrees, drop the thermostat temperature to 66\. The second routine is the overnight routine, which drops the temperature to 60 degrees at 23:00\. The Fourth routine is to cover Monday through Friday and warm the house starting at 0600 if the temperature is below 67\. The Fifth routine is the same, except it starts at 0900 as we wake up later on the weekend. 

The **Third** routine is a hack and is certainly a bug; if I don't do this, the Fourth routine never executes. This makes no sense to me. I have to explicitly set the temp to 70, then after that, routines One and Four regulate the temperature in the house all day. Routine Six is the same routine hack for the weekend. I have a theory that too large of a jump in temperature is ignored by the routines for some reason. I've re-tested this in late 2025 and it's still an issue; without these work-around routines, when I wake up the house is still at 66F even though it should have set it to 70F at 6AM on weekdays, 9AM on weekends.

This effectively lets the house warm up until it hits 70F, then cool off until it drops below 67F, or a total of 3 degrees of swing.

Routines only allow integer inputs, so we can not make it 2 degrees, etc, it will always be an odd number. Remember, the thermostat by default has only 1 degree of swing. If it's set to 68, it will warm up until it hits 70, then cool off until it's below 68\. Note that "Temp > 69" does mean that it reaches 70F, it does not seem to evaluate any decimal places.

I do actually have a few more routines that have a nighttime temperature set from 60-63 because on the coldest of nights, the heat was kicking on and off. I have left these out of the list as it's already complicated enough.

A Summer (Cooling) set of routines will also be necessary to complete the set. I have named them above to make them easy to identify: "W" for Winter, "A" for All Days, "WD" is Workday, and "SS" is Weekend. When it's time to switch from Heat to Cool, you will need to deactivate one set and enable the other set. You also need to set the Thermostat to Manual in the Thermostat settings itself; you don't want the Thermostat to have its own schedule, which may conflict with the Routines.

How reliable are Routines? I am not sure, I will have to watch and see if this does what I expect it to do. With the hacky-feeling routines mentioned above in place, things seem to be working. Initially, a few of the Routines worked, others did not, so I did some googling and found some users saying routines can act kind of quirky initially, and to get them set up the way you want them, and then disable the routine and re-enable it. I did that, and so far they seem to be working okay, but time will tell. I do occasionally find that a routine has not run, such as my AC routine, which, when the temperature drops below 74F it raises it to 76F does not run, and the AC just stays at a fixed 74F for a while, then later it fixes itself. If I look in the logs in the Alexa app, all of the temperature data is there, so it clearly knew the temperature had dropped, etc, so it may be that there was some connectivity issue, more on that below. 

Finally, does it seem like it's working? Yes. I have graphs of my home temperature, and evaluating the graphs before I made this change, I see that the house temperature hovers right around 68F all day, hardly any variation at all. As mentioned above, this is hard on older central systems. With the Routines, I see temperature spikes as it rises to hit 70 and shuts off, and gradually cools off until it drops below 67 and then turns back on, as expected with the rules I have defined.

Below are two graphs to show the difference. Keep in mind that with the schedule, the furnace was turning on 3-4 times an hour, or 50-70 cycles a day! With the routines, it turned on 9 times. Both days were very similar in temperature; low around 32F and high around 45F.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/12/schedule-1.png)

Scheduled temp of 68F

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/12/routine-1.png)

Controlled by routines, targeting 68F

### Caveats

First obvious one; annoying complexity. If you want to change the Min or Max, you have to edit a bunch of routines. If you have exceptions on a certain day, etc, the routines may still activate and override your exceptions, etc. They are by far not perfect. I highly suggest you document what you want your routines to do (I use a spreadsheet, but it's not doing any calculations, etc) and play through them in your head before going through the trouble of inputting them into the Alexa app. This will also help if you need to change them later, or add recurring exceptions, etc.

Second thing to mention is that all routines run *in the cloud*, that is to say that the thermostat does not do anything related to routines. It is effectively a temperature sensor and a few relays; that is it. So when a routine runs, it is because the thermostat has reported to the cloud service that a temperature is X, and the cloud service evaluates your routines and if one matches, it executes it and changes the thermostat settings, etc. So if your thermostat has poor WiFi connectivity or your internet is down, etc, your routines will not run. I would hope that any communication with the thermostat from the cloud requires some bi-directional acknowledgement so that if communication fails, it can retry, but I often have routines here that will work most of the time, but occasionally do not, leading me to question if the thermostat and the cloud service are reliably communicating.
### Ryobi 40V System
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/ryobi-40v-system/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T16:32:48.000Z
I've used the same Lawnboy lawnmower since I started mowing in the 80s, only ever had basic maintenance, blades, plugs, coils, etc., but all that time it's been a pretty great mower, to be honest. And my yard is so small I only use about 3 gallons of gas a year between the mower and the weeder. But I was tired of mixing gas, being out of gas at just the wrong moment, needing gas right at the end of the season, smelling like gas, smelling like exhaust. I'm a very practical guy and did not want to get a new mower when mine was working perfectly fine (minus the coil that will only start when it's between and 50-80F outside, the pull string I've trimmed 3-4 times, the governor that's Jerry-rigged wide open, the throttle that's full-send because the cable is busted) but the old mower was increasingly picky about when it would start (not too cold, not too hot, NEVER after it's been running) and it seemed like every year it got harder to start even it did (although it's debatable if that's the mowers fault or mine).

On Father's Day, Home Depot has a great sale on Ryobi products (and randomly other times of the year,) so I grabbed a Ryobi 40V 20" push mower in 2022\. The following year, I picked up the Ryobi 40V brushed (cheaper) string trimmer, and then in 2024, the 525CFM leaf blower. All of them use the same 40V battery; the mower came with a 6A battery, and the trimmer and blower came with a 4A.

### Ryobi 40V Push Mower

The mower is lightweight, quiet, cuts pretty well, and does everything I need it to do. I had a little "range anxiety" and worried that the mower wouldn't even cut my entire yard in a single charge or would not work well long term; however, since I can mow my entire front and back yard in about 25 minutes, this isn't even a concern with this mower. By looking at how much battery charge remains after numerous mows, I estimate I can mow the yard twice on a single charge of the 40V 6A battery, probably could mow it a third time, but there is no point draining the battery that much. I just charge it every other mow unless the grass is exceptionally thick and it has to work harder.

The mower is exceptionally easy to use; slap the battery in it, pull the safety lever, and push the button. No fuss. It works great throwing the grass, bagging the grass, or mulching the grass. I've always bagged as the old mower just didn't do a good job mulching and left full-sized pieces of grass all over, but this mower does such a good job I haven't used the bag except for the first few mows or during the fall to pick up leaves. Cleanup after mowing is super easy, I just open a few flaps, brush the grass out of it, and put it away. I've not had any grass stick or build up anywhere on the mower, but I also do not mow when the grass is damp or wet. The main chassis of the mower is a very durable plastic material, which means that it is never going to rust from acidic grass buildup; and no, this does not mean it's going to break if you bump it into something or run over a stick or a rock.

The system to raise/lower it also works really well, and it adjusts all four wheels at the same time. It'll go from 1.5" deck height to 4" deck height, and when I measured it, I found it to really be set to those heights. I wish they had marked the gates where you put the handle for adjusting the deck height, but I just took a paint pen and did this myself. Also, put an F mark for fall mowing (2") and an S for spring mowing (3") so I wouldn't forget. I have had it bump into my picnic table and adjust itself at least once, so it's a good idea to check it before you mow but it's generally set and forget. The nose of the mower is a little long; mowing up to something will miss about three inches of grass, but I am pretty sure that for most modern mowers, this is a standard "feature" for safety. It's fine, I just mow along as sideways as possible, or I just get it when I get out the trimmer.

If space is at a premium, you can fold the handle in and over the mower and even store the mower on its back vertically (where the catch bag attaches) to save more floor space. However, I just leave mine ready to mow and put a bag over it to keep it clean and dry. 

The only time I've been a little disappointed with the mower is mulching leaves in the fall. It doesn't seem to have quite as much power to pull up the leaves as the old mower did. That said, if the leaves are dry and loose, and I go fairly slow, it does a good enough job picking them up. It'll fill a bag every few minutes, so it's picking up quite a bit. I have hackberry trees, and their leaves are pretty small and thin. Not sure how well the mower would do with thick and heavy oak leaves, but it's been fine, just feels like I have to go a little slower and give it more time. I hate raking leaves, and the mower does a fine job of getting them up for me. I may "mow the leaves" once a week in the fall, once the leaves start falling, but I'd rather do that than rake a few times.

One minor annoyance with the mower is that I wish its wheels had some amount of give to them, a bit of suspension, so that as they hit bumps, the whole mower wouldn't bounce a little. My yard is pretty bumpy and uneven, and the mower is so light it sometimes bounces along a little. This said, I've never really noticed any issues with the way it is cutting; it does a pretty consistent job no matter what.

The one thing on the mower that feels really cheap and most likely to scratch up, break, or fail in some way is the cover on the top of the mower that covers the battery. Besides keeping grass/dust or potentially rain out of the battery area, this cover is mostly just for aesthetics, but it's a very flimsy, soft, opaque plastic, and I'm always paranoid about pushing the mower under things and banging into it.

I used to dread mowing, but now I don't mind it at all. The mower always starts, I am never out of gas, and I don't stink afterward. And since it's lighter than my old mower, I am not as hot or worn out as I was with the old mower.

### Spring 2024 update

At about 1.5 years of ownership, 44 mows of grass and/or leaves, I noticed that the mower was cutting a little inconsistently, so I checked the blade, and it was pretty dull, so I went ahead and got a second blade and sharpened the old one. Took about 2 minutes to swap the blade with a 15mm socket. There were a number of nicks along the cutting surface, most likely from sticks I missed picking up in the yard. The blade is pretty lightweight compared to my old gas mower, but I imagine the mass of the blade affects runtime pretty significantly so this is the trade-off. I was able to debur and sharpen the old blade in about 10 minutes, and it's oiled and put away for when I need it. One caveat with sharpening the blade: the blade has a bend in it, which is also was also sharpened, and that part I had to do by hand with a stone. I imagine doing that part on a blade-sharpening tool or a grinder wouldn't be possible, but it is only a short portion of the blade and can be done by hand in a few minutes. This is normal wear and tear, and the blades are cheap, so get a few and when one gets dull, remove it, put a fresh, sharpened one on, sharpen the old one, and put it away for the next rotation.

### Spring 2025 Update

After about 2.5 years of ownership, and approximately 75 mows, I started to notice that the handle was acting slightly strange, like it wasn't staying locked into place and felt slightly wobbly. I eventually realized that the cross-brace at the top of the handle was cracking and allowing the handle to flex. After a few emails with Ryobi, they sent me the replacement part for free. I will continue to use the old brace until it is unusable and then replace it with the new part, and likely look into some additional way to support the handle and not entirely rely on the crossbrace. I do not ever fold the handle into the mower, so I probably have some flexibility on what kludge I come up with.

 I did some research on this issue, and apparently, it's a common problem. I found multiple posts on Reddit, as well as a friend of mine who has the exact same mower, who noticed that his brace is failing in the same way after I mentioned it. Ryobi did replace the part for free; however, I worry that after I replace it and a few more years pass, and it fails again, will they replace it again?

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/left.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/10/right.jpg)

Each side of the brace, the left picture showing cracks and the right side has even had pieces fall out of it.

### Ryobi 40V String Trimmer

I was still using my old gas string trimmer in 2022, but on Father's Day 2023, I got myself the Ryobi string trimmer to accompany the mower. I picked up the cheaper (brushed) model with the system that can swap the trimmer head out for other tools. I won't likely ever use that, but I have broken the trimmer down to put it in the car a few times, and the ability to do that is really nice, as it makes the trimmer half the size. I can't say too much about the trimmer, honestly, it just works. It feeds string well, loads string exceptionally easily, and has tons of power. Most of the time, I'm modulating the trigger and only giving it maybe 25% power to do typical grass trimming. Edging, I get up maybe closer to 75%, but rarely have I felt I needed 100% for very long. The only minor thing I don't like about the trimmer is that it's a little hard to modulate the trigger, and with the battery at the very end, it's a little off balance. I have a trimmer harness and don't have a lot to trim, so it's really not a big deal.

End of season 2025 update: nothing to report! I probably only use the trimmer every second or third mow, but I've used it quite a bit at this point and have zero complaints.

### Ryobi 40V 525CFM Leaf Blower

As mentioned previously, my next purchase was planned to be the Ryobi leaf blower, and I picked it up in Spring 2024\. It came with the 40V 4A battery, charger, tool, and blower tube. I actually had a lot of trouble getting the blower tube installed, as it's a very tight fit, but it wasn't too big a deal. It's not nearly as powerful as my old corded blower (415CFM, but 210MPH), but I'm sure it'll do everything I need it to do, which is mostly blowing freshly mowed grass off sidewalks and leaves out of the garage. It is lighter than my old blower, and is pretty well balanced, and the adjustable handle allows you to angle the handle back so the blower naturally angles down, so the ergonomics are pretty good. Variable output is also exceptionally handy; my old blower had a single button on the back of the unit, so I couldn't nudge stuff out of a corner without going full-blast; now I can position the blower and give it just enough of a nudge to go where I want rather than straight back into my face. I'm unclear of the specific range of CFM/MPG on the trigger, but to get the full 525CFM/110MPH, you need to press the Turbo button; I have not yet needed to use this in the light work I've done with it. Runtime is stated to be 29 minutes, but I'm unclear if that's full-throttle without Turbo or a "typical workload" kind of scenario where the output varies to do typical tasks. Either way, I did a bunch of small jobs in the yard with it, and the 4A battery was still showing full.

After a season of use around the yard, I've found that 90% of the time I use a partial throttle to get stuff out of corners, etc, then typically full throttle to move grass and leaves that are on the pavement or walks. I only need to use turbo to get grass out of cracks like the edges, etc. Leaves in the grass also require turbo to really 'dig' them out of the grass, but I am currently mowing to 3.5" (my typical summer grass height), so I suspect it will be more effective when I move to a 2" grass height in a few weeks as fall comes. Leaves were starting to build up in the back of the yard, and I had not really given the blower a good workout yet. and found that it did just fine, but it did need Turbo mode to get the leaves out of the grass. However, the reason I was blowing the leaves this early in the season at all is that a lot of leaves were buried in the grass and not getting picked up by the mower at a 3.5" cut height, so I wanted to get the detritus up before the real leaves start falling.

Once the leaves are up, Turbo is no longer necessary. At the end of about 15 minutes of blowing, the battery was showing 1/4 on the battery meter, and I only did about 1200 square feet (100 square meters). In reality, to really move the leaves or anything dense, you need to use Turbo mode. But for grass, dust, and stray leaves in the garage or porch, there is no need. Turbo does drain the battery faster, but for my yard, it does provide enough power and runtime to do the job.

### What's Next?

Not sure; those are the tools I use all the time that I wanted to upgrade. I have a Ryobi corded garden tiller that I really like, but have no need to change it out for a cordless model. I'm pretty sold on the 40V lineup. If you have a reasonably small property, they'll work great. I'd say if you currently have a push mower and it takes you around an hour to mow or less, these would work great for you; if you have a large lawn or do commercial lawn work, I don't believe battery-powered tools are the right fit just yet. Most times during the later part of summer, when the grass is thinner, the mower is only down to 3 of 4 bars and would likely easily get three mows out of a single battery, or around 75 total minutes. But I don't like discharging lithium batteries much below 40% when I can avoid it, so as mentioned, I generally charge every other mow.

### Piccies!

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/07/PXL_20230418_222143076.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/07/PXL_20220624_002527725.jpg)

Left: Corded garden tiller. Right: Ryobi mower, 1980s Lawnboy mower.

A quick note on the pictures. This picture of the garden tiller is before its third season; it just looks fresh and shiny because I clean it and oil everything every year, so it stays fresh and shiny. Dirt sitting on the components between uses would likely make everything start rusting. I took a picture so I can arrange the pieces so they will fit back in the box for storage.

The mowers, dat nose tho. The mowers here are lined up so the center of the blade on each mower is aligned, and you can see how far out the "nose" on the Ryobi goes. But again, I suspect this is not specific to this mower but rather a typical safety "feature". It is a bit larger than the old mower in length, but height and width are basically the same, and if I needed to, the handle folds down *very* easily.

### A quick note about 18V devices

I've heard a few people say they have had issues with battery-powered trimmers, mowers, etc in the past, and almost every time I ask for more details, they either had a no-name brand or it was an 18V model. 18V tools can do the job in light grass with very little to trim/mow, but have nowhere near the runtime or power of the 40V versions of tools. This is all to say, don't think that a tool you had in the past or heard someone say they had issues with will apply to a modern 40V tool. This applies doubly so if the tool in question was using a lead-acid battery.

This said, if you just have grass to trim in a small yard, don't think you have to get the 40V model to do it either; modern tools with lithium-ion batteries have come a long way. But keep in mind, if you want the mower too, you'll want to get both in the 40V variety so they can share batteries.
### Speck MagFolio Google Pixel Tablet Case
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/speck-magfolio/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T16:36:09.000Z
I prefer to have a case on my phone and tablets to protect them from scuffs and scrapes, make them easier to carry, and possibly even protect them in a fall. Without a case, I'll rarely carry a device around. 

When I got my [Google Pixel Tablet](https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-tablet), I carried it between the den and sat on the Dock on my desk, nowhere else, because it wouldn't really stand up nicely on the back porch patio table, I didn't want to drop it, etc. So I pretty quickly started looking for a case for the tablet. Google's official case with the loop on it is an interesting piece of design, but not really what I want in a tablet case. I really like folio cases that cover the screen and can hold the tablet at various angles. I often carry the tablet and Bluetooth keyboard around, and I want a case to be between the tablet and keyboard to protect them.

Speck is the first I could see with a folio case, so I purchased one from them directly and got it pretty fast. This is going to be some initial impressions, but I will update based on longer-term use in case there are any issues, wear, etc., that come up in ownership.

### General Impressions

I like that just like the official dock, the tablet 'snaps' down perfectly in place into the Speck Folio case. The case is designed to quickly remove it from the dock and put it in the case. It even has an indentation in the case that makes it even easier to remove the tablet from the case. I've found that, very similar to the Dock, just grabbing the edge of the tablet and lifting it away from the case is the easiest way to remove it. However don't think it's held securely in the case, as the magnets hold the tablet quite firmly.

General usage of the case is typical of this style of case. The tablet is protected inside the case when closed. Opening the case and flipping the cover to the rear feels good to hold and isn't in the way, and the case holds the tablet at a variety of angles. The way the case does this is actually well thought out; the Pixel Tablet has rubber feet on the bottom, and the case has small grooves that these feet fit into. This is very simple yet very effective and provides 6 angles. The only caveat is that at the lower angles, the tablet isn't very stable, as the rubber feet aren't really in the groove very deeply. And if the tablet is on an uneven surface, this method of holding the tablet up doesn't work well at all, but in most cases, it's simple and effective.

The case, when closed, feels solid and fits well, and the cover does not move or slide around. It also feels pretty good in the hand, has a light texture, and feels quite secure to hold and carry. It also has a stylus loop on the outside, but a stylus will also snap onto the back of the case, so you can snap it onto the back of the tablet while in use.

The inside of the case is a soft material that doesn't seem likely to damage the tablet in any way. While the tablet is inside the case, there is no obstruction of any ports, speakers, microphone, etc. I've found that unlocking the tablet, I can feel the edge of the case near the fingerprint sensor, but it's not really in the way and does not make unlocking difficult or annoying. 

Overall, the case is very thin and lightweight, very minimal, just the way I like it. The flap that keeps the case closed is very light and lightly magnetic, but it works well and feels secure. Even the rear camera magnetic flap is a tidy way to handle using the rear camera without removing the tablet from the case. The front camera is never obscured.

### Limitations

When I first started using the case, I was surprised to find that it was not putting the tablet to sleep or waking it. However, I started testing the tablet directly with a small magnet and found that the tablet itself does not seem to have a sleep/wake sensor, unlike many tablets/phones. This, of course, is not really directly related to the case, but you may assume the case will sleep/wake the tablet and be disappointed and blame the case.

### Suggested Improvements

I wish it had some sort of protection around the edges, even if it were just the same case material, just to take light bumps, scuffs, etc. The tablet and case are pretty much flush with each other, which I could see leading to the edges of the tablet being potentially bumped and scuffed over time.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/07/PXL_20230703_214116996.jpg)

The tablet is almost flush with the case.

### Summary

This case fits all of my needs for a tablet; time will tell how well it holds up. I treat my devices well, but anything can be damaged from daily use. There likely will be more cases to choose from in the future for the Google Pixel Tablet, but so far, this is the only one that fits what I'm looking for.

Update late 2025; I still use this case daily, and it has held up well and shows no serious signs of wear or use.
### Google Pixel Tablet
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/google-pixel-tablet/
Last updated: 2025-11-05T03:10:52.000Z
I've been an Android guy since 2009, I got the first Nexus 1, a bunch of random phones, and the first Pixel 1 (then 3, then 6) but I haven't had a nice tablet in years. My Nexus 7 (2013; we don't talk about the 2012 model) at 7" was a good tablet for its time, and still handles some e-reader and other light duties, but its battery is failing, and honestly, ever since phones went over 6" I stopped really carrying it much. I've had a Fire HD 10 tablet for a while, but it really was pretty unimpressive, with poor performance from the start. It did primarily what I needed to do with it.

What do I do with a tablet? Mostly media, news, some light gaming, and occasionally sitting on the back porch with a Bluetooth keyboard and keeping connected on the internet. They have long battery life, are very portable, etc, although lacking in some areas compared to an actual laptop. I've never had one with cellular connectivity (on that rare occasion I'd want/need it, phone hotspot works fine), and I generally don't carry a tablet with me all the time. 

Keeping devices charged and accessible without getting piled up has always been a problem for things like a tablet I may not use daily. Also, every day they're sitting around unused is another day I probably didn't need it in the first place, but Google has addressed that by making this tablet also a smart home display with a well-designed dock. When I'm not actively using the tablet, it can show me the weather, photos, or be waiting for some Google Assistant command. I already have a couple of Google/Nest Minis around the house, so I actually did not really need this type of functionality, but it's actually nice to have in front of me. I still have the wrong device answer sometimes, but Google seems to be actively working on improving that experience.

As normal, I'm not really going to go deep into specs, battery life, general Android uses, or walkthroughs. I prefer to stick to tips, tricks, strengths, weaknesses, etc, so I'll get into that.

Please note that most of this review was written early in the life of the Pixel Tablet and that Android 15 and 16 updates have changed and sometimes improved how things work.

### First Impressions/Setup

I let Google back up my devices; its backup/restore functionality works very well for me. I wish it were more granular and allowed me to restore a single app from one device to another, and there's always an issue with an app that does not allow itself to be backed up or has been entirely removed from the Play Store. But for the most part, the migration process between devices works pretty well. I envisioned myself using this tablet similar to my phone, so I just opted to let it restore from my phone, and that all went really well. I found a few apps that did not transfer over, and some of my Netflix game progress did not transfer, but I was able to use adb and backup/restore those manually, and they worked. I'm unclear why I was able to do this manually but it did not work with the normal backup process, but none the less I got everything I wanted migrated over.

Setup is as simple as any Google device; power it on, answer a few setup questions, and log in. You're prompted with a few initial customization questions, but Google's usability folks have really done a good job with putting the most important or urgent questions up first, and then slowly peppering you with notifications later to let you just **use** the thing without customizing it to death, but at the same time gives you opportunities later to customize further, etc. This approach seems to work very well. 

The dock, which magnetically couples to the tablet, plugs into the AC using the included power cable, and there's nothing more to do; you just put the tablet in about the right spot and it'll "grab" it. The alignment and grip are sufficient, although I have had the tablet misaligned once, and pressing the volume buttons without otherwise holding the device may dislodge it. Some reviews have overblown the issue of "volume knocks the tablet off the dock," but lightly holding the tablet and pushing the buttons works fine. Removing the tablet requires a slight 'twisting' motion to detach it from the base, but otherwise, it just pops off. Slightly quirky all around, but very functional. It's also lacking what I feel are some important functionalities, more on that later.

### Likes

While Android on a tablet is far from perfect, it's a pretty good experience even with "phone apps"; it will automatically put it on the left, center, or right side, or you can rotate the tablet to get a full-screen view. Split-screen view seems to work pretty well, and Google has really streamlined the process to do this, even adding a floating dock to let you split-screen with Chrome, for example, very quickly. However, I've had some weird problems with this Dock showing up, then minimizing itself again without allowing me to interact with it. I'm not quite sure what to make of this, but it may be some limitation with me using Nova as my launcher, although that really doesn't make sense.

Sound quality is sufficient, with the dock it's pretty okay, screen resolution, brightness, viewing angles, colors, etc, are all good.

The fingerprint sensor seems to work very well for me; I've yet to have it not work if I actually touch the sensor in a sane way, and multiple attempts to unlock with the wrong finger will not unlock the device.

Wifi and Bluetooth performance seem to be quite good. I've had no issues directly with either, and I've used the tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard quite a few times. I do have a note on what feels like some Bluetooth latency on a gamepad below, however.

Weight, feel, touch, etc, are all good. The thickness of the tablet is fine, and the rear paint has a nice feel to it. The bezels are fairly large but not bad. 

### Speaker Dock; swing and a miss

The speaker dock is really a bit of a letdown in a number of ways. There is a lot of functionality they could have added to it, and at the $125 retail price to buy additional docks, I don't see how they could not have added the following things.

It should be a Google Home on its own; once you grab the tablet, the dock does nothing. When the tablet is docked, the dock itself could have done more, such as offer a USB port for gamepads/keyboards/whatever. 

I also feel it's missing an external speaker jack on the dock. Note that the tablet also has no speaker jack, so the only way to get external stereo sound is via Bluetooth.

And very strangely, the tablet+dock acts as a Chromecast device. But if the tablet is not docked, this functionality is not possible.

Google has confirmed that the dock has no connectivity of its own of any kind; no Wifi, no Bluetooth, etc. It will still be interesting to see when someone does a teardown of it to see what is actually inside. 

It's functional, and it gives the tablet a great place to live, but it could have been so much more.

Update: Wow. Apparently, the electronics dock is **way** too complicated for what it ultimately did. It has a quad-core ARM CPU and runs CastOS and likely would have been a standalone cast device, but was likely cut back in scope and price at some point in the project. [This site](https://www.directdefense.com/bypassing-the-google-pixel-tablet-dock-secure-boot/?ref=theblackmoor.net) covers a lot of the details in an attempt to exploit its bootloader.

### Bluetooth Latency

This one is somewhat hard to quantify, but I play a game a lot (a.... lot...), Crash Drive 3, and my 8BitDo Pro gamepad works pretty well on my Pixel 6\. There is some input latency, but I've gotten used to it. It does affect playing here and there, but not too badly. Playing the same game on the Pixel Tablet with the same gamepad is quite a different story; it seems very heavily delayed and very often inputs 'stick' where I will keep boosting, turning, etc, even though I am not. I don't think it's the game rendering/graphics/GPU/CPU, etc, as there's no stuttering or delays in the game that I can tell, only seems to be input lag. And playing by connecting the USB cable instead of Bluetooth, I can feel a considerable decrease in input latency. I'm not sure if there's anything I can change, but I'm going to keep looking. I'd like to be able to play the game on a larger screen sometimes.

I have not noticed any issues with a Bluetooth keyboard, however, so I am not entirely convinced that it's entirely related to Bluetooth.

### Physical Keyboard Issues

While this table is not generally designed to be for "productivity", I still expect some folks may use it with a USB or Bluetooth keyboard. I've seen a few strange issues related to keyboard use that hopefully Google will improve.

Update June 2024: the following two problems have been fixed. Keyboard input has been reworked a bit so that Alt-Tab, Super-Tab, and the Super key by itself provide really nice ways to flip through apps (alt/super tab) or launch apps (Super key by itself), and the Chrome issue with selecting a URL and wanting to delete it has been fixed for a while.

~~Alt-Tab with a Bluetooth keyboard shows Recents, but you can't tell which one you're tabbed to. Alt-Tab flips through them, but there is no visual cue on which one is currently selected. Also, a quick alt-tab does not flip to the previous screen, it shows it for just a moment and then reverts to the current one. If you hit alt-tab and then hold it for a moment it does switch. This could be by design but seems like it shouldn't need holding the key.~~

~~I've also noticed some strange behavior in Chrome when typing into the URL bar. If you type in a URL that's in your history and hit enter it asks if you want to remove the URL from history instead of navigating to it. So far I have not figured out a way to visit a URL in the browser history without tapping the screen.~~

One more odd issue that may be a me-specific problem is that I map the caps lock key to be control on my Bluetooth keyboards (all of my keyboards, really) because I'm used to Control being there, plus caps lock is an annoying, useless key. However, every so often, Caps Lock gets toggled on my Pixel Tablet, and I have no idea why, and there's no sane way to turn it back off. However, there is a way. Go into Settings, System, Keyboard, then Physical Keyboard, which has your Bluetooth keyboard named under it. Under that item is Modifier Keys; tap Ctrl and assign it to Caps Lock, hit Control on your keyboard, then reset it back to Ctrl. Easy huh? You can also just search for Modifier Keys and find it easier.

### Assistant Issues

Of all things, there are some strange issues with the Assistant. I've noticed it takes forever for it to "stop listening" to a command. For example, I'll say 'Turn on office lights' and it'll show the bar at the bottom like it's still listening for 10 to 15 seconds, then finally turn on the lights. When using my Google Mini or Alexa Dot, this happens instantly. There's no "continued conversation", which seems like a very strange limitation, and some other folks have noticed a lot of other issues with Assistant compared to a Nest Hub (which I do not own and can not compare against) such as it only recognizes one person, if you switch profiles (manually by logging in as that user!) the device is no longer in "Hub Mode" and it eventually goes back to the original user. Lots of very strange misses and bugs around Assistant, especially given the marketing around this being a "Hub" device. 

Looks like there's no way to turn off "Hey Google" in only Hub mode. You have to turn it off on the entire tablet, but *also* in Hub mode, or it'll still answer. But if you only turn off the settings in "Assistant in Hub Mode", it still answers unless you turn it off in Apps->Assistant->Say "Hey Google". I'm hoping Google fixes this stuff really fast. It's a very strange miss and has been quite an annoyance as I routinely walk into my home office at night and ask it to turn on the lights. With my Google Mini or Alexa, it happens almost instantly. When the Google Pixel handles the request, it sometimes takes up to 10 seconds. I don't think it's "slower", it just appears to continue to listen for a long time before it executes the command.

### General Dislikes/Misses

The tablet has no haptic feedback; I get that this is not super common on a tablet, but it's also something I like to have for certain applications, such as tapping a button in the Home app. It would be nice to feel that I tapped it, not just see it.

The Screen Saver options are very limited: a few weather views and some photo views. Apps can be a Screen Saver, but I've only seen one of my apps show up in the options, even though I have a handful that seem like excellent candidates for this. And even the weather options just show the time and temperature in the bottom corner, and the rest of the screen is occupied with some animation of clouds or rain. Something like the (beautiful!) weather app you see, if you tap the temperature in the At A Glance widget, would have been great as the Screen Saver.

If I plug my gamepad into the tablet while it's on the dock, the gamepad doesn't immediately start working. Instead, there's a notification that shows up that lets me know that a USB accessory has been detected, and I can ignore or use the accessory. After that, it does work, but requires me to tap the notification to use the gamepad. It also warns me that it will suspend any audio coming from the dock. And indeed, the audio from that point is only coming from the tablet itself. I don't quite understand why it does this, especially for something like a gamepad or a keyboard. It does not appear to disconnect it from charging, but it does take the much nicer dock speaker away from you.

I can't seem to wake up and use the tablet from the keyboard. For every other Android tablet I've ever had, I could just hit the space bar, which wakes the tablet, shows the PIN, I type in the PIN on the keyboard, and I'm in. I absolutely can not find any way to get it to show the PIN screen except for me swiping up on the screen itself. I thought it was the Screensaver, so I disabled that, and when I try it just shows a blank screen with an indicator to touch the fingerprint sensor. This is particularly frustrating when I'm using the tablet and a Bluetooth keyboard on the couch, porch, etc.

No GPS. Shame on you, Google, really? Yes, this tablet is most likely to live at home with folks, but I've found a fair number of apps that aren't compatible that I would like to use, and I wonder if it's because there's no GPS. 

No wake/sleep sensor; so cases will not be able to put the tablet to sleep or wake it upon opening the case. For me, this will mostly be annoying because it doesn't put it to sleep when I close the case. I've found random apps launched after closing the case while it's awake and carrying it around. I don't believe this is a limitation of the particular case I purchased, as I've tried sweeping a magnet around the face of the tablet and have not been able to locate a sensor.

### Multi-user Fiasco

Android 14 came with a bug that, to this day, has not yet been well defined as to why it happened, but the "what happened" was pretty terrible for many, many users. This affected any device with the October patch level of Android 14, including Pixel phones and the Pixel Tablet.

If you had multi-user enabled on the device (Second user, guest, etc) at some point, your device would begin locking you out of files, eventually the entire user-writable area of the device, and ultimately boot loops.

I was bitten by this bug on October 30th and waited until about November 11th, when Google claimed they had a fix for users with their device currently only boot looping. My device got immediately wiped, and I had to restore from the cloud backup and set it back up. Other folks appeared to get their device booting without a complete wipe, but found that most settings and things were gone anyway.

Apparently, this bug was rather slow to show up and only in somewhat specific circumstances; however, it was pretty frustrating for me and for others to wait for weeks for a solution that wound up needing a complete reset anyway. 

### FAQ

- Can you use the speaker dock without power?  
  - It works physically to hold the tablet, but the speaker does not function
- Is the Speaker Dock stereo?  
  - No, it is a single front-facing speaker
- Does the Speaker Dock have any audio out for plugging speakers in?  
  - No
- Does the Speaker Dock do XYZ?  
  - No, it has a speaker and charges the tablet. That is it.
- Does it have a GPS?  
  - No, there is no GPS chip, so it only gets coarse location data; ie: network, etc.
  - Google has said when they enable the UWB it may have precise positioning but this is more effective in a retail space with specific hardware, not for general location positioning
- Does it support a stylus?  
  - Yes, any USI 2.0 stylus should work and there appear to be magnets on the back of the tablet to facilitate holding them on
- Can you charge the tablet without the dock?  
  - Yes it has a single USB C port on the tablet
- Can you plug in gamepads/mice/keyboards into the USB C port?  
  - Yes, but strangely when you do it disconnects from the Speaker Dock
- Is there an option for LTE?  
  - No, but a USB LTE modem could work
- Is there a camera flash, zoom, macro, ?  
  - No, the cameras are both very basic 8MP resolution with no flash and any zoom would just be in software (cropping)
- Is there a sensor for sleep/wake for cases  
  - No, there does not appear to be any way for a case to put the tablet to sleep or wake it.

### Interesting Software or Accessories

Google has an official case; other cases are slowly coming out. I have purchased the [Speck MagFolio Google Pixel Tablet Case](https://theblackmoor.net/speck-magfolio?sametab&) and I have posted a preliminary review of it and will update it as I get more use out of it.

Software for Android is pretty typical, not too much to talk about here, except for a few nice pieces of software I've found that are somewhat specific to tablets, etc.

[Widget Screensaver](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.jolanrensen.widgetscreensaver&ref=theblackmoor.net) \- Let you put standard widgets on the Screensaver/Daydream view, allowing you to customize the display and add your favorite widgets. I have added a few Chronus widgets and a weather radar widget. Too many widgets don't seem to work great, and some widgets won't allow themselves to be used, but overall an excellent program to customize what the tablet looks like while it's in the dock.

### Summary

I like the tablet, the price was fine, and the final total package is pretty nice. I expect that it will only continue to get better, and for now, it seems like it has plenty of performance to last me for some time. I only wish that the dock wasn't so limited, both in software and in its hardware functionality. However, as limited as the dock itself is, it has kept the Pixel Tablet on my desk and in view the entire time I have owned the tablet. Previous tablets, I would often close them up in their case and somewhat forget about them as they were not visible. I use the Pixel Tablet every day because of the dock, and after a few years of ownership have found that the dock **significantly** added to the utility of the tablet, not just for ease of viewing and charging, but that it kept the tablet in arm's reach and in my line of sight for daily use.

I also have a lot to learn about Android on the tablet; my previous tablets have all basically behaved like oversized phones, so if I find any neat or useful tricks, I'll certainly add them to this page. Hopefully, I won't find more negatives, but I'm sure I'll stumble across more things to grumble about as I use it more.
### Topton N9N Intel N100 MiniPC
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/topton-n9n-intel-n100-minipc/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T17:05:48.000Z
I have an old Intel i7 machine here, which I depend on 24/7/365 as a LAN router, firewall, and server for a number of things. However, it is massively overpowered for what it's doing, and its CPU is quite old and inefficient. The TDP (Thermal Design Power) is 130W, plus the other components, PSU, etc. And it's a full-size tower, which means it takes up quite a bit of space. I've wanted to replace it for several years with an SBC (Single-board computer) of some sort for significantly lower TDP (power usage), less heat generation, smaller footprint, etc, but it was difficult finding one that was powerful enough, had dual NICs, and enough storage to replace the existing machine.

My home office is always a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house, having two full-sized desktop machines, three monitors, and an array of other equipment in this room. It's difficult to really estimate how much heat the current LAN server creates but it's a pretty inefficient processor. While the heat everything generates is nice in the winter, it's not so nice in the summer.

I also want to extend my UPS runtime. I have a 1500VA UPS that currently powers my LAN Server, fiber ONT, Linksys Wifi AP, and a Raspberry Pi. My Workstation is also on the UPS, but it's set to turn itself off if there is a power event lasting longer than two minutes. I will need to write down the UPS Load before and after to see what kind of improvements moving to the new MiniPC makes, but I imagine it will be pretty significant.

In January of 2023, Intel announced a new line of processors called the N100\. Quad-core, 6W TDP, lots of on-die cache, designed for NUC/Mini PC/Laptop/Mobile use, and the options opened up significantly. Still took a little research to find one with dual NIC, as not many people need that, but the Topton N9N model MiniPC perfectly fit the bill, so I ordered one from Aliexpress. When I ordered it, the options on Amazon were very slim, and I got a terrific deal by stacking a few coupons on Ali to bring the price down to $115\. However, within a few weeks, Amazon started carrying more and more options, so if you decide to purchase one, I would suggest you start looking at Amazon first if you have Prime shipping to save yourself time and potential frustration if there are any issues.

### Current LAN Router

To put some perspective on what I need the new machine to do, here is what the existing machine does. It's an Intel i7 i7-3930K (circa 2011) with 16 GB of RAM and a few disks totaling about 2.5TB of disk space running CentOS 7\. This is certainly not a complete list, but it's a list of the tasks it handles

- LAN Router and Firewall
- Apache HTTP server mostly serving a few cgi's these days
- NGINX mostly serving as an SSL pinning mechanism for containers
- Multiple containers running things I can't natively run on CentOS 7
- Postfix/Dovecot/Roundcube for hosting my own email
- Wireguard VPN
- Weechat and various other small personal local machine usage
- LAN Backup host
- Zoneminder

Of these, all but the last will be absolutely within the specifications of the new MiniPC. Zoneminder, I plan on moving to my Workstation.

Dimensions: 22" tall, 22" deep, 9" wide (560mm, 560mm, 230mm)

### New MiniPC Specifications

At the heart, it has an Intel N100 CPU running at max 3.4GHz with four cores, but a TDP of only 6W.

Dual Realtek 1GB NICs, which appear to be real NICs. They do not show up on the USB bus, and therefore should hopefully be able to do 1GB on each simultaneously without any issues. I've done quite a few LAN speed tests on both ports, and both were able to sustain 935mbps. I've seen closer to 950mbps from some other 1GB adapters in the past, but I'd call this good enough. The port closest to the power connector is enp1s0, and the second NIC is enp3s0, but this may vary based on your setup.

M.2 and 2.5" storage options, both SATA. If you purchase one of these machines, make sure you understand which M.2 interface it has, as NVME is much more common these days. SATA is still readily available, but you don't want to purchase the wrong type by accident.

It has an HDMI and a DVI port, and both can be used at once and drive two 2K monitors. I, offhand, do not know if two 4K monitors or 4K + 2K could be used.

There are only three USB 2 ports and a single USB 3 port. For me, this is not an issue, but some folks may need to add a USB hub if they have more than four USB devices.

It has wireless and Bluetooth, but neither of those will likely be used, nor will any of its GPU prowess, as it will never have a monitor attached to it except for initial setup/testing.

Also has a TF/SDcard slot on the side, which I quickly tested and seems to work fine but I did not benchmark because I will likely never use it.

The biggest limitation is that the only options I found at purchase time were 8 GB of RAM, and it's soldered on board, not upgradeable. The Intel N100 supports up to 16GB of RAM, so I suggest that if you purchase one, you get it with either 16GB of onboard RAM or a RAM slot for upgrades. I've evaluated how much RAM my current server uses, and I'm pretty confident it rarely goes above 4-6 GB of RAM used, but this will likely be my biggest constraint. Disk storage should not generally be an issue, even serving as a LAN Backup host. I'll initially have a 512G M.2 drive and a 1TB 2.5" HDD in the system for storage.

Dimensions: 1.75" tall, 4.3" deep, 4.9" wide (45mm, 110mm, 125mm)

This is about 8% as tall, 19% as deep, and 54% as wide compared to the existing machine. Or volumetrically, 618.75cm cubed vs 72128cm cubed, or .857% as much volume. I will likely just put the MiniPC on top of my existing workstation when it's in its final spot.

### OS

I normally go with CentOS for things without a monitor and Fedora for things with one; however, CentOS, for all intents and purposes, is dead. I evaluated Rocky and Alma and wasn't quite sure of either of them just yet. I tend to run into issues with CentOS having older PHP and such when I want to run some web application, so this time I went ahead and installed Fedora. I installed the minimal Server installation, but stuck with good old ext4 filesystems. I've had no issues with Fedora Server on this machine; everything seems to just work.

### Initial Impressions

I've had zero fuss out of it, no quirks, no weirdness. It feels very snappy with the M.2 primary drive, both LAN ports seem to deliver the promised 1Gbps speeds, USB ports work fine, etc. I tried it for a day or so with Fedora XFCE spin hooked up to a monitor, and it felt like a full-sized, powerful PC. Literally no lags, no jitter, no jagginess. I was afraid it would feel like a low-power machine, but that does not seem to be an issue. 

I still have concerns about long-term stability, as I rely on this server for 24/7/365 service. Hopefully, it'll work as well long-term as it has in the short time I've had it so far. As of this writing, it has been my primary LAN router and server for about two weeks, and I have had no issues at all.

I went with a TEAMGROUP MS30 512GB M.2 drive as the primary OS storage and found a 1TB Seagate spinning rust HDD in a drawer I had pulled out of a laptop some time back and replaced it with an SSD. I may eventually want more storage, as I do use the LAN Router as a backup storage device, but I believe it will be fine.

### A Few Months In

It's been absolutely perfect. I've had zero issues out of it, zero complaints, very happy with it. No issues out of the hardware at all, and it's been running for months now. It's currently been up for four months, and the only reboot I've done on it since I put it into service was to move it to my UPS.

### Cooling Concerns

As expected, however, as soon as I started migrating more things to it and it stayed busier, the temps started to climb. They were mostly in the 55C idle, 65C during runs of this or that range, but after migrating more and more, it was in the 60C idle to 80C range. Likely very safe, but higher than I would have liked. As an experiment, I put a random 120mm fan just leaned across the side to blow air into the side to assist the CPU fan in getting air, and to also move air across the storage side of the device, and it made an instant difference. CPU temps went from 60C to 35C at idle, the M.2 drive went from 45C to 22C, and the HDD (1TB spinning rust) went from 50C to 31C. Not only did the overall temps drop, but the temperature swings as the CPU was busy are much smaller now.

As a more permanent solution, I found a low-profile cage fan on Amazon that is powered by USB that sits beside the MiniPC, blowing into the top and bottom vents on the side of the case, thus getting extra air into the CPU side of the case (the top) as well as the storage side (the bottom).

The results are below, and highly recommended. I am still thinking of a more permanent solution than what I have currently set up (blue painter's tape), but the general setup of the cage fan is low profile, quiet, and very effective.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/04/Screenshot_2023-04-29_19-34-04.png)

A dramatic difference in temperatures

### Benchmarks

I'm not the biggest fan of benchmarks, but I also needed to know that the new machine is not going to be slower than the existing one, at least not significantly. Much to my surprise, when researching, I found that the new MiniPC is FASTER than the old i7 in single-core performance (up to 150%) and not that much slower on multi-core performance (As low as 80%). I benchmarked both using Geekbench 5, and the results are here: 

[https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/cpu/compare/21023665?baseline=21020009](https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/cpu/compare/21023665?baseline=21020009&ref=theblackmoor.net)

The LAN Router was operating in normal use, so it is likely a bit better than this benchmark indicates if it were idle or otherwise both machines were equally loaded; however, this is an excellent indication that I should be giving up very little, if any, performance, and potentially having better performance. Ram is still my major concern, and I realize that the CPU on the MiniPC may potentially throttle if under high load, but the existing machine is rarely under any high load.

### Power usage and UPS

I have a CyberPower 1500VA UPS at the house that powers the LAN server, Workstation, Raspberry Pi 1, fiber ONT, and my Wifi access point. The workstation is set to power off after two minutes if the power is out. The Raspberry Pi is my home automation, which turns the lights on and off, PiHole, and a few other things, and uses so little power that I wanted it to be on UPS power. And the fiber ONT and Wifi access point, of course, keep the LAN server online and any wifi clients able to connect to the internet. On the old LAN server, I would see about 30 to 35 minutes of battery runtime once the Workstation has shut off. With the MiniPC? 155 minutes. Very nice!

### BIOS Tweaks

The first thing to mention about the BIOS is that it **does** have an option to automatically Power On if it loses power, which is excellent for Server duty.

The YouTube review linked below said that by default, this box throttles quickly, and a few tweaks in the BIOS will improve it. However, I'm not 100% sure what these do.

I have done benchmarks with and without the tweaks, and I saw no difference. The difference may come if the machine is heavily loaded and throttles sooner, but the benchmarks I tried did not seem to make any difference, so I have personally set mine back to the OEM defaults. I may experiment with these again in the future if I better understand what they do and how they can benefit me.

- Advanced->CPU Config

  - Power Limit 1 - 12000 -> 30000
  - Power Limit 2 - 20000 -> 30000 (or higher? But there are some folks saying L2 is never used so it may not matter)
- Advanced->OEM Config

  - CPU Frequency Auto Low Temp - 22 -> 10

### References

Here's one in-depth video analyzing the Topton N9N, primarily as a mid-tier gaming machine, and also covers the BIOS tweaks mentioned above:  
  
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-knNu1YA4Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-knNu1YA4Q&ref=theblackmoor.net)

### Size Comparison

I noted some size comparisons above, but a picture is worth a thousand words. On the Left is my workstation, and on the right is the current LAN server. Find the new LAN server. :D

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/04/smol.jpg)

so smol
### Amazon (Mostly) Smart Thermostat
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/amazon-mostly-smart-thermostat/
Last updated: 2025-10-29T20:45:51.000Z
I've had a fairly simple four-period, seven-day thermostat since about 2008, which really does everything I need it to do. It sets the AC or Heat up to four times a day and can do seven individual days or group them into Weekday/Weekend. It does have a few limitations, however, such as there's no Auto mode, it's AC, Heat, or Off. And it has no auto-circulate function, so if you need the fan to run to circulate air in the house, you have to manually turn it on and remember to turn it off later. It did, however, have ways to monitor how many hours the fan was running to get a notion of usage, had a notification for when the filter had been in use for 500 hours, Vacation/Hold mode, etc.

But I really wanted something that I could have the fan circulate periodically automatically and be able to adjust the house temperature remotely on the very rare time I would want to do that. There were a few times away from the house I forgot to set it to "Vacation" mode, or times I knew the house would be hot and I was heading home from work early, etc. The Amazon Thermostat was at a reasonable price point to handle these sorts of things.

This post is mostly ramblings about thoughts, impressions, and some annoyances of the initial installation and usage. I will likely start looking for information resources and put actual useful info in here at some point.

### Installation/Setup

Installing the thermostat was very easy. The wiring was easy, the push terminals made inserting wires into terminals easy, and everything was well-marked. Also, unlike my previous thermostat, there were no strange jumpers or questionable things when installing it.

While the installation went pretty easily, I initially found very little actual information on how to set up, use, configure, etc, from Amazon themselves. The listing for the thermostat just refers to "in the Alexa app", but googling or hunting on Amazon's support, there is a help section. I've also found several YouTube videos on the subject, which do fill in the gaps, but, strangely, Amazon doesn't offer more details on some of its features. 

There is no way to set it up initially without a phone or tablet using the Alexa app. Unless you're already in the Amazon/Alexa ecosystem, you probably will not want this thermostat. 

If you're unsure of HVAC wiring, have a professional install the thermostat. It's pretty easy, and everything is pretty well laid out. Both the physical wiring terminal and the Alexa app help get things set up, but if you're unsure, either take the time to understand the wiring or hire a professional. You should also make sure to power your entire HVAC system off while installing. I don't think you could cause any damage to your HVAC system, but better safe than sorry.

So far, one of the biggest post-install concerns I have is that it can be rather slow to react in a dense neighborhood with a lot of 2.4GHz interference. Only supporting 2.4GHz is pretty limited, and frankly, I was very surprised when I realized it didn't support 5GHz. I have a lot of 2.4GHz interference at my house, and unfortunately have several 2.4GHz devices on top of that, so that network can get rather congested and has high latency at times. The Alexa app seems to set the thermostat in real-time, so if I'm having high latency on 2.4GHz, that also means I'm going to see poor latency in the Alexa app waiting for settings to load, change, and save. I was attempting to change my schedule in the Alexa app at one point, and it just would not load at all. A while later, it seemed fine. After you set up the thermostat, you probably don't tinker with it much, but initially, this was a little frustrating.

I also realized that I meant to set my AC temp to a different default temperature, so I set it in the Alexa app and expected the schedule to automatically reflect that change, but it did not. I had to edit the schedule (not changing anything!) and when I saved the 'changed' schedule, it also reflected the updated default Heat/Cool temps. So if you decide you want your AC to be 77 instead of 76, you can't just change it in one place; you have to modify your whole schedule to make that happen. Almost feels more like a bug than a feature.

### Modes on Thermostat

There is a confusing array of nodes on the thermostat itself due to the fact it only has a single Mode button to select. Here they are in order, but keep in mind it starts in the mode you're currently in. Note that there is an option for "Fan" in almost every mode, but this is running the fan continuously. The only way to set the fan to circulate periodically is in the Alexa app. If you set the Fan to circulate in the Alexa app, the Fan icon on the thermostat will blink. The circulate mode seems to run for about 10 minutes and is off for 20 minutes. I originally would have assumed that if the heat or AC has run recently, it would not run again, but that unfortunately is not true; I've heard the AC turn off and the blower turn off, then a few minutes later the blower turned back on.

- Off  
  - Everything is off
- Off + Fan On  
  - Heat/Cool is off, but the fan is on continuously
- Cool (Auto)  
  - This is how you set the Cool temp in Auto mode
- Heat (Auto)  
  - This is how you set the Warm temp in Auto mode
- Cool + Fan (Auto)  
  - Same as above, but also runs the fan continuously
- Heat + Fan (Auto)  
  - Same as above, but also runs the fan continuously
- Cool  
  - Cool-only mode, will not switch to Heat automatically
- Cool + Fan on  
  - Same, but run the fan continuously
- Heat  
  - Heat-only mode, will not switch to Cool automatically
- Heat + Fan on  
  - Same, but run the fan continuously

### Various Positives

Its appearance is pleasing, and the device itself is rather small. If the back plate were smaller, it'd look even smaller than it does. The base plate is really large, probably 2/3 larger than the thermostat itself. This is perhaps handy to hide installations of other previous thermostats, but it seems oversized to me.

Automatic circulation mode is very nice to have, although it would be handy if they told you how often it came on and for how long.

No Alexa devices are required to use the thermostat. Once you set the device up with the Alexa app, you could, in theory, only use the device itself with no Alexa devices and without using the Alexa app, but it isn't particularly user-friendly. Also, note that the thermostat itself is not an Alexa and has no microphone or speaker.

Setting for enforcing a minimum Cool and maximum Heat temperature to avoid someone in the house setting the thermostat manually to some silly temperature is good. I've threatened to put a box over my thermostat a few times in the past, and this would fix those sorts of situations.

The thermostat shows the current humidity in the Alexa app, but does not show it anywhere else, nor do anything with this information that I am aware of. It would be nice if you could set the thermostat to turn on the Cooling if the humidity gets above a set point, for example.

### Big Issue: Short-cycling the system

It took me a few weeks to figure out what was going on, and with some googling discovered that the thermostat is short-cycling the system because the "swing" is too small. Most thermostats have a swing of 2 degrees, which means if it's set to 74F it'll cool until it's below 73F, then let it heat back up until it exceeds 76F before it turns back on. But this allows the system to run a little longer than it has to, but also means it's not cycling on and off constantly.

Unfortunately, this thermostat seems to have a very short swing and is constantly turning on and off. With the AC set to 74F, when it turns off and the house starts warming up, the instant it hits 75F, the AC turns back on. Same with the heat, if it's set to 68F, the instant it hits 67F, it turns on. I'm finding the AC turning on and off every 10 or 15 minutes, and it's relatively cool outside still; this summer, when it's really hot and the house warms up fast, I imagine it will only get worse. 

This will lead to increased wear and tear on the central heating/cooling system and possibly cause it to have a shorter life.

Amazon is aware of the issue. And they just keep telling folks how to "adjust the temperature," basically.

[https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000AUSEP7SQP/amazon-smart-thermostat-cycling-on-and-off-to-many-times](https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000AUSEP7SQP/amazon-smart-thermostat-cycling-on-and-off-to-many-times?ref=theblackmoor.net)

### Manually Created Routine for Short-Cycle Work-Around

On the Amazon support forums, a user suggested his workaround for the short-cycling issue: he created routines to manually create a schedule for this thermometer. Initially, I did not want to do this as it sounds like it'd be really fiddly and annoying to modify; however, I've given it a try, and it seems to work... with a bug or two. I created a separate article, [Fixing Amazon's Thermostat](https://theblackmoor.net/fixing-amazons-thermostat/) on it because it's a fairly long write-up.

### Minor Annoyances

I've noticed that the "Pre-Warm/Cool" setting seems to heat/cool well ahead of when it needs to. For example, overnight, I have the Heat set to 60F in the winter. Overnight, the house had dropped to 66F, and the schedule is set so that at 8 am, it sets the heat to 68\. Looking at data from a thermostat I have in the house, I can tell that it started heating at about 7:15 and was 68 by about 7:30, well earlier than the 8 am setting. Another example: the house was at 65F at 5:55 am when the thermostat was set to turn up to 68F at 6:30\. The heat turned on and was at 68F within 5 minutes. I would expect that the thermostat would heat an appropriate amount before the set time with this setting, so that it was at a temperature at the set time, but not 30+ minutes ahead of time. I will keep an eye on this. 2 degrees is a pretty small delta here, so as we get into the summer season, I'll see how it does with adjusting the house temperature and how far ahead that happens. The thermostat may learn over time to figure out how long it takes to heat/cool the house.

I'm pretty surprised by how weak the filter notification functionality seems to be. It appears to only track how long the filter has been installed, but not the hours of actual use. Filters should be changed after N hours of air passing through them, including fan-only/circulation.

I am missing my old thermostat's one-button "Home Today" feature, which skips to the next period so the house is heated/cooled the way you want it to be while you're there. Sure, I could probably tell Alexa I am home, but if I want to do it quietly, it's a few taps of the Home button to get to Heat, then a bunch of taps to get it up to 68F from the overnight default of 60F. And AC is set to 78, so if the house gets warm during the day, I'll have forgotten to also set the AC temp down lower. A "Home Today" button on the thermostat would be nice here; one tap to go to your normal "Home" temp settings. They could also add a "Home Today" kind of button in the Alexa app, but so far, I'm not seeing a way to do that except manually adjusting the Heat and Cool temps.

It feels like the device has an overly simple physical input method. It has lots it can do in software, but the device itself only has a Mode, Up, and Down button. I'm sure this keeps costs down, but it could be more intuitive to use, like a Nest that has a dial-like user interface. Or just offer a touch-screen interface with buttons/icons to tap. Tap between Heat and AC temps, etc, without flipping through modes.

My wife misses the clock our old thermostat had on it, and I have also realized that I too often look at the clock while walking past it. It would be handy to have a small clock on the display. Also, it'd be nice if there were a way for it to show more details while in idle mode, such as if it's currently heating, cooling, or if the fan is running, but when it's idle, it only shows the current ambient temperature.

### Energy Dashboard

The energy dashboard could be pretty handy to have; however, it doesn't seem to really give you any really useful information. It hasn't registered any energy usage for the last three days that the AC has been running. It registers some time, but no Energy usage. Maybe it only estimates heating energy, which really doesn't make any sense a gas furnace for heat uses significantly less power than the AC for cooling.

And it'd be nice if it would tell me how much time the system ran in total, not just display the average hourly time. Also, there's not a lot of granularity in the setup. I can't input how many watts my fan uses, and I can't input how many watts my AC condenser uses; it's just estimates based on your house size, general setup, and a wide range of bill costs. The energy dashboard also seems not to attempt to track Fan on/circulation power usage. The heat was on one morning until about noon, but it was warm enough the rest of the day to need no heat. I do have Fan Circulate enabled. It showed no power usage in the Dashboard for the remainder of the day.

Also, installing the thermostat made all my smart outlets and bulbs disappear from the Energy Dashboard, or at least I am pretty sure they were there before. Yes, the power consumption of a central heat/AC unit is significantly higher than all of them, but I'd still like to track how much my lamps are using.

### Alexa Interaction

Alexa's voice commands and Routines are very, very limited when controlling the thermostat. If you say "Alexa, set cooling to 74 degrees", Alexa will set the temperature range from 72 to 76 degrees. Same with heating, a two-degree range. There's no way I can tell to make it set the heating point to 68 and the cooling point to 74\. I've tried chaining two commands together, and it only sets the range two times in a row. During the Summer or Winter, this may not be an issue, but in the Spring and Fall, when you may need AC one day and heat the next, it doesn't work, and it's amazing they support auto heat and cool points, but Alexa can't set them.

### Wishlist

I wish it had a minimal API to access the current temperature and maybe some other settings you could query or even set for things like Home Assistant.

It would be nice to optionally get a notification from the Alexa app when the thermostat has been adjusted.

### Summary

When I was looking for a thermostat that could auto-circulate periodically and still have multiple periods per day for heating/cooling, I was not seeing anything much below $45\. With the Amazon thermostat at $65 (when you catch it on sale), it was pretty much a no-brainer to get it. Yes, it has a lot of cost reduction in the display, such as I'm pretty sure it's a very basic colored lens display, like a lot of cheap weather stations do, and its inputs are limited; therefore, changing settings is a bit confusing. But as long as Amazon supports the thermostat for years to come and you're already in or will join the Amazon ecosystem, I don't see how you could go too wrong getting one. 

Would I buy this again? No. The short cycling of the system makes me want to replace it because I am concerned it is putting extra wear and tear on my system. I certainly would not buy it again. Amazon could trivially fix this issue, but I've seen posts about it several times in their support forums, and they always just post how to set up your temperatures and ignore the actual problem. 

### References

I'm going to list a few references on the net I've found that have helpful resources or can fill in gaps that Amazon themselves don't seem to (directly) cover.

Do note that the Amazon app and/or the thermostat itself may change over time, so references here might eventually refer to older application versions, screens may change over time, etc.

- Amazon's Own Support - [https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GMCQK6C7JTCG6NCA](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GMCQK6C7JTCG6NCA&ref=theblackmoor.net)
- Random YouTube Video - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z1gIi36bP0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z1gIi36bP0&ref=theblackmoor.net)
### Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/samsung-galaxy-4/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T14:01:49.000Z
## Yay, new watch!

However, the Watch 4 is not without some limitations, and it isn't the perfect fitness or medical device, but I think it fits into the "good enough" category for all of these things for me. I chose the Galaxy Watch 4, 44mm, not the "Classic" model, which was heavier and more expensive.

## No Samsung Phone? No features!

Samsung has artificially limited this watch to have features only available on Samsung devices; however, there are relatively easy-to-install apps for both the phone and the watch to allow any Android phone to use the watch to its full potential. No modifications are permanent, none will interfere with watch updates or official Samsung software updates, etc. These seem to be very safe to apply and use. The things the modified files fix (and some they don't fix) are documented in this handy Reddit thread: [What is the downside if you use a Galaxy watch paired with a non-Samsung phone?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WearOS/comments/xjd8av/guide%5Fwhat%5Fis%5Fthe%5Fdownside%5Fif%5Fyou%5Fuse%5Fgalaxy/?ref=theblackmoor.net)

Read the thread above, and if you choose to install the modified files, the files and instructions are here in the Mod developers' [Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/138thPYPMbZIp2Us0Unx%5Fh-SqJQEDxZ-0?ref=theblackmoor.net).

I did opt to install the modified files, and once I applied and configured them, I was able to use all watch features in the US on my Pixel 6\. EKG and Blood Pressure are the two primary ones that are otherwise blocked, as noted in the Reddit thread linked above, and these both function on the watch when they otherwise would not.

Shockingly, these mods have survived numerous small updates as well as the large One UI 6 update, which happened late 2024\. EKG and Blood Pressure monitoring still function, at least as well as they ever did.

## Overall fit and function

I wasn't sure about the watch band having the band tucked under itself, but in practice, it's really nice not having to move a loop around to capture the flap, having it catch on things, etc. But you'll likely want to wear the watch one notch looser than you think you'd want it because the strap takes up some space.

Overall, the watch is very responsive, and the watch itself is very low profile, not flashy, light, and comfortable. WearOS has improved a lot over the years, still not really enough, but there is constant improvement.

When I first got the watch, it had 2 OTA updates, both I seemed to have to initiate manually. One took about 20 minutes, the other about 10, so they didn't take a lot of time, but every time I tried to start the update from the watch it would fail. Starting them from the phone seemed to work fine. This update process is really clunky and, honestly, hasn't gotten any better over the years. Google really needs to work on this process. Maybe if the watch/phone discovers an update and does it in the background, the user will never know or care, but if you want to force the watch to get updates, it's a pretty disjointed process.

After the updates were done, several apps had to update from the Play store and 10 or so from the Samsung store. This was slow but fairly painless.

## Battery life

I will likely be doing some nerdy measurements here soon, but overall, I'm happy with the battery life. It would easily last all day with the heart rate monitor set to 1s updates, stress measurements, Always on Display, etc. The watch charges at about 1% a minute, which isn't particularly fast, but it's plenty fast enough for me. I will generally wake up, put the watch on the charger, eat breakfast/shower/etc, and the watch is 100% when I put it back on. I wear it the rest of the day, evening, and sleep in it.

## Use as a medical device

Having a watch that can do heart rate monitoring, pulse-ox, blood pressure, EKG, etc, sounds great, but keep in mind that this is not medical-grade equipment. A watch is at best a good second medical device, but do not use this as your only medical device. Blood Pressure measurement is inaccurate and needs frequent recalibration, and the EKG is of limited use and only does manual tests when you initiate it; there is no constant monitoring of your heart health. That said, the pulse oximeter and heart rate monitor are pretty good. The body composition evaluation is neat, but no idea how accurate it is, and just what I need; my watch fat-shames me. 

No matter what, this watch does not replace yearly exams, and if you're at high risk, devices like a Blood Pressure Monitor, pulse-ox, a real EKG strap, etc, can be a requirement to monitor your health. Take medical advice from your doctor, not from your watch.

### Blood Pressure

To expand on the Blood Pressure monitoring, I calibrated the watch when I first got it and kept getting fairly consistent results when compared to my Omron blood pressure monitor, however, at some point I forgot to pick up my blood pressure medicine for a few days and when I measured my blood pressure it was higher than it normally is at 140/90 on my Omron monitor (take your medicine, kids!) but unfortunately, the watch continued to report 120/80\. 

I did a re-calibration of the Blood Pressure on the watch, and after that, it reported around 140/90\. A few days later, after I had regularly taken my medicine and my Blood Pressure was back to normal at around 120/80, the watch was still unfortunately reporting 140/90.

Another data point: a few days later, I was feeling a little lightheaded, and my Omron measured my Blood Pressure at 105/70, and the watch was still reading around 120/80.

After many recalibrations (calibration expires after 28 days!) and attempting to use the Blood Pressure functionality and comparing it to my Omron monitor, I've firmly decided that the Blood Pressure feature on this watch is effectively useless. The watch does not seem to be doing anything beyond showing values around whatever you calibrated it to. No wonder the FDA won't approve its use.

## Use for sports

For working out, the Heart Rate monitor is okay in some areas, not great in others, but casually, it's likely good enough for most folks. Optical heart rate monitors are good until the watch is moving, vibrating, or you're sweating, etc. It may be misread as half the real rate, double the real rate, or just completely not read at all. If you're training or highly competitive, you likely will want a Polar H10 or some other more accurate and consistent device. For a highly detailed view of how accurate the Heart Rate and other functions are, I recommend watching The Quantified Scientist on YouTube, he puts out videos on many popular devices and has several videos on the Samsung Watch 4.

## Not all is perfect

Tying features to only Samsung devices feels like Samsung trying to drive more Samsung phone sales, which is just silly. Open the watch features up to all phones.

The buttons should be more configurable. You can configure them, but you really can only assign one custom app to a button. The other buttons/configurations let you toggle between Bixby or Google Assistant, etc. I would prefer more options, with two buttons you have to press, hold, and double press, potentially 6 total unique actions you can do, but in reality, it's relatively limited.

Samsung Pay only works if your phone is 100% unmodified stock with a locked bootloader. My Pixel 6 has an unlocked bootloader, so Samsung Pay refuses to work; therefore, I can't make payments using the watch either. Not a feature I think I'd use often, but it could come in handy in a pinch.

## Summary

This is my fourth WearOS watch; my first one lasted a few years, the second two lasted about three years (I got them sort of around the same time), but all of those have stopped charging or functioning, and I've been without a WearOS device for a while. I've been wearing an Amazfit Band 5 for about a year, and it works pretty well, but it has a very limited function beyond a fitness band. I'm glad to have a WearOS watch again and hope to see Samsung continue to put out updates to this watch and continue making new ones.

As of 3/2025, I am still wearing the Watch 4 daily and have not noticed any obvious battery degradation, and the watch functions and looks like it's new. As of October 2025, I will have owned it for three years. Samsung is still putting out periodic updates to the watch and keeps improving it, and Samsung Health, which I'm exceptionally impressed with, given that this watch is now three generations behind their current Watch 7.

## Watchmaker Tips

Watchmaker just works on this watch, which is great, but getting access to Steps and other Health data requires a few manual steps. After which, any watch faces that show steps, distance, etc, will just work. You'll need to select Watchmaker as your watch face, long-press it, and then tap Customize, and then tap the Gear icon at the top. Go to the Complications section, then tap Tag Complications. If needed, tap the Step Count in the list. At some point, the watch should ask Samsung Health for permission to access. It'll then ask you to select Samsung Health - Steps from the list, tap that, and then the complication should work. You should be able to compare the value shown in your watch face and the one in Samsung Health to verify it's working. 

## Bonus Fuzz

I like to keep my electronics looking as good as they can for as long as I can, so I use a case on my phone, and I almost always buy a tempered glass protector for my watches. However, the design of the Galaxy Watch 4 seems perfect for a tempered protector, as it's very flat. There was an alternative I wanted to try out, and that was a bezel you put on the watch, which protects the edges and gives it more of a "real" watch feel. Ultimately, I feel the bezel doesn't fit with the watch quite right, and it interferes a bit with swiping and overall wish I hadn't tried it. But the biggest problem with the stick-on bezel is the STICK part. Every morning, my watch is **covered** in fuzz that has stuck under the bezel, where the sticky tape is holding the bezel down. I keep digging the fuzz out and cleaning it and hoping that eventually the edges of the sticky tape lose their stickiness and the fuzzy watch face effect stops happening. Gross. After bout a week, this problem has mostly gone away, but a few random lingering hairs and things I still keep having to pick out. After a few weeks, this problem did go away, but not super great for a few weeks at least. All said, while the stick-on bezel was initially a bit of a mess and does interfere slightly with gesturing on the watch, it has kept the face of the watch in perfect condition after over 3 years of use.
### Of Caps and Switches
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/of-caps-and-switches/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T14:08:55.000Z
When watching a video or reading up on someone customizing a keyboard, be it a fancy gasket-mounted car payment type of keyboard or improving a budget keyboard, keycaps and switches are two of the biggest things to change, sometimes the only thing to change (besides tweaking of existing components, clipping stabs, etc). Just changing the switches on a keyboard can make improvements in the sound and feel, but do not forget about the caps; they can make a **dramatic** change to how your keyboard sounds.

## Switches

I am not going to get too deep in the weeds here on Switches, as I feel this is very much a personal preference type of area. There are three basic types of switches, and I have my opinions on each ;)

### Linear

Lifeless switches with zero tactile or audible feedback are good for gaming, and pretty much nothing else. If you want or need the absolute quietest type of switch, this is it. These are often intricately lubed internally to give the absolute quietest typing experience possible, either by the manufacturer or by the enthusiast themselves.

### Tactile

Switches with a tactile event during the actuation of the switch, without a distinct noise associated with the next type of switch, clicky. Tactile switches are not necessarily always *quiet*,, but they're quieter. But they give you valuable feedback as you're typing. These vary from basically linear with a very lightly scratchy portion of the travel (typical MX Brown) to feeling like you're pushing a pencil tip through a piece of paper (Kaihl Royal). These types of switches are fine to use in almost all use cases from games to the office, as they generally don't interfere with quick taps in games but also are not obnoxiously loud in the office. However, they do not offer the maximum tactility possible; only clicky switches can do that.

### Clicky

If you need the ultimate in tactility, you gotta go with clicky; however, you are also adding additional noise to each keystroke. Clicky switches are just what they're named; clicky. Each actuation has a distinctive click event associated with it which you feel and hear. Some switches are louder than others, and (IMO) more importantly, some sound different than others. Cheaper knock-off MX Blues have a very high-pitched, pingy snap sound, which I find fairly irritating to listen to even on my own keyboard. Typical "Blue" switches have a "click jacket" that slams into the housing after the key is depressed which creates the noise. Some better MX Blue knockoffs or the original Cherry sound less irritating, but still have a very shrill snap sound, which is just not fun to listen to, especially if it's your office mate a few feet away.

There are alternatives to "Blue" switches which have different forms of mechanical means of making the click, the primary one I am familiar with are Kaihl click bars such as the Kaihl Jade which instead of a jacket that slams into the housing, a metal bar inside of the switch is used to create the tactile (feel) and click (sound) event. By varying the thickness of this bar and the lubrication in the switch itself, click bar type switches can be less irritating to listen to and have a distinctively deeper pitched noise than typical "Blue" switches.

Nonetheless, clicky switches may not be very office-friendly and most gamers will not want this type of switch as rapid depressions of the switch can be more difficult and perhaps more fatiguing than a linear switch.

### Other Switches

I am not going to get into much detail here, but there are many types of switches out there; I am going to mostly concentrate on modern switches which you can readily buy today or come populated on modern keyboards. However, you can still easily find IBM M-type keyboards that come with Buckling Spring switches, which have excellent tactility and a good sound, albeit loud, and have a bit of a pinging noise as the literal spring inside the switch does vibrate around a bit on each keypress. Then there are Matias, Alps, etc, there are many other types of switches, and each has its own unique feel and sound.

### Switch Weighting

I don't want to attempt to get into too much detail on switch weights as I likely can't talk too intelligently about them, but basically, linear switches will have a rating in grams of how much force it requires to get them to Operate and a force as they bottom out. Tactile or Clicky switches will often have Peak, Operating, and Bottom-out ratings. Generally, the higher the number, the stiffer the switch will feel. Some folks like very light switches, others like heavier switches. It's just personal preferences and typing style. If you find yourself typing letters by accident a lot you may want switches with stiffer springs; if you find your fingers tired after typing for a while, you may want lighter springs.

### Evaluating Switch Sound

I can't really say this strongly enough; you can not evaluate the sound of a switch without it being on a keyboard with a keycap on it. A naked switch held in the hand, or in a cheap acrylic tester, etc, will never sound like what it will really sound like on a keyboard. And the keycap makes a huge difference in the sound a switch makes, as I talk about more in the next section.

## Keycaps

A lot of folks, myself included, often considered keycaps as a given on a keyboard and just leave them as-is, as they often have secondary markings specific to the keyboard, plus keycaps can be ***expensive***. But you don't necessarily have to buy super expensive keycaps to get a marked improvement. What improvements do you ask?

### Sound

A lot of budget keyboards ship with the absolute cheapest possible keycaps that are super thin and amplify the sound of the keyboard. Just changing the keycaps can make a **world** of difference in how a keyboard sounds. It can change a Blues' shrill snap into a slightly less shrill snap, but can make a click bar switch like a Kaihl Jade have a much deeper click that doesn't carry as far and just sounds nicer. A thicker keycap that absorbs more sound can literally make an office-hostile keyboard into one that you can likely get away with in the office. Unless you're using Blue's, those are awful. Keep them out of the office, please.

### Feel

There are many, ***many*** styles of keycaps out there. Profiles (height, angle), the top of the cap (flat to deeply sculptured), shape (square to rounded; never round, please god, no), but the feel of the keycaps can make a huge difference to your typing experience. I tend to prefer fairly standard OEM profile caps with sculpted tops and slightly rounded caps, as they give my fingers an obvious place to rest on the keys, and I'm simply used to this type of feel. This sort of setup fits well with a standard type of keyboard.

However, there are keyboard types/setups that do much better with keys that have the same profile across the entire keyboard, such as the XDA profile, which allows you to mix and match and move keys around on your keyboard without worrying about their height, profile, shape, etc. If you've ever tried to put an F key where the Z key goes, you'll know what I mean; almost every row on a typical keyboard, the keycaps have a different shape and profile.

I have two portable keyboards, one with typical OEM profile keycaps and one with XDA keycaps, and I have slowly gotten used to the XDA feel, but I still much prefer the OEM keycaps. I don't know if it's the sculpted top vs flat or the overall flat profile of the XDA, but I just don't really like typing on the XDA keyboard as much.

### RGB, YO

Everyone likes to hate on RGB, including myself, as often it seems to be the thing people focus on most. The reality is that, unless you're paying a premium for the RGB, you can always just turn it off if you don't want it. I personally find assigning colors to areas on my keyboard to be useful, especially keyboards like 60% that have the navigation cluster embedded inside the keyboard itself, or to remind me what the arrow keys do. I touch type, but for the smaller keyboards, I often find myself taking a peek to remember where FN is, or if I'm typing a quick thing out with one hand, I am often just one finger poking and looking. RGB can come in handy in these cases.

If you want to use the RGB as a typing aid, you'll want to have keycaps that have "shine through", ie, the light from under the switch can be seen through the legend on the keycap. A keycap that does not have this will only have a general backlighting effect, which, in my opinion, makes it even harder to see an individual key for a quick single-finger press of a key.

There are various types of keycaps for maximizing RGB effects, from solid keycaps that have no shine through, to ones with shine-through, or to the extreme of "pudding" caps, which have a small upper opaque "cap" on top of the keycap itself to create a shine-through effect for the legend but the rest of the keycap itself glows from the RGB.

### Keycap Sets and Sizes

I can't really say a lot here besides make sure that whatever keycap set you buy, if you're buying it for a specific keyboard, you make sure that it has the keycaps you need. A lot of 60%, 65%, 68%, etc, have different-sized keys, particularly the bottom row keys. On a 60% keyboard, the right Control key is likely a 1.25 key, whereas on a 68% or 75% it's going to be a standard 1.0 key. A 1.25 key is 25% larger than a 1.0 key. You'll have to make sure of other keys as well: tab, both shifts, enter, etc. And perhaps even consider if the set contains an ESC in the right location, etc, as some boards move this key around. It would be pretty frustrating to buy a keycap set and realize that your right shift is an odd size and the one in the set does not fit your keyboard.

## What do I use?

I typed on IBM M (Buckling Spring) keyboards for many years, and while I love the feel, I don't like the pingy sound, and I just prefer modern keyboards and switches overall. I often use one of my keyboards with my Android tablet, and you pretty much just have to use a modern keyboard for that kind of setup. Many folks say that MX-type switches are a cheap compromise in the universe of switches and that there are better ones out there, such as Alps, etc, but Alps are very expensive and hard to find.

I currently use Kailh Royal switches in my primary desktop keyboard at home in my Mistel MD770 keyboard. I picked them for their tactility without excessive noise. Were this keyboard hot-swap, I'd likely have swapped them out for Kaihl Box Jades by now, as I've really fallen in love with those types of switches in my portable keyboards.

I currently have three portable keyboards, two of them with Kaihl Box Jade switches in them and one with Kaihl Box Pink switches. I love the feel and don't mind the sound of the Jade switches, but they can sometimes be slightly tiring, so after some thought, I ordered a set of Box Pink switches.

### Kaihl Box Royal

These have a rather sudden and obvious tactile event without a click event, so these are great to type on without the excessive clicking noises. They are not necessarily a "quiet" switch, but I also do not feel they are loud at all. These do turn slightly clicky over extended use, but it's a very light click, and I actually find it to be an improvement over their original feel. I have one key on my daily keyboard that I have never used more than a dozen or so times, the key to program macros, and the sound and feel of the difference is pretty drastic after a lot of use. However, I do actually prefer the "worn" feel of the Royals.

### Kaihl Box Jade switch

These have a very sharp tactile event, a fairly loud but dull (not shrill) click event, and a very satisfying feel. And like all Kaihl Box switches, these are overall very smooth with almost no wobble.

### Kaihl Box Pink switch

These are very similar to the Box Jade in sound and feel, but overall, for me, more comfortable to type on all day long. The Pinks are heavier to actuate on paper but lighter on bottoming out. I have always been a heavy typist and basically bottom out on every keystroke, so this means that the Pink switches actually feel lighter to me, and in practice, I've found that they do feel much easier to type on after a long day of typing. 

### LTC OEM Keycaps

My work keyboard (Royal Kludge 84) has LTC OEM profile keycaps on it. These are well sculpted, are the OEM profile that I'm used to, and have a reasonably decent nub on the F and J keys. These caps overall feel pretty good, have rather good shine-through for backlighting, and have impressive sound qualities. I did not expect $20 keycaps to sound so good, look good, and feel good. I purchased these keycaps sort of on a whim (and because the RK84's caps are garbage), and I'm really happy with them. Are the legends perfectly evenly lit and have a perfect font with precision alignment? No. Are they fine? Yes.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/05/PXL_20220516_152031040.jpg)

LTC OEM Shinethrough caps on my RK84

### LTC Pudding XDA Keycaps

Also on a whim, I wanted to try XDA profile keycaps, and while I was not really interested in "pudding" caps, these were the only ones I could find easily that had the sizes I needed for my keyboard and were reported to be thick and have a good sound. I was impressed with how good they sound and feel, although I still feel like a bit of a twit using pudding keycaps.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/05/PXL_20220516_152109578.jpg)

LTC Pudding XDA caps on my RK68

## Switch Tester

I had looked at a lot of Youtube and Reddit reviews on switches and was pretty sure that Kaihl Box Jade were the switches for me in all cases where some additional noise was not an issue, however, I wanted to familiarize myself with some of Kaihl's other offerings so I found a switch tester which came with some thin, clear keycaps (toss 'em!) and 24 different Kaihl switches. Since I'm a nerd, I ordered them from lightest to heaviest in each category of switch: Clicky, Tactile, and Linear. I then put some leftover caps from my LTC Pudding XDA set on them and have used them a few times to ponder if I liked any other switches. The only switch that was missing was Kaihl Box Pink, and I really wanted to try it out, so I did the sane thing and ordered 90 of them. I'm glad I did, I love my Jade's but they can be a bit heavy to type on all day, the Pinks feel just a little bit lighter by the end of the day.

As mentioned above, don't think you know what a switch is going to really sound like in a keyboard purely based on a switch tester. You certainly can compare feel and sound compared to another switch in the tester, but before you go out and buy a full set of switches for a keyboard, you'll want to swap a key into your existing one, if possible, and see what it feels and sounds like.

And just in case it's not clear, a switch tester is only a platform to check out what switches feel like mounted into something solid. As you can see in the image below, the switches themselves are not wired up in any way.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/05/PXL_20220518_222325861-1.jpg)

Top, using extra LTC Pudding XDA caps

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/05/PXL_20220518_222338516--1--1.jpg)

Underneath, naked switches

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/05/PXL_20220518_222415929-1.jpg)

From the side, you can see the Pale Blue, Jade, Pink, and White stems respectively from left to right
### Royal Kludge RK84
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/royal-kludge-rk84/
Last updated: 2026-08-18T14:16:34.000Z
This is going to be a somewhat short post as this keyboard is pretty similar to the [Royal Kludge 68 Pro](https://theblackmoor.net/royal-kludge-68-pro?sametab&) I've already written quite a bit about, however, there are a few minor differences and I may discover more so I'll do what I like to do; endlessly babble about stuff only I care about and maybe someday someone on the internet will find it and think; huh, I needed to know that! So I suggest if you're interested in Royal Kludge keyboards in general, read the 68 Pro post first, then return here if you're specifically interested in the RK84, as most of this post will be referring to differences in the two models.

## RK68 Pro vs RK84 Highlights

The primary physical difference between the RK68 and RK84 is the addition of a row of keys at the top for F keys, which also puts Esc and \` in the normal places and gives the keyboard a few more navigation keys. I do a lot of cursoring around, home, end, etc, and having these keys directly on the keyboard is important for me. I have attempted to use a 60% keyboard at work, and it drives me completely insane having to use FN so much; I know some "ergo" nuts out there feel that the fewer keys there are, the better the keyboard is, but that's not for me.

I will primarily be using this keyboard at my desk at work, so Bluetooth reliability will be less of a concern for me on this keyboard; however, I will be testing it extensively on Bluetooth to determine if this keyboard has any connectivity issues, which seem to be common on cheaper keyboards. It was a hard requirement on my RK68Pro, which passed with mostly flying colors, so I hope this board will as well. All the other requirements from my RK68Pro still hold true (remapping keys, reliability, etc).

Features, functions, software, etc, for the most part, are almost completely common between the two boards, so I won't go into any details there. I'm pretty sure the software is even exactly the same; I installed the one for the RK84, and it updated the existing one, and both keyboards seem to work fine with it. I was a bit concerned about it keeping track of the 68 vs the 84, but it seems fine. So I won't get into any deep details in this area.

The stock keyboard out of the box was, unfortunately, basically the same as the 68 Pro as well; hollow, cheap switches, and horrible keycaps. The RK68Pro came with real Gateron switches, but the RK84 had switches labeled "RK". I did not spend a lot of time evaluating them, but they seemed fine. But I already had switches lined up to populate the keyboard. I had read some reviews saying the keyboard was overly light, felt cheap, and flexed terribly. This non-Pro version is a plastic case, so it is lighter, but it does not feel cheap and does not flex. As I've used this keyboard a bit more, I am actually appreciating the lighter weight vs my RK68 Pro.

Besides the really trash keycaps they put on the keyboard, this, similar to the RK68Pro, would be a fine keyboard to use out of the box, even for keyboard nerds. I spent some time (and money) putting in a felt layer between PCB and Plate, put in Kaihl Box Pink switches, and some thicker OEM profile keycaps from LTC, and it sounds and feels a lot better now. However, I did screw up a bit on the felt; it interferes with the space bar stabilizer, so I may have to fix this at some point. I'm hoping it'll "wear in" a bit, but right now the space is a bit stiff and can sometimes not return if I hit it in certain ways. Time will tell as I actually use the keyboard. Unfortunately, it means taking the entire keyboard apart again unless I can figure out a way to pull the felt downwards and clip out the offending bits without taking everything apart. Protip: don't remove your stabs when doing a felt or foam lining between Plate and PCB, so you notice these things earlier!

Side note on Kaihl Pink switches: I've been using Jades in all of my portable keyboards, but I wanted something just a touch lighter for this keyboar,d so I went with Pink. They are a bit higher-pitched, which is unfortunate, but it's not too significant, and they actually feel a bit *heavier* than Jades, which I did not expect. The force curves/specs do show them being 5 grams heavier on Peak and Operating force, and 5 grams lighter on Bottom Out. Maybe I should have gone with White, oh well! Time will tell, but even with their slightly higher operating force, they feel lighter. I had heard a few reviews saying they were a "lighter Jade," which is why I purchased them. Over time, I've really come to like Kaihl Pink's; they are a lot less tiring, but still have a nice sound and feel, and aren't overly offensively loud.

I'll reiterate one thing I did not like about the 68 Pro that is common on the 84: the On/Off and Bluetooth/2.4GHz switches are very small and fiddly. I really wish they'd make these better; they really feel awful, and I fear they will eventually break, and when they do, it'll be pretty hard to fix, as they're soldered directly onto the keyboard. I wish they would just mount them on the back of the keyboard.

## Bluetooth Stability

I've used the keyboard on the same tablet I use all of the time and have zero issues with the RK68; however, I have had a few issues with stuttering from the RK84, unfortunately. Of the three nights I've used the RK84 with my Android tablet, the first night I saw no stuttering, the second night I saw it several times, and the third night I didn't see it again. I am beginning to suspect that it's not just the keyboard having issues, but perhaps also tablet issues. However, I am pretty sure that this keyboard is worse than my RK68, so perhaps different hardware, firmware, etc. It would be disappointing if I were using this as a Bluetooth keyboard; however, I plan to primarily only use it on USB. 

So the Bluetooth stability is nowhere as bad as the Kemove Shadow, but still enough to be concerning if my primary use case were Bluetooth; however, this keyboard will primarily be used on USB. If you're using it on Bluetooth, this may be more of an issue for you. I will continue to use Bluetooth periodically for testing and update as necessary.

And as for USB, I've used this keyboard for a week at work on USB; not a single flaw.

## Battery and Charging

I've heard the battery life is terrific on this keyboard, and it has the same poor indication of charging/full/empty as the other RK keyboards, unfortunately. In theory, when you plug in the keyboard, it will flash the space bar 3 times to indicate charging, and 5 times to indicate it's full. In reality, I always see it flash 3 times.

I am pretty sure I never saw the battery percentage when I first got the RK84, but the keyboard does indicate the battery status over Bluetooth to my Pixel Tablet. I don't think the keyboard has changed, as I have not updated the firmware, but more likely the tablet handles more battery information than it used to. My RK68Pro originally did not show any battery level until it was at 30% but I have seen both it and the RK84 show in 10% increments now as of March 2025\. I have no idea when this may have started working better in Android, but I'm glad it is.

There is no on-keyboard way to see the percentage. I've seen claims that FN+Enter will show 1-0 lighting up on the numbers, to indicate 10-100% but mine does not do this. I've also heard that the Fn light flashing indicates low battery, but I am not 100% sure. It appears that there may actually be multiple variations of the same "RK84" keyboard that behave differently.

Overall, the keyboard holds a charge **exceptionally** well. I don't use the RK84 as much as I used to, and it sometimes will sit on my desk for weeks or months at a time, and the battery is always good when I do.

## Software

Both keyboards appear to use the exact same software, so anything on the RK68Pro applies here. A lot of people hate this software, but I don't think it's that bad. The only thing I wish it would allow is setting FN sequences, the same as the RK68Pro.

## Keyboard Shortcuts

Since this keyboard is physically different than the RK68Pro, I'll completely write out all of the keyboard layout/shortcuts here rather than any kind of delta.

Bluetooth Keys (Long press to pair)

- FN+Q - Connect to Device 1
- FN+W - Connect to Device 2
- FN+E - Connect to Device 3

2.4GHz Dongle

- FN+P - Pair to 2.4GHz dongle (should not be needed in normal use)

*Note; to switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz use the switch on the bottom of the keyboard. Also if you see the P key flashing, that indicates it's trying to connect to the 2.4GHz dongle. If you don't intend to use it you may have accidentally flipped the Bluetooth/2.4GHz switch on the bottom of the keyboard.*

Misc Keys

- FN+PrtSc - Insert
- FN+Pause - Scroll Lock

Backlight Keys

- FN+Home - Switch light setting, including back to a user-set color scheme
- FN+End - Cycle through backlight patterns? Not sure, seems very similar to FN+Home but they don't do the same thing
- FN+Up - Increase Brightness
- FN+Down - Decrease Brightness
- FN+Left - Reduce Speed
- FN+Right - Increase Speed

Media Keys

- FN+F1 - Computer
- FN+F2 - Browser
- FN+F3 - Email
- FN+F4 - Calculator
- FN+F5 - Media Player
- FN+F6 - Stop
- FN+F7 - Previous Song
- FN+F8 - Play/Pause
- FN+F9 - Next Song
- FN+F10 - Mute
- FN+F11 - Volume Down
- FN+F12 - Volume Up

Layout Keys

- FN+A - Windows Layout
- FN+S - Mac Layout
- FN+Win - Toggle Windows key function on/off

Reset Key Sequence

- FN+Space for 3s - Reset back to factory defaults

## Quirks/Annoyances

- The floating frame option is nice, but if you attempt to pick up the keyboard from the top with the frame on you're likely to wind up dropping the keyboard  
  - I've done it twice, but I could just start picking it up from the side or maybe just stop being clumsy
  - I've also found that every time I put it in my backpack when I get it out, the frame is detached
  - They really should have made this frame clip on more securely, perhaps put a few screws in it. Who would take it on/off (intentionally!) frequently?

## Keyboard Versions

Royal Kludge seems to make little changes and improvements over time to these keyboards, so what I bought and what you buy may not be the same thing, so just a fair warning. You could get old stock or get an updated model. Even when I purchased mine, there were reviews saying that the keyboard came with foam in it; mine did not, for example. My keyboard was a Black model with a serial number starting in 21, purchased in May of 2022.

## Conclusion

I think this will be an excellent typical office keyboard for me; it has all of the keys I need daily without any FN combinations, yet it's compact. With some tweaking, the sound is pretty well dampened, and the keys are as quiet as they're going to be, given that I use Kaihl clicky switches. The stabs sound fine, and if they ever were a problem, they could be replaced cheaply. The build quality on this keyboard is fine; it has a total of a dozen screws holding the PCB, Plate, and Case together, so there's really no flex in the body, and even though the body of the keyboard is plastic, it feels plenty solid enough while remaining light. The plate is a thick piece of metal, so there's no flex from it, and it's tightly integrated with the bottom half and well screwed down. I wish my specific model had come with foam etc, built into it, as doing it myself was pretty tedious, but I'm really happy with the keyboard so far. If anything of concern comes up, I will update this review.

- Pros  
  - Good value for the price
  - Solid keyboard that's compact, yet complete
  - Lightweight, but not flimsy
- Cons  
  - Thin poppy horrid keycaps (pay $20 for a replacement set, really)

## PCB Images

Whoops; I forgot to get these when I originally took the keyboard apart, and unless I absolutely have to, I likely won't be taking it apart again. I wish I had remembered to do this.
### Royal Kludge 68 Pro
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/royal-kludge-68-pro/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T14:35:14.000Z
As noted on my [Keeb Weeb page](https://theblackmoor.net/keeb-weeb-lol?sametab&), I am a bit of a keyboard nerd. I have always loved good keyboards and don't really want to put up with trash ones. I've owned a[ Kemove 61](https://theblackmoor.net/kemove-61-is-junk?sametab&) for about 18 months, but I can't put up with its stuttering/repeating keys bugs anymore, so I did a bunch of research for a new keyboard to use with my Android tablet primarily. Given this is a keyboard I may use on the back patio, on the couch, in random places, I needed the following: 

- Bluetooth
- Hotswap
- Compact
- Backlit
- Ability to remap keys  
  - At least make CapsLock send Control
  - Also, Android doesn't seem to like Right Alt; so remap Right Alt to be Left Alt
- Reasonably inexpensive
- Reliable and not buggy

I looked at a few Keychron keyboards as they seemed to fit most of the requirements; however, I found that there are no remapping abilities in any of their keyboards. A lot of other keyboards don't come with Bluetooth, so I had to discount them as my primary use case is with my Android tablet. I found that all of my basic requirements seem to be covered by the Royal Kludge keyboards. After a bit of research to decide which one fit my needs and to make sure they weren't going to be the buggy mess that the Kemove 61 is, I decided to go with the Royal Kludge 68 Pro, ASIN B097B3QFQ8, USB device 0079\. They make quite a few keyboards, but I narrowed it down to the 61 or the 68 and went with the 68 because it only added one row of keys but gave me arrow keys without hitting FN, which I find exceptionally annoying when cursoring around a lot on 60% keyboards. I could have saved a few bucks and gone with the non "Pro" model, but the "Pro" model had a few nice things going for it.

- Solid build with very thick aluminum case  
  - Con: Aluminum is super cold in the winter, plus it's so thick it's quite heavy
- Supposed to be the "Latest Model" of the RK68  
  - Previous models had a few issues, the latest ones were said to be bug-free
- Proprietary 2.4GHz or Bluetooth connectivity  
  - Although I'll likely never use the 2.4GHz bit

## TLDR: Quick Pre-Review Update

Two months of ownership, is it still good? Yep. I've had maybe a dozen total times Bluetooth did anything weird at all, and all but one of them were at most a few characters repeated. One time, I had about 10 characters repeated. So while it's not perfect, it's perfectly within reason for me, and I'm happy with it. The only quirks I've experienced are two times I've somehow reset the board back to factory settings while carrying around turned on, apparently, FN+Space is really easy to hold for 3s. Maybe it should be a key like FN+Tab or something, keys farther apart. Either way, it's easy to recover from. If you're looking for something inexpensive, hot-swap, and portable, I can't recommend this keyboard enough. This, of course, said I have replaced the switches with Kaihl Jade ($40) and put on better keycaps ($20) and a little grease on the stabs to make it feel and sound better, but it's still cheaper than any premium keyboard. 

## Overview and Mini Review

The Royal Kludge 68 Pro is a 68-key portable keyboard with Bluetooth or a proprietary 2.4GHz dongle for wireless connectivity, or USB-C for wired connectivity and charging. You can pair up to 3 different Bluetooth devices and switch between them on the keyboard. It has hotswap sockets and comes with Gateron Blue, Brown, or Red switches. The software allows you to reassign keys, assign macros, and allows you to customize the RGB lighting, including per-key customization. The Pro model differs from the regular RK68 by coming standard with a thick aluminum case and is supposed to have the latest PCB revision and firmware.

I went ahead and purchased the model with blue switches, even though I already had a pile of these from my Kemove 61\. They appear to be standard Gateron even though I've heard they were supposed to be "RK Pro" (which are just Gateron anyway), but they're worse than I recall them being. They have a weird 'click' right at the very top of the travel where the stem seems to snag and then shifts if you just lightly press. They are also very wobbly, very inconsistent-sounding, very pingy, etc. Had one switch that was acting weird until I typed on it a bit, and now it seems to work consistently, so at least there's no loss of function. I'm not too concerned about the switches that came with it, as I intended to replace them as soon as I had tested the board out; however, these switches are pretty junky and almost a waste, as anyone who's serious about their keyboard at all will wind up replacing them.

Out of the box, the keyboard is very pingy, high-pitched, and hollow-sounding. They really should go ahead and put some felt/foam in the bottom of the case and between the PCB and plate on the "pro" model. This has traditionally been part of a "keyboard modding" procedure, but a lot of keyboards are being made now with this done at the factory. I think this keyboard could have benefited from it greatly, and it couldn't cost much more, although it probably does complicate assembly. I would be fine with a board with NO switches and foam/felt in it as an option, as the switches are going right in a drawer anyway.

The space bar was pretty clunky, so I almost immediately put o-rings on it, but this isn't unique to this keyboard. On a lot of keyboards, the space bar is really clunky-sounding, perhaps just because it's so large. I also put a bit of foam inside the space bar to make it a bit less hollow-sounding.

I'm not a huge fan of the teeny tiny switches on the underside of the board to turn Bluetooth on/off and to switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz. They feel like they're not very sturdy, and you just have to remember which is which.

I really wish the board came with a black keycap option. I really hate white keyboards, but I really wanted to try this one out, and it was the only option. Not a huge fan of secondhand caps as they don't have the right labels, plus they're either junk or expensive (or both). Unfortunately, on this keyboard replacement caps are almost a must; they are very thin and make everything sound very high-pitched and sharp-sounding, even with the exact same switches compared to my Kemove 61\. The Kemove 61 has no modifications except bandaid-modded stabs. I am even using 4 switches from the same batch I put in the Kemove 61, so it's not a difference in the switches themselves that I can tell. Also does not appear to be related to usage, as some of the lesser-used keys on my Kemove 61 have pretty consistent sound with the more used keys. I swapped a few caps from the Kemove 61 to the RK68, and the sound was dramatically better immediately, as the Kemove caps are significantly thicker. I have since swapped all the caps from my Kemove 61 that I could to the RK68, although some won't swap over due to size differences.

I really can't emphasize how important caps are to feel and sound; they can make a world of difference. Thin caps can ring and amplify pinging and clicking, whereas thicker caps can sound more "thocky" and dampen noises. I can't really suggest any particular keycaps, however, as I have not really done much experimentation with caps besides the mostly junk caps I have here at the house.

I primarily use the keyboard on Android and occasionally on Linux, so a keyboard that's 100% standalone is a requirement for me; key assignments, macros, etc, must be stored in the keyboard and not require the software to operate normally, and this keyboard fits into that requirement. The software is required to set up the keyboard, but otherwise, I will never use it as I don't use Windows. 

## Bluetooth Stability

So far, so good; I have seen a few minor quirks, but this might happen on any Bluetooth keyboard, so I am not sure. I have seen a few repeats/stutters, but nowhere near as bad as the Kemove 61\. Things like typing "word" wound up being "worrdd" but that was it; no endless repeating. I've had very few issues with connecting to devices, although I find the "connecting" indicators to not be as obvious as the Kemove 61\. The Kemove 61 blinked the associated key light when connecting or when not connected. The RK68 does this too, but doesn't seem to flash when connecting, so it's unclear when it's in the connecting process and when it's actually connected. But I've had no problems with random disconnects, no missed keystrokes, etc.

After using the keyboard for about a month, I can say that the Bluetooth stability is way, way better than the Kemove 61 and is perfectly acceptable for me, for use as a Bluetooth keyboard. I've had it repeat a few characters maybe 5 times, no random disconnects, no long repeats, etc.

## 2.4 GHz Dongle

This is not something I am likely to use very much, but I can confirm it seems to work fine. It does some proprietary communication between the keyboard and the dongle, but shows up as a normal HID USB device, basically a keyboard, so it'll work on any computer that will work with a USB keyboard. In some quick testing, it seems to be as quick and reliable as USB typing. I have read a few times it only works from "2 feet" away, which does not seem to be at all true; I am reliably able to type from at least 10 feet away with clear line of sight. 20 feet away with a wall between me and the dongle, only a few letters made it. Unless my limited testing is a fluke, this would work perfectly well in any reasonably sized room, like if you have a media PC on a large screen and were sitting some distance away. The dongle is on my desk, plugged into a USB hub, not behind a metal desktop PC, so I am not sure how far it would work if it were plugged into the back of the PC, but I'm sure it'd be much reduced. 

It would be interesting if someone had the ability to monitor the traffic on the 2.4GHz dongle to see if it's encrypted at all or not; I have a strong suspicion it is not. Bluetooth has had some faults, but it is at least encrypted. I've googled the device and found no information beyond people using it on various devices. It is identified by both "Areson Technology Corp 2.4G Wireless Receiver" and "Compx 2.4G Wireless Receiver Mouse" on my system here, and is USB Vendor 25a7 Product fa70.

## Battery and Charging

As with many things on this keyboard, the battery specifications seem to vary from listing to listing, but I know mine is 1850mAh. Other boards that specify 1450mAh give 10 hours of usage on Bluetooth with the backlights, 13 hours if the backlights are set to their dimmest level, but I don't have good information on how many hours the keyboard will run with the backlights off. Charge time is stated at 3-4 hours, and the keyboard gives an indication of charging by flashing the space bar a few times. I've found that I sometimes do not see the space bar flash when plugged in, and I believe it may be a bug if customized RGB is set, as if I turn off RGB or set it to a normal preset, it shows the flash when plugging it in. 

Beyond a few flashes when the keyboard first starts charging, there is no indication of the state of charge, neither when charging nor when discharging. I've also tried to read the state of charge using a few methods over Bluetooth, and the keyboard does not appear to provide this information using any method on a PC that I know of. This is a shame, as some other keyboards will at least let you know when the battery is getting low by lighting a specific key or flashing a key to alert you. However, once the battery gets to a critical level, it will begin to flash the Fn key, and then after that, it will turn off the backlights. I would suggest keeping the keyboard charged when possible and avoiding deep discharges, but at least there is some warning.

I did not keep track of exactly how many hours I used the keyboard on a full charge, but it was quite a few. After almost a week of using the keyboard a few hours at night, the keyboard went to sleep here and there, but I'm pretty impressed with the battery life. I have RGB on every key, but keep it on the lowest level as I don't need it very bright, but it is handy in a dark room to quickly hit a specific key. I've touch-typed for years but still find shine-through key backlighting handy. Non-shine-through, I don't find quite as useful.

Oddly, I have not yet seen the battery level show up over Bluetooth until the battery was low. When it first went low, I looked, and it showed up as 30% full. I wish it showed the level throughout its cycle, as I prefer to charge things before they get much below 40% but I'll probably just recharge it every couple of days. However, as of 3/2025, I am seeing 10% increments in battery status over Bluetooth to my Pixel Tablet, so I think Android has updated and is showing more battery status than it used to. Same as my RK84; it originally did not have any battery status in Android, and now it does as well.

Overall, the keyboard holds a charge **exceptionally** well. I don't use the RK68 as much as I used to, and it sometimes will sit on my desk for weeks or months at a time, and the battery is always good when I do.

## Software

The Amazon listing that I purchased the keyboard had a bit.ly link to a Google Drive with the software; very sketchy, but I'll be doing all of the programming in an isolated virtual machine, so I don't really care all that much. If you purchase a Royal Kludge keyboard, make sure you know how to get the software, as some of them are quite hard to find, and there are a bunch of various versions of the software that work with the various versions of different keyboards. I am not going to directly link to the software I got because of this; just look for it on the seller's page if you're buying one, and if you can't find the link, I would highly suggest asking for it or finding it before purchasing.

Remapping keys is easy in the software, as are macros. Setting a custom color was a little weird at first, but that was also easy once I figured it out. What I have not figured out is whether there is a way to map an FN-Key to something. I'd love to remap a few FN keys like FN-PageUp and FN-PageDown, which are Pause and Scroll Lock. I'd much rather have Home/End there. Or to add a Menu key to the keyboard without giving up a key. But I see no way to do this. 

I've seen at least a few times that people have had issues with the RK Software causing issues with Bluetooth; I can say for sure on my exact board and the exact software I'm using, this is not the case. But sadly, it's hard to say exactly what my board and software are.

### Software Guides

During research on this keyboard, I found a few YouTube videos that demonstrated how to use the software, so I'm going to link those here. Both are pretty similar in content, but not exactly.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzRdF1SuBH4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzRdF1SuBH4&ref=theblackmoor.net)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVkNLI9Dns](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVkNLI9Dns&ref=theblackmoor.net)

## Default Keyboard Layout and Shortcuts

Note that all shortcuts mentioned below are in reference to their original location; it is impossible to remap any FN key combinations, so if a particular shortcut is FN-\` which is the top-right key by default, even if you remap that key, the top-right key is always the same FN function. You can refer to the image at the top of this post for the default layout. I haven't seen a better image of it offhand. 

The keyboard has the ability to switch between a Windows and Mac layout, but as far as I can tell, this mostly affects what FN+1 2, etc, do. On Windows, FN+8 is F8, on Mac, FN+8 is Play; ie, it defaults to the "Media" keys.

I've seen differing reports on what default behavior is for F keys, Arrow keys, etc, so here is what I have seen: FN+1 through FN+= sends F1 through F12\. Arrow keys work as arrow keys. I have not had any reason to use any of the media keys, but to use those, you would need to hit FN+Left Control to toggle then hit FN+8 for Play, for example.

Note that every version of the RK68 seems to be different; there are even RK68s out there that can pair to 5 Bluetooth devices, have a "gaming" mode, and can record 3 macros to play directly on the keyboard. It's amazing how much variety of functionality in a single "model" of the keyboard there is.

Bluetooth Keys (Long press to pair)

- FN+Q - Connect to Device 1
- FN+W - Connect to Device 2
- FN+E - Connect to Device 3

2.4GHz Dongle

- FN+P - Pair to 2.4GHz dongle (should not be needed in normal use)

*Note; to switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz use the switch on the bottom of the keyboard. Also if you see the P key flashing, that indicates it's trying to connect to the 2.4GHz dongle. If you don't intend to use it you may have accidentally flipped the Bluetooth/2.4GHz switch on the bottom of the keyboard.*

Navigation Keys

- FN+\[ - Home
- FN+\] - End
- FN+\` - Print Screen
- FN+Del - Insert
- FN+PgUp - Pause
- FN+PgDown - Scroll Lock

Backlight Keys

- FN+\\ - Switch light setting
- FN+, - Cycle through single-color backlight settings
- FN+Up - Increase Brightness
- FN+Down - Decrease Brightness
- FN+Left - Reduce Speed
- FN+Right - Increase Speed

In "F" Mode

- FN-1 through FN-= are F1 through F12

In Media Mode

- FN+1 - Computer
- FN+2 - Browser
- FN+3 - Email
- FN+4 - Calculator
- FN+5 - Media Player
- FN+6 - Stop
- FN+7 - Previous Song
- FN+8 - Play/Pause
- FN+9 - Next Song
- FN+10 - Mute
- FN+11 - Volume Down
- FN+12 - Volume Up

Layout Keys

- FN+Left Control - Toggle between F keys and Media keys
- FN+A - Windows Layout
- FN+S - Mac Layout
- FN+Win - Toggle Windows key function on/off

Reset Key Sequence

- FN+Space for 3s - Reset back to factory defaults

## Modification Time

After a few days of using the keyboard, I decided that it seemed to be significantly more stable than my Kemove 61 and was fulfilling my needs so it was time to do some tweaks.

My plans were to tweak and lube the stabs, add some sound-deadening material inside the case, and replace switches with Kaihl Jades.

The key switches on the top and bottom rows are really hard to get out because the switch tabs are so close to the edge of the case. I have three different switch pullers, and none of them would fit. I have to wedge them in and slide them down the front of the switch to get it in place to remove it. There should be a little more room here. I had to use an old-school chip puller to get to the top tab, and even at that is pretty fiddly. I eventually found the best method was carefully releasing the tab with a small flathead screwdriver to give myself room under that side of the switch, then removing it with the switch puller.

The top plate appeared to be installed in the case while the paint was wet, as it was really stuck inside, even after removing all of the switches and screws. After a bit of very careful prying, it popped loose and now fits in and out easily. At first, I kept thinking I was somehow missing a screw, but there are only 6 and it just turned out to be stuck the very first time.

I put roof repair/gaffer's tape, which is a dense butyl rubber, in the bottom of the case to hopefully reduce some of the hollow sound based on some research I had done a while back. This sort of dense tape is supposed to be good for sound deadening and is more ESD-safe than random pieces of foam. This process is pretty easy, just cut a few pieces to fit, then trim out where the switches and mounting posts are in the case. I could likely do more here, as there is quite a bit of room towards the back, but there isn't a lot in the front, so it would have to taper. 

I had originally planned to put a layer of felt or some other material between the PCB and the Plate, but just so happened that the switches and a few other materials all came in, and I started doing the mods, but I overlooked that the felt material was delayed in shipping, and I didn't want to wait. If I take everything apart again in the future, I will very likely add this later.

Another minor modification I have done is called the "tape mod," where you put a thick layer of painter's tape on the backside of the PCB, which is said to dampen sound more. I did not do a before-and-after comparison, really, but it may sound better? IDK? Hopefully doesn't hurt the PCB by making it sticky over time. I'm thinking that it will eventually come unstuck, but we'll see. It took about 5 minutes to put it on around the two switches and plugs, and trim up, so not too much investment here. I eventually removed this after a few weeks, as the more I thought about it, the more I have seen painters' tape almost has a hard glue-like consistency after being left somewhere too long and I was afraid that if I removed it later, it would make a mess or even damage the keyboard. It came off easily, but had I left it on a year, I don't know.

As with almost every keyboard, I clipped the stabs to reduce noise against the PCB. I also did the bandaid mod by putting medical tape on the PCB and on the plate to reduce the stabilizer housing rattle. I used dielectric grease on the stab housing and on the stab bars, as I don't have any fancy Krytox grease. I've seen a somewhat new "mod" going around that wraps medical tape around the ends of the stab bars or wraps them around the holes in the stab inserts, but I didn't do this, but it's easily done at a later date.

### Future Modifications

As mentioned, I had planned to put some dampening material between the PCB and Plate, so I will likely do that if I ever replace the switches with some switches I really want to try out called the Zeal Clickiez. These sound like almost the perfect switches, although I have not seen a ton of information on them just yet, and they're currently quite expensive. I love Kailh Jade's, but they are pretty loud; something a little less loud but retaining similar tactility would be great.

I have also replaced the keycaps on the RK68, and I go into more detail about what caps I've tried in my [Of Caps and Switches](https://theblackmoor.net/of-caps-and-switches?sametab&) article.

### Better Modifications

My modifications were pretty minimal, but like all keyboards, there are some people who go to extremes to modify their keyboards and make them sound and look great. Here are a few examples.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sArdyYW2Gg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sArdyYW2Gg&ref=theblackmoor.net)  
  
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeCsujp\_oA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeCsujp%5FoA&ref=theblackmoor.net)

## Layout Modifications

The software, unfortunately, only offers some limited layout tweaking as you can't assign any keys to FN-Key, so you can not move "Print Screen," for example, FN plus the top-right key will always be Print Screen even if you made \` another key. 

Nonetheless, I have made Caps Lock send Left Control, Right Alt sends Left Alt since Android doesn't seem to understand Right Alt, swapped the \` and ESC keys so that \` is in the correct location and I type that key quite a bit being a Linux user and rarely need to use ESC on my portable keyboards so it's fine that it's in a slightly strange place now. I've also moved the Page Up and Page Down keys up one, so it's easier to land on them, and moved the Delete key down and mapped it to Menu since Android uses Menu a bit. I would swap FN and the right Control key if I could, but that's not possible.

## RGB Tips 

The software I am using is functional, but there's zero documentation, no hover tips, no help anywhere except tidbits of information on the internet. And to make it worse, there are a bunch of versions of the software, and some of them look very similar but work quite differently from each other.

Below is a screenshot of the software I'm using with 5 locations marked on it, which follow along with the instructions below.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/Screenshot_2022-02-05_16-27-24.png)

On my particular software, I found that if I want to create a custom RGB layout on the keyboard I had to go to the tab with the Lightbulb (1) for an icon which is called Light Effect Mode, pick Customize (2) from the list of effects, select one of the Custom Lights (3) in the drop-down to modify (there are 3 to choose from), pick a color to assign to a key (4), then click keys (5) that you want to assign that color. If you want to change a key color, just pick a new color, then click the key twice; the first click will disable lighting on the key, and the second assigns the new color. If you want to turn off the lighting on a key, just click it once.

The keys are lit in real-time, so it's easy to see what your layout is going to look like. I don't find the Royal Kludge to be quite as saturated as the Kemove 61 was, so colors like Purple mostly just look red, etc, but since it's shown in real-time, it's easy enough to tweak until you get it the way you want it. This screen also allows you to customize how long the backlights stay on, and I believe also correlates to how long the keyboard will stay on and connected until it goes into sleep mode when in Wireless mode when not being used. 

To select your custom RGB settings, cycle through the effects with FN-\\ until you find it. There are about 18 effects, so just keep cycling until you find it. If you just want a single color backlight, you can cycle through the following colors using FN-< without needing the software: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Cyan, Purple, White, and Rainbow.

Unfortunately, there's no way that I can tell to cycle through the three Custom Light options from the keyboard itself, but at least it allows you to set up a few profiles in case you want to switch between them occasionally. I have no idea what "Color Mixing" does. And one final note, the screenshot shows "Music" which is supported by some keyboards by having a microphone in the keyboard which picks up on sounds (but does not otherwise record them!), but this keyboard does not support that feature.

There is a tab called Custom Lights, which I have no idea what it does or how it works. I initially thought this was how you made your own custom light settings, but I have no idea how to use anything in this tab. I believe this tab only does anything while the software is running; as soon as it is killed, the effect stops.

I generally keep the backlights off as the battery in the RK68 Pro is only 1800mAh, and I don't need or want the lighting in most cases; however, it is very handy in the dark to align my hands or to quickly poke a key or two. I do find it handy to have per-key RGB for this case to identify different types of keys by different colors, although on a 68% keyboard, it's less useful than a 60% keyboard with a lot of navigation keys under the FN key. Flashing strobe or rainbow effects I can do without, however. 

## Mysterious Keyboard Reset

I really am not sure how it happened, but I was walking around the house with my tablet and keyboard with the keyboard still on, and when I sat down, I found my RGB was cycling and my remapped keys were no longer remapped. I either switched to a mysterious second profile (which, as far as I know, this board doesn't support) or I somehow reset it. The way I was carrying the keyboard, I don't think I pressed FN+Space for the required 3 seconds, but maybe I did. Nonetheless, it was trivial to get back to normal by just going into the software, and then I changed the "Profile" from 1 to 2, then back to 1, which appears to have fixed all of my remapped settings. Then I just went to the Lightbulb section of the software mentioned in the RGB Tips section, and the lighting immediately updated, and everything was back to normal. I didn't have to manually remap any keys; it just seemed like switching the software profiles back and forth restored them. Either way, I think I'll write down what keys I've remapped just in case this isn't so easy in the future, so I can fix it quickly.

## Things I Don't Like

- Can not switch layers on the keyboard, even though you can define them in software
- Cannot map anything to FN, it does FN + whatever you map to it, so if you assign "Menu" to FN then hit FN+\] for End, it'll send Menu and End
- Cannot assign or change any FN-Key assignments, for example, if you swap \` and ESC, you can't move Print Screen to match. Or you can't assign something like Menu to FN-P
- Cannot move FN to another key, although this is a minor one as it's rare this is possible on keyboards
- Caps-lock is reassigned to Control, but it still lights up the key as if Caps Lock is on for a few seconds when on Bluetooth, but not when plugged in. It does function fine, just looks weird  
  - I eventually put a small piece of electrical tape over the LED on the PCB so this doesn't annoy me anymore
- No indication of battery status while charging or discharging  
  - Not on the keyboard itself, nor via Bluetooth
- RGB is too bright on its lowest setting  
  - In the dark it's honestly too bright, a lower setting would have been nice

## Annoyances

- Changing brightness beyond lowest/highest flashes every keyboard light at full brightness Red, Green Blue. Doesn't need to be this obnoxious.

## Bugs

- There appear to be 4 levels of brightness going up, 5 going down!?  
  - If you go up beyond max brightness it blinks to indicate max. Then when you go down it is 5 steps to get to the lowest instead of 4.
  - If you just go up to max and not exceed it, it's 4 steps. The steps are pretty indistinct so hard to tell but seem like an off-by-one error and the 'fifth' is likely just the top (4th) level.

## Conclusion

My #1 annoyance with the Kemove 61 is hopefully gone with the RK68: the Bluetooth instability and key stutter. I've lost a little customization of key assignments, the RGB isn't quite as nice, and the keyboard is significantly heavier. I would have preferred to keep using the Kemove 61 without the stuttering key issues, but that apparently was never going to get fixed. So overall, this keyboard is an improvement and more reliable.

I've heard a few reports from people saying their keyboards needed a reset for no obvious reason, or that powering them on is sometimes goofy, and they had to turn them off and on several times to make them actually power on. It's unclear if this is because of the cheap switches to turn the keyboard on or some other issue. I have not seen either issue, and hopefully won't.

Would I suggest buying the RK68 over the Kemove 61? Absolutely. Are there better keyboards out there than the RK68? Certainly, but I offhand found none that were Bluetooth and in the same price range. If you don't need Bluetooth, then there is a wide array of options out there.

You will certainly need to replace the keycaps as they are very thin and produce a very thin and awful sound. You'll also likely need to replace or mod the switches that come in the RK68, as I found mine to be quite wobbly and felt strange.

Would I suggest the RK68 Pro over the RK68? I really don't know if the Pro was worth the extra cost or not. If it were the latest, least buggy version of the hardware, this is a good thing. However, it may have only been an aluminum case and forced me to get white keycaps and otherwise been the same, I don't know. I'll likely never use the 2.4GHz dongle, but if that's useful to you, then it might be worth looking into. Also, you lose the USB pass-through ports on the back of the normal RK68 on the Pro, which is not something I'd likely ever use, but it's odd they didn't include these on the Pro model.

Would I suggest the RK68 over RK61 or any of their other boards? This is up to the keys and keyboard size you need. Just note that the RK61 seems to default to the arrow keys being arrows, so this means you have to type FN-/ to type / and Shift-FN-/ to type ? which wouldn't be acceptable to me. I'm not a fan of needing to use FN to use the Arrow keys, but would prefer that configuration to needing to use FN to type a question mark.

As always, I'll update as things occur to me, I make new discoveries, or make additional changes to the keyboard that is notable.

## PCB Image

In case anyone is curious what the PCB looks like, here it is, including close-ups of the Bluetooth chip, the controller chip, as well as the case with the battery. I neglected to take a picture of the top side of the PCB, but I recall it not having anything interesting on it anyway. In case you're curious where the Bluetooth antenna is, you can see it under the PCB revision text. I assume the proprietary 2.4GHz dongle connection uses the same antenna as Bluetooth is also 2.4GHz, but I can't say for sure. So the antenna is under the left side of the spacebar.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220208_204508438.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220208_204441405.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220203_161824238-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220203_161550902.jpg)

## INI Hacking?

The drivers I am using have a bunch of keyboards in the package, so purely out of curiosity, I compared a few of them and can't really make too much heads or tails of them, but I can't help but wonder if it might be possible to change defaults in the INI, such as FN presses. Probably not; I suspect those are hard-coded in the firmware. Here are a few key comparisons of Home, End, Enter, and A. Note that Enter and A are the last four data items that match up. The first four may be related to the actual scan codes of the keyboard matrix itself. 

- Home

  - K32=669,82,692,108, 0x02,0x24,0x00,91 (RK87)
  - K28=524,58,553,91, 0x02,0xDB,0x00,68 (68; FN-\[ is HOME)
  - K37=376,104,406,137, 0x02,0x4A,0x00,45 (RK61; FN-J is Home)
- End

  - K49=669,122,692,148, 0x02,0x23,0x00,92 (RK87)
  - K29=569,58,598,91, 0x02,0xDD,0x00,74 (68; FN-\] is END)
- Enter

  - K63=535,161,604,187, 0x02,0xD,0x00,81 (RK87)
  - K45=580,104,662,137, 0x02,0xD,0x00,81 (RK68)
- A

  - K52=107,163,130,189, 0x02,0x41,0x00,9 (RK87)
  - K34=87,104,116,137, 0x02,0x41,0x00,9 (RK68)
### Kemove 61 is junk
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/kemove-61-is-junk/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T14:36:32.000Z
After owning this keyboard for about 18 months, I've had it; the forums are full of spam, the promised software and firmware updates never happened, and the keyboard has issues with stuttering that make it impossible to type on reliably. 

I wrote up quite a few Reddit posts on how I thought the Kemove 61 was a great platform to start with, encouraged others to buy it, worked with the Kemove folks to identify bugs, and even helped them out with the forum by participating in almost every conversation and mapping out and documenting things that they themselves had not documented. I gave the keyboard a fair shot, but they just never bothered to fix the primary issue with the keyboard.

On Bluetooth, the keyboard will just endlessly repeat keys until you turn the keyboard off or turn Bluetooth off. Sometimes it just repeats a few times, sometimes it'll repeat a few random letters in a row, etc. Even the folks working on a QMK build for the board say they have no idea what's wrong with it; their QMK builds do the same thing. So is it a hardware issue? Who knows. It makes the keyboard unusable.

And then they put out a few minor revisions of the same board, including a $200 option that's just the same junk in an aluminum case. Sadly, most of the reviews on keyboards don't take the time to use them long-term to identify real issues with them. A few reviews I've seen mention some "Bluetooth connectivity issues," but never go into more detail or blow it off because they only saw it a time or two. In reality, you might go days without it repeating itself, but other days it does it so badly it's unusable. I've found no rhyme or reason to it, but it does seem to happen less when it's fully charged. I usually use it for 5-10 hours and recharge it, so it really never gets very low. But even at that, I've seen it do it straight off the charger. And it'll happen on my desktop, tablet, and phone, where my super junk folding Bluetooth keyboard has never stuttered and repeated characters before.

My primary use case for this keyboard is connected to my Android tablet to use said tablet outside, on the couch, etc, with a real keyboard. I rarely use it on the desktop as I prefer a 75% (tenkeyless) layout at the desktop. So I primarily use it on Bluetooth (and yes, I use some silly RGB colors.. I often use it in the dark, and it comes in handy in that case). I have used the keyboard at the desktop for a few days in a row on USB and had stuttering issues on USB as well, although they seemed to be rare. I've also used the keyboard Bluetooth to the desktop, and the stuttering happened about as often as on the tablet, so I don't think the tablet is at fault. I believe the keyboard may be internally rebooting or resetting the MCU/CPU, which leaves the keycodes in a bad state, such as no key release, so the key continues to be repeated.

Sadly, I do otherwise like the keyboard; I've bandaid modded the stabilizers and put Kailh Box Jade switches in it, and it feels great. It's lightweight, the battery lasts for a week or more with my usage, and it's very configurable once you figure out the software. But I've put up with it long enough and have replaced it with a Royal Kludge 68 Pro. A post will be coming shortly on that keyboard, but in summary, I had concerns about how high-quality the RK68 would be and have put it through pretty extensive use and testing, and so far, it seems great. It's lacking in a few areas, but at least it doesn't stutter.
### Pixel Buds Series A
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/pixel-buds-series-a/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T14:45:26.000Z
I have a lot of Bluetooth headsets (Sony WHXB900N, GeeKee G350, Soundpeats True Wireless, Soundpeats Q12, Fiio BTR3), and most of them are junk and experiments, but it's been a long time since I've used a corded headset so I guess the experiment proved at least one thing; I'll put up with some limitations for the convenience.

The exceptions are the Fiio BTR3, which is a Bluetooth receiver and USB DAC, which allows me to use my existing wired headphones (most notably my Panasonic HJE900 and my AKG K545) over Bluetooth using the LDAC codec. Very high-quality sound and allows me to continue to use my existing headsets with the convenience of Bluetooth. When I'm doing more critical listening, I will very often use one of the two headsets with the BTR3 and enjoy the music as it was meant to be heard.

However, while the above setup works really well, it's still just a little janky for a "grab it and listen" convenience factor, thus the Sony WHXB900N. They are by far not the best in the Sony lineup, but they're pretty good. I have to heavily EQ them to calm down the bass, but the mids and highs are pretty nice on them, and with EQ adjustments, the bottom end is tolerable as well. They are the "XB", or "Extra Bass" models, so I knew what I was getting. I figured I could tweak the sound profile in EQ, and I was mostly right. Not as good as the two headsets above, but about 90% there, and that's good enough. Just like the Fiio BTR3, the Sony 900N's do LDAC, and therefore the audio is as transparent as we're going to get with Bluetooth today. Hopefully, in the future, the codecs and transports will continue to improve (especially the headset profiles; they're still AWFUL!).

The others are pretty low quality but were handy to keep in a pocket or to use while mowing, and that's really about all that I can say about them. 

## NOW the Pixel Buds Series A

Google has had a few varieties of these. The originals were pretty daft, the second ones were, I felt a bit over-priced and said to have questionable sound quality, but the Series A at $99 was a lot more interesting. I had already considered if they would be good to own, but had not purchased them until I upgraded my Pixel 3XL to the Pixel 6 and the Series A buds came free with the phone; cha-ching! However, anything I talk about here will be considering the retail price of $99, not what I paid, but nonetheless, this is not a full review as those can be found all over the internet and done better than I'd do it. I just wanted to capture a few thoughts on them.

I will mention a bit about the sound quality, of course; they're fine. They're better than the junk Bluetooth headsets but closer to them than the Sony 900N's. The sound stage on them is similar to any other in-ear, and like most things, they do need a bit of EQ to brighten up the mids and highs. I saw a few reviews saying they were not very bright, and I have to agree, but it's mostly correctable in EQ. The separation of instruments is very reasonable, the details are reasonable, and in general, I feel like they're perfectly adequate for casual listening. The Bluetooth codec is only AAC, which is a far cry from the quality that LDAC has, but it's reasonably okay for this level of earbuds.

By design, they are not very isolating, so you do hear quite a bit around you while wearing them. Not to the point where you have to turn up the volume to compensate, but they certainly let in a lot more sound around me than my AKGs and, of course, the Sony 900N's (with ANC). However, as mentioned, this is by design. These are designed to be worn all the time, in all situations, so you want to have some awareness of what's going on around you. But please, don't wear earbuds while riding your bike. Please, really, don't.

## Features

The Pixel Buds 2 had a lot of fancy features, like adjusting volume and recognizing certain sounds around you and muting or alerting you; Series A has neither feature. But they do have all the normal features one expects on modern earbuds: play/pause, next, prev, answer, mute, hang up, and Google Assistant. Would it be nice to adjust the volume? Yes. But I can live with it.

Just want to mention that, in case you're not aware, when headsets/earbuds/etc say they have "Google Assistant," it means that they support some quick gesture or button or otherwise some method to bring up the Assistant in the earbuds and listen for commands. Your phone is still doing all of the Assistant duties, so if you're connected to the computer, for example, you're not magically going to get Google Assistant. That said, when connected to the phone, it does work reasonably well, although it does take a little getting used to as it just emits a light "bong" sound, and then you start talking. If you don't talk and just let go, it will read your notifications and tell you the time. 

## Positives

They are very comfortable once you understand the intended position in your ear; basically, I insert them with the little rubber finger up a bit and then "screw" them into my ear so the little rubber finger bit is tucked into my ear. They stay in place well, although like most earbuds, I find that chewing tends to make them walk out of my ears. I have worn them for 5+ hours at a time, which is not something I can usually do with earbuds, as they are almost always just a little uncomfortable and wind up feeling like they're pushing in a spot or two and making my ears ache; these do not, which is very nice.

You can force a connection to these from any other device while they're in use on another device. I honestly don't know how common this is; maybe it's a shortcoming of my Sony 900Ns, but once those are connected to something, I have to manually disconnect them and reconnect them to another device, such as flipping between my phone and my computer. So if I take them in the backyard, turn them on, and realize they're connecting to my computer, I have to go back inside, log in, disconnect, then go back to what I was doing. Luckily, these just work; try to connect from another device, and they disconnect from whatever they're connected to and connect to the device you're trying to use them with. I find this makes them very convenient to swap between using them on the computer and my phone, where the 900Ns almost exclusively stayed connected to the computer because of the faffing to swap them around. It's not a big deal until you do it a bunch.

The case just works, which is a lot more than I can say about the GeeKee or Soundpeats. The GeeKee requires fiddling and alignment, and messing with the rubber coating to make them charge in the case. Both the GeeKee and the Soundpeats randomly either self-discharge or turn off/crash/something, and the only way to get them working again is to plug them in and let them charge for a few minutes, and then they seem fine. This isn't the end of the world, but if you keep them in your pocket 24/7 to use any time, and they're randomly not working, it's pretty frustrating. So far, the Pixel Buds Series A just work; they snap right into place in the case without any fuss, and they charge up fast (15 minutes for 3 hours of music!), and they always just work as soon as I remove them from the case. Time will tell if they have any weird quirks when not using them for extended periods, but so far they just work, which is nice. I did a little experimenting with the case charging and decided it charges at about 2W, and the internal battery is likely around 600mA. It takes around an hour to charge if near empty.

As far as runtime, I'm getting about 6 hours of music or other audio, and that's with me recharging them at about 35%. The case should charge them at least 4 times, so that agrees with what I've seen in a few reviews saying Google's runtime estimates are conservative. Your mileage may vary, but I estimate at least 30 hours of music listening, which is plenty. I have not let them sit around unused for weeks at a time, so I'm hoping there's not any significant self-discharge to worry about, but otherwise battery life seems more than enough for me.

## Dislikes

I honestly don't have many dislikes except the Connect/Disconnect sounds are ***EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD***. I don't know why they are so loud, but they are ear-searingly loud. Why, Google, why?

## Long Term Update

Honestly, not much to say here, which is a good thing! Once I had them for a few weeks and stopped using them in and out every day, there were opportunities for them to sit around unused, not freshly charged, etc, and I'm happy to say that has been entirely uneventful. I've had a few Bluetooth headsets that either self-discharge or get in some weird state and need some charging to "wake up", but I've had no such issues with these. At one point, they hadn't been used for a few weeks, and I opened the case, put them in my ears, and they just worked.

## Desktop Use

And just a side note, I have been using these at the computer quite a bit, and they've worked well for that duty. I can walk around all over the house with very few dropouts, sound quality is good, and as mentioned, they are very comfortable, and yet I can hear the family trying to get my attention when needed. I have found that AAC has pretty poor latency compared to LDAC, so I've had to compensate in Pulse Audio on my Fedora install and tell it that they have about 160ms of latency, or movies/YouTube/etc looked out of sync. Luckily, this is easily done, and everything is in perfect sync with this minor tweak.

## Color and Design

I did opt for the Dark Olive as I did not want white; I would have preferred the Black of the Pixel Buds 2, but it is what it is. The case was still white, which is unfortunate, so to keep it in good shape and add a little protection I got a skin for the case as there doesn't seem to be any good options for any real protective cases (all reviews seemed to indicate they didn't stay together, kept the lid open, didn't fit right, etc... I didn't want to fool with it). Here's a picture of the case with the skin on it in case you're wondering what that looks like. To be fair, this skin is for the Google Pixel Buds, which is very slightly different than the Google Pixel Buds Series A case, particularly the pairing button and light. Nonetheless, I didn't do a very good job installing it, but it'll do its job, and that is to keep the case from getting dinged up.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/01/PXL_20220104_161545285.jpg)

The pairing button is optional. Lines, you can barely see them!

Yeah. Nailed it.

## Final Thoughts

Are they worth $99? I may have never purchased them before, but after using them for a few weeks, I feel that it would have been a good buy. Sound quality is okay, comfort is great, convenience is superb, and we've already determined that I'm way down the path of convenience wins ;)

And... Well, this.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/01/PXL_20211224_002901477.jpg)

It's not dirty unless you think it's dirty.
### Anytone 878 firmware update 1.25, 1.26, 1.27
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/anytone-878-gets-firmware-upgrade/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:49:06.000Z
In the case of the Anytone 878, they continue to support the radio and have been making small incremental improvements*,* until today, when they made rather *large* improvements.

The Anytone 878 has had roaming for quite a while, perhaps from its inception, but the way it worked was it would ping the repeater it was on, and if it didn't get a response, it would then cycle through the rest of the repeaters, GPS-based*,* which were configured to roam,until it found one that responded. Crude, but it functions. Today, Anytone released a firmware that still supports the old roaming method but also adds GPS roaming, which makes this radio a LOT more powerful.

### Note from 2025

There are several firmware versions after the ones mentioned in this post. I would suggest updating your radio to the latest firmware and using it. I will leave this post for future reference, as the functionality remains largely the same as in the latest firmware.

## GPS-Based*,* Zone Roaming

For example, each city around me has a repeater in it, and there is certainly some overlap between repeaters, but ideally, I would use the closest repeater to reduce my power output. Now I can let the radio roam on its own using the GPS location and let it pick the correct zone for my location. What really happens is if you have everything enabled and you are within a matching GPS Roaming Zone, it'll simply switch to that zone, nothing more to do. If you're outside of a GPS Roaming Zone, it will, presumably, do nothing at all. And if you disable GPS Roaming, it also does nothing, which is good because if you leave it enabled, you effectively can't switch Zones at all, as it will switch it back for you. And by the way, this is not only useful for DMR; it can also work perfectly well on an Analog zone as well. 

 However, I don't know what happens if two GPS Roaming Zones overlap. I personally have a DMR zone on the top Channel and an Analog zone on the sub-channel most of the time. I am not 100% sure, but I don't think it'll really do more than one GPS Roaming Zone, and it won't switch both the main Channel and sub-Channel. When I experimented with this, it appears to just go to the first matching GPS Roaming Zone on the primary Channel and stay there, but it does not do anything with the sub-Channel, which is both good and bad.

I suspect, however, that you could do something like the following. Say you always use Simplex with your buddies hiking in a particular part of the city, you could set a Zone at the top of the Zone list for that area, and the radio will automatically switch to that Zone when you're in the area. Meanwhile, you have a much larger GPS Zone set for normal repeaters, and when you leave the hiking area, it will switch to your normal repeater Zone. A small region inside a larger one.

If your zones are set up like mine where I mainly just have a single DMR Zone, not to worry, they also added a "Hide Zone" functionality so you can add more Zones to cover more GPS areas, add the respective repeaters, and then hide those zones so you don't normally see them, but the radio will switch to them automatically. Some folks like to organize zones into locations/regions so GPS Roaming will work perfectly as-is for those configurations.

### Setting up GPS Roaming

Go to the GPS Roaming section in the GPS and just fill out the table. Zone name, coordinates, and most importantly, set the Radius in either feet or meters, depending on your chosen units. This is what possibly trips some folks up: thinking this is surely in miles/km, not feet/meters!

As noted above, it does seem to evaluate from the top down; as soon as it finds a match, it will use it. So if you have overlapping zones, you'll have to put the more specific ones first. Then, when you want to use GPS Roaming, just turn on the GPS and enable GPS Roaming in the radio through the menus.

You may have the need to create more Zones to have more granular GPS Roaming, such as you may have all of your DMR repeaters in one zone, but if you want to only have one repeater when you're in a location, put it in its own zone and set up GPS Roaming for that zone and location. You can hide the zone so it doesn't otherwise show up in the radio when changing zones.

### Limitations to GPS Roaming

GPS Roaming is a really great feature; however, it's not perfect. As mentioned above, if you have GPS Roaming turned on and change Zones manually when the radio checks, it will automatically switch Zones for you. Which is great when you want it to roam, but can be frustrating if you're just trying to use another Zone that isn't necessarily tied to a geographical area.

My personal workaround is to just disable GPS Roaming when I don't need it, but there are some other possible things that Anytone could implement.

One option might be to have a flag for the Top and Bottom channels on the radio to allow Roaming. For example, you could allow Roaming on the Top channel, but not on the Bottom one. So if you want to use an arbitrary Zone while GPS Roaming is enabled, you would use it on the Bottom channel.

Another option might be a flag to set on a Zone that effectively disables GPS Roaming while in this Zone, so when the radio is set to that Zone, it does not do any GPS Roaming.

Another possible option could potentially be that the radio will not roam to another Zone if the radio has been manually changed, perhaps with a configurable timeout after which the radio will roam again.

## But wait, there's more!

Another neat thing they added to this firmware is the ability to select up to 8 Analog APRS frequencies and assign any of those 8 to channels. For example, you could primarily use 144.390MHz (in the US) on most channels you want to report APRS on, but you have an event APRS frequency that collects event data, and you could assign that to the frequencies you're using for the event. Or perhaps at your house, you have a digipeater set up on an oddball frequency, or even on 70cm, you can set up channels to use that frequency. Honestly, I doubt I'll ever use anything beyond the standard one, but I do think this overall functionality added a feature that did not exist before, and that is broadcasting analog APRS when on an Analog FM channel, which was not APRS. For example, a repeater you listen to could have APRS transmitting to 144.390MHz while monitoring the repeater. I could be wrong here, and this was always possible, and I only considered it when pondering how to use this new flexibility.

## Other Features Added

My 878 does not have APRS receive, only transmit, but it appears to me from the changelog that you can now receive APRS SMS on the models that support receiving APRS at all. Previously, this was not possible to my knowledge, only very specifically formatted location/beacons, not freeform SMS, so this may be another major new improvement that I'm just not really familiar with because my radio didn't support APRS receive to begin with.

Sending SMS on Analog APRS was also added, but sadly, only supported on those radios that can also receive Analog APRS. Not that I send messages on APRS frequently, even with my Kenwood D710G mobile, but it'd certainly be nice to have the option. In case you're unaware, the 878 could previously only send location beacons, but not arbitrary messages, on Analog APRS. It can send arbitrary messages using Digital APRS, ie, on a DMR channel. 

Another nice feature added is that you can now manually change the default Talk Group and RX Group for a channel on the radio itself, which was previously only possible via the CPS. There were also some other tweaks and bug fixes.

## Features I wish were added

It would have been pretty sweet if it could set both the Primary Channel and Sub Channel Zones with GPS Zone Roaming, but it only sets the Primary Channel, which doesn't matter if that's the top or bottom one. If you switch from the Primary Channel to the Sub Channel, it will then change the Zone to the first matching GPS Roaming Zone as described above.

## But what's the catch?

I did notice a bit of a quirk when I first installed the update, but pretty sure it's sort of user error, sort of not. When I imported the 1.24 codeplug into the 1.25 CPS, it still had all of the GPS-related information set, but the CPS itself was set so that I did not have GPS or APRS, so those options did not otherwise show up in the CPS, and the radio acted rather oddly, transmitting APRS using a fixed location and not waiting on the GPS. Once I turned on GPS and APRS in Tool->Options and wrote to the radio again, everything seems fine. Every guide I've ever read says setting your radio options are one of the first things you need to do and when you update the CPS for the Anytone you're effectively installing a brand new app as far as I can tell, so having to set these options makes logical sense in a way, however, as a user I would expect an app I am upgrading to maintain settings from the previous version. Ideally, these settings would just be set in the codeplug, which they do not appear to be. So long story short, I doubt this is a new bug, but rather an existing limitation.

### CPS

- Hide Zone may be default for all of your current zones, so you can't just hit Up/Down to change zones in the radio  
  - In the CPS, open the zones and just uncheck this option for all of them and re-write the codeplug to the radio
  - Some users said all of their Zones were hidden, personally, none of mine were. I'm not sure why there would be different behavior noted from user to user.
- APRS Callsign entry requires capital letters  
  - Otherwise, you may think it only allows numbers, must be capital letters.
  - I did not recall this being the case in 1.24N but when I re-tested it on the older CPS the same thing happens; if you try to type in lowercase it doesn't work.

Any other new bugs I find, I'll report here.

## Where do I get it?

Normal spots, I would prefer not to link directly to any of them, but they're all the same thing. Keep in mind that some folks will wait longer than others to release the firmware to their customers so they can do some additional testing. And some folks will prefer not to update at all, as what they have currently works fine. It's all up to you. I prefer to tinker around with radios, and new firmware is one aspect of that. Just make sure you get the right version for your radio. They released updates for the 578, 868, and 878 today (Nov 2021), and each of those has several models of their own, so just make sure you pick the right one. Read the instructions, make sure you follow them, and you'll have a fine experience. Just, uh, remember to turn your Options back on. ;) 

## Anytone D878UV Changelog for 1.25

For reference, here's the changelog for the D878UV, not the II model. D578, D868, D878UVII, etc, will likely have different changelogs; however, as far as I know, the added features are similar between the models.

1. Allow selecting TG and RX group list for the new channel created in radio menu.
2. Improve the Single Frequency Repeater unstable problem.
3. CPS->APRS->Analog, add 8 groups analog TX frequency. In CPS->Channel->Analog APRS Report Freq, allow selecting a TX frequency to transmit the analog APRS.
4. CPS->Common Setting->Channel ->DMR Mode, add “DCDM TS Split” mode. In this mode, the radio receives on the selected slot in the channel, but in transmission it will use the other slot. This configuration is only in use when the radio talks through a D578UV in repeater mode with fixed slot.
5. CPS->Common Setting ->GPS Roaming, allow user set a list of GPS locations, when GPS positioning is within the preset radiation radius of coordinates, the radio will switch to the corresponding zone. CPS->Common Setting-> Optional Setting ->GPS/Ranging -> GPS Roaming should be set ON to enable this function(make sure the GPS should be ON first).
6. CPS->Common Setting ->Zone -> Zone hide, add Zone Hide function in the Zone menu, it allows user hide some zone when they don’t need it on display. Since the Zone Hide is new inserted item, it may be checked automatically when open an existing codeplug. CPS->Tool-> Zone Hide Operation, allows you check or uncheck all Zone Hide.
7. Add APRS SMS function in the radio menu, allows the radio to receive and transmit APRS message.

(Valid only when install the optional BT+APRS board)  
Sending APRS Text from one AnyTone radio to another that has the APRS Rx feature.

Go to the radio Menu –> APRS –> APRS SMS where you can add a text message using the microphone keys, use the # key to switch from alpha to numbers, etc.

After entering your text, confirm it with the Menu button to get to the next Call Sign / SSID entry screen.

Enter the Call Sign and SSID dash number for the user you want to send the message to; use the # key to switch from alpha to numbers, etc. When you confirm the Call Sign the APRS test message will send.

NOTE: APRS SMS TX setting is using the CPS->APRS-> Analog setting, so the received channel should have the matched frequency setting/CTCSS setting/band width to the TX radio's APRS setting, and have the APRS RX turned on.

1. CPS->Common Setting ->Optional Setting->Key Function, add “Ana APRS Info”, for fast accessing the received APRS information. (Valid only when install the optional BT+APRS board)
2. CPS->Common Setting ->Channel -> Send Talker Alias, make the Talker Alias to be private setting for each channel, instead of public setting for all channels.
3. CPS->Tool -> APRS information Manager, allows the CPS to read the received APRS message from radio and export. (Valid only when install the optional BT+APRS board)
4. Add “Draft” in the Messages menu, unsuccessful SMS is saved in draft and can be resent.
5. Add timezone GMT+5:30(India), GMT+5:45 (Nepal), GMT+4:30(Afganistan), GMT+3:30(Iran) GMT-3:30 (Newfoundland, Canada), GMT+8:30 (Eucla)
6. Change the APRS message to be a lower priority than menu, the radio will not be kicked out of radio menu when receive the APRS message.
7. Correct the reverb/echo sound issue when transmit analog in the A+D channel.

## Changelog for version 1.26

Primary changes here were fixes for "repeater access issues", of which I did not experience or haven't heard of other people mention, but nonetheless they put out this quick fix to fix what sounds rather important, so I updated to 1.26 as soon as it was released, and so far no obvious differences, which is good.

Here's the changelog from 1.26

1. Resolve the issue in V1.25 that radio can’t make contact with Repeater.
2. Resolve the issue that Talker Alias setting is not saved in export CSV file.
3. CPS->Tool-> Channel Talker Alias Operation, allows you check or uncheck all Talker Alias in channel.

## Update April 12, 2022 - Version 1.27

As of this date, there is an update, version 1.27; however, the changelog is so minimal that I have not yet at this time updated to this version. However, I am curious about change #1\. I suspect this is a minimal 'fix' to the fact that if you have GPS Roaming on and switch to the Sub Channel, it starts GPS roaming there as well. Not sure, I'll update this post when I've given it a try. Change #2 makes sense as these two were never possible as Long Press, really anyway, or they were always Long Press, depending on how you look at it. If you assigned these to a Short Press, they "took over" the Long Press anyway.

If you're updating your radio from an older version, you might as well use 1.27; I have not yet heard anything negative about it. It does still have the same quirky CPS issue that defaults to hiding Zones. Here's the changelog, for those interested.

1. Set the sub band default OFF when GPS roaming is turned On, to avoid the issue that sub band VFO channel jumps to random channel.
2. In CPS->Optional Setting-> Key function, remove the Monitor and SubPTT from the long key function.
3. Resolve the issue that export .dcf file doesn’t work with Contact Manager V270.
### Fixing the GD77's terrible charger
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/fixing-the-gd77s-terrible-charger/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:53:48.000Z
The GD77 is a great radio, especially paired with OpenGD77 firmware, but the charger it comes with is pretty terrible. By far the worst thing about it is that it ships with a wall outlet that has a USB-A jack but provides 12V of power. So if you ever mix that plug up with a normal one, you are going to **destroy** whatever you plug it into. It also takes 15-20 hours to charge, some folks report that the charge level varies from undercharging to overcharging (sometimes significantly, I've heard as high as 8.6V!), and I've also heard of them simply flat-out failing. There are a lot of folks that just replace the whole guts with a TP5100 module and wire it into 12V. I would highly suggest that if you use one of these charging docks and have any knowledge of electronics and basic soldering skills, to do this modification, it's very easy. And once it's done, toss that insane 12V USB wall adapter before you accidentally use it.

The TP5100 charger will charge the devices to the correct voltage for Lithium-Ion batteries. It charges them at a very safe speed, but a **much** faster speed than the original charger (60 to 90 minutes from dead, varies on battery size, etc), and is a better-designed board, and I have yet to hear of one failing.

Bonus points: this charging base isn't just used on the GD77; I know that it also works perfectly fine on the Anytone 868/878, MD380, and possibly other radios. It needs a very slight modification to work on the Anytone radios that can be done in seconds with a pair of side cutters just the battery retention rails on the side are just a tad too tall for the Anytone battery.

I've also heard that the Anytone 868/878 charger is known to fail and stop charging, so this modification is also highly suggested for those radios as well.

This was not my idea; the original idea comes from the excellent page written by Jason Reilly, [GD77 Mods](http://members.optuszoo.com.au/jason.reilly1/GD77mods.htm?ref=theblackmoor.net). He also has a similar page for the Anytone 868/878 page, [Anytone 868/878 Mods](http://members.optuszoo.com.au/jason.reilly1/868mods.htm?ref=theblackmoor.net). There is a lot more on those pages, and you should check them out.

I will leave the detailed instructions to the pages above, as they cover it in great detail but below are a series of pictures showing how I did my modification, which is very slightly different. My modification includes adding a 5.5x2.1mm jack for the DC power input, a 12V switch to turn the charging base on or off as it's permanently attached to my desktop 12V PSU, and I don't use the original board at all (in fact, if I really wanted to, I could easily reverse the modification).

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/IMG_20180813_094602.jpg)

Top-down image of the TP5100 module

This image shows the TP5100 module from the top down, note that the only electronics remaining is the TP5100 itself, which is soldered directly to the original charger tabs and wired through the switch to the DC input jack. No real notification of the charging base itself is required, and the base still has an idle/charging indication through the opaque window of the original charger. Don't worry about the charging window looking a bit wonky; it is fine when the base is reassembled.

Please do read the Modification pages above for details, but note the top-right of the TP5100 in this image, a resistor has been removed. This reduces the current rate to 1A from the default of 2A, and the location marked SET in the top-left corner has been jumpered to set the charger to 2C, or 8.4V. Both modifications to the TP5100 are required, and both are very easy to do. The board is designed for these modifications so you can customize it to your application. 

If you're concerned that 1A is too fast for charging (hint: it is fine), you can adjust the resistor value in the top right to adjust it. You would need a slightly higher value to *replace* the remaining resistor. Lower value here means higher current, thus the original two resistors in parallel (lower total value) being 2A. It's fine as-is at 1A, but do make sure to remove one of the resistors; 2A is a little too aggressive for these batteries.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/IMG_20180813_094620.jpg)

Slightly modified charge indication window

The opaque charging window bit has to be slightly modified to fit, but it was just a matter of trimming it slightly. I don't recall what it looked like originally, but it was just a matter of trimming what didn't fit with the new TP5100 board in place. It still fits and stays in the charging base once it's closed up.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/IMG_20180813_094539.jpg)

5.5x2.1mm DC Input Jack

Nothing special here, just the DC jack. The barrel is always negative, the center is always positive! Unless it isn't, always check.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/IMG_20180813_094532.jpg)

12v DC Switch

Again, nothing fancy here. The power to the base can be turned off via this 12V DC power switch.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/IMG_20180812_222024.jpg)

Rear view of the charger

And the ultimate in shame, I installed the switch upside down. I could fix it, but I must live with my shame because I can't be bothered. But as you can see, the switch I picked has a little indicator to show it's powered and the DC input on the other side (don't freak out; this has since been replaced with wiring that isn't 20AWG or whatever this random cable I used for testing was). A little light shines through from the original power input that I could block off in various ways, but again, I can't be bothered. I believe the original charger shows green when it's not charging, the TP5100 I have it's blue, so here, the radio is actually done charging and it's just sitting idle in the base.

At the top of this page, you can see the charger in action, actively charging my MD380 radio. The GD77 and MD380 have almost identical battery shapes and retention tabs, so their charging base is almost identical, which was great; I could use one charger for both radios which were fine as I rarely used both at the same time and even if I need to charge both it charges plenty fast enough to pop one on the charger and swap them when done. The charge indication is in red, although there is a slight offset in the light pattern, which is most obvious in pictures. The LED on the original charger was in the middle of the board, where the TP5100 module it's off to the side, but still on the front of the module as installed.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/PXL_20211023_163118618.jpg)

Slightly modified charger base for the Anytone 878

And as I mentioned, the Anytone 868/878 battery rails are just slightly shorter than the GD77/MD380 rails, so the radio doesn't fit quite right into the charger. A very quick snip with some eBay side cutters, and it fit perfectly. I did do a slight amount of filing to round the top edge off, but it otherwise fits perfectly for all three radios.

A completely optional modification I have also made is adding a very cheap two-wire voltmeter to the charging base, so I can monitor the input voltage into the charging base. The TP5100 can accept 5V all the way to 18V, so you could even use a standard USB charger to power the base, but it's handy to monitor the input voltage to see if your charging is causing any voltage droop or just simply to monitor your supply voltage. I keep my charging base connected to my bench supply, which I like to keep around 14V. What would be neat is a dual voltage (or two voltmeters) to monitor both input and output voltage; however, I always check things to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to before I use them on my radios.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220218_155254607-2.jpg)

Input voltage meter

If you're interested in doing this modification, here are a few things to keep in mind. First is the GD77 charger is readily available on Amazon for about $13, so if you only have one charger and somehow you run into trouble, it's not expensive to replace. If you have a GD77, MD380, and Anytone 878 like I do, you'll have three chargers, and if something goes wrong, it's not a big deal.

The TP5100 can be had from Amazon or eBay for a few bucks apiece, often sold in packs of 3 or 5 or more. Mine were all still connected to each other, and you just easily snapped one off and used it; the perforations make it pretty obvious.

I got the DC input jacks and DC power switches from Amazon as well. The packs cost a few bucks each, but I'll use them in other projects as well.

So if you have none of the above, this modification will cost you maybe $20 total in parts. And when you're done, you'll have the parts to modify other charger bases or create your own chargers; keep in mind the TP5100 can be used in a variety of ways. It can charge 1C (4.2V) or 2C (8.4V), it can charge in a variety of speeds to charge slower or faster depending on your needs/battery/application, etc. For example, I had a charger on a Bluetooth speaker fail (the USB jack just fell off into the speaker!), and I kludged in one of my TP5100s into it so the speaker was saved from going into the trash bin.
### We're going to need a bigger tarp
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/were-going-to-need-a-bigger-tarp/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:57:08.000Z
The design I'm starting with is a very simple 10-foot-wide by 4-foot-tall cube of PVC and a 16x20-foot tarp designed for this use. Four 4-foot-tall corners, two 4-foot-tall supports in the middle, and then four 5-foot-long pieces for the length. Everything is Schedule 40 PVC with 3-way corner T's on the corners and 3-way T's in the middle for support. I plan to secure the corners with screw-down tent pegs and currently do not plan on gluing or screwing any of the corners to make it easy to disassemble and store, but that may change based on how secure the structure is in use. I have not yet decided how I am going to secure the tarp to the structure itself, but I know in general I'll have the rear and sides mostly fixed in place, and the front panel I can lift to water and tend to the plants.

The UV tarp I had picked out is unfortunately out of stock before I got around to purchasing it, but I'll be watching for it to come back in stock or over the winter or I'll find another. The one I had picked out was UV safe, had good reviews to stay flexible after being used for a few years, and it was thick enough not to worry about it ripping. 

I plan on putting it out once the temperature is well above freezing in the Spring, basically as soon as I can get veggies at a store, plant them in the garden, build the greenhouse around them, then secure the tarp around the structure. 

Ideally, I would start my plants from seed or small plantings indoors and avoid having to depend on when the local stores get plants in stock. However, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do this as I don't have a lot of window room (all of our window sills are rather small) and our cat is fascinated by plants and will likely eat them.

Hopefully, it'll keep itself warm enough for the plants to establish themselves and possibly start growing. I will just need to keep them watered. I do not currently plan on heating the greenhouse from inside; hopefully, the sun will be enough to keep everything warm and secure. Once it's warm enough, I'll remove the tarp and perhaps leave the structure for a while, just in case we get an overnight freeze, and when there are no more chances of freezes, I'll disassemble the PVC structure and put it away for the next year.

Storing the structure is only 10 1" by 4-5' pipes and some T's and the tarp, so it should all store in a corner pretty easily. And hopefully, more veggies earlier in the year!

I will update with pictures once I add the middle supports and the tarp, and pictures of the overall structure once in place, and of course, if I think it did the job.
### I'm a flashlight geek
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/im-a-flashlight-geek/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:02:20.000Z
## Table of Contents

## Definitions

I mention a few things below, I should probably define here in case you're not a flashlight nerd.

- Modes  
  - Generally the output level or type. I mostly refer to the output levels in lumens. I don't use or note much about things like strobe, SOS, or other such modes some flashlights have.
- EDC - Everyday Carry  
  - Literally a light you keep in your pocket/purse/whatever and have with you 24/7/365.
- Light Types  
  - Flood - No hotspot at all, wide smooth output, lights up a wide path but not at a distance.
  - Floody - Good peripheral lighting but also a distinct hotspot for a mix of close-up lighting with some ability to see at a distance.  
    - I'm not quite sure what to call this, but I always want to call it "floody", like it's a thrower but has some flood.
    - Ideal for an EDC light in my opinion.
  - Thrower - Incidental peripheral lighting, but primarily a tight hot spot mostly intended for lighting up things at a distance.

## Experimentation

When I was a kid, I experimented with all kinds of silly stuff, swapping bulbs to get longer runtime, higher output, sometimes for very, very short periods (POP!), also experimented with replacing bulbs with LEDs, as seen below.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2002_02_27-22_25_45.jpg)

Three 5mm Jumbo RED LEDs? Yep.

Yes, it was terrible. But it was fun to play around with.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_01_30-18_54_07.jpg)

Collection of lights from about 2004

The picture above has most of the lights I fairly typically used around 2004\. From left to right is a Surefire E1E with a custom LED Turbo Head, a 2xAA, and a 4xAA submersible light that I can't recall the name of, a Dorcy LED that didn't really output much but had tremendous runtime off 4xAA, a Mag 2xAA with a UV bulb in it, an Arc AAA is almost lost it's so small beside the final two (junk) lights, a random Brinkman and a Rayovac I used to clip onto things.

## Surefire E1e

My earliest custom/high-end light was a Surefire E1e that had a custom Turbo head on it with a custom driver and LED. I don't recall the exact specifications of the LED, but at the time (around 2003 or 2004), it was quite a lot of output, I think in the 100 lumen region, and it is a single-mode and uses a single 123 battery. I used the flashlight for quite a few years until I retired it for slimmer lights with more modes. But here it is in its original glory before lots of wear in my pockets. 

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_01_30-18_59_15.jpg)

Custom E1e with LED Turbo Head in profile, circa 2004

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_01_30-19_01_16.jpg)

Custom E1e with LED Turbo Head with a few from the front, circa 2004

And here it is after several years of use. Still 100% functional, but not quite as pretty. I think the light may have held up better than the stove!

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/PXL_20210915_200729400.jpg)

Surefire E1e after several years of EDC use, circa 2021

## Other lights

Following the E1e, I purchased a number of lights, none particularly expensive or flashy, and all for practical use. As I mentioned before, I have no shelf queens; all of my flashlights have been purchased to be used. In rough chronological order:

- Arc AAA  
  - 2003, 5 lumens, 1xAAA, very floody. Not in any real use today.
- Maglight 4D w/ TerraLUX drop-in LED  
  - 2003, the light was actually made on 11/12/1999 (thanks to Maglight for actually knowing the exact date a Maglight was made!)
  - 4xD, only useful as a tight beam at about 150 lumens but is a great thrower. Not in any real use today.
- Fenix L0D  
  - 2006, 1xAAA, specced at 5 to 70 lumens but can accept a 10440 battery and will output a measured 150 lumens on high in a 1xAAA sized light. It lives on my keyring and will live on my keyring until it fails, which I hope it never does.
- Fenix P2D  
  - 2007, 1x123, was my EDC light for a few years replacing the E1e but it was itself replaced by the Nitecore Defender Infinity. Does 12, 55, 107, or 180 lumens.
  - Currently is my primary desk flashlight to find stuff I dropped on the floor.
- Fenix TK10  
  - 2008, 2x123, purchased as a thrower to keep on me, primarily in the car and still lives in my older car. Does 60 or 225 lumens.
- Nitecore Defender Infinity  
  - 2008, 1xAA or 14500, was my EDC light from 2008 until 2021.
  - It's a nearly perfect EDC light but I often want a bit more light output from it. Does 5 to 130 lumens in a smooth ramp.
  - Currently not sure where I'm going to use it, almost feel sad "losing" it as an EDC light. I might make a page just on this light someday.
- Quark 123  
  - 2009, 1x123, was purchased as an upgrade from the Nitecore Defender Infinity but it wasn't a replacement. Good light, especially its Moon mode with .2 lumen output, but it just wasn't a replacement. Does .2, 4, 22, 85, or 170 lumens.
  - I also have a 1xAA body for the Quark and thought I had a 2x123 body but can't seem to locate it. Of course the Quark with the AA body works great with a 14500 battery making this a very flexible flashlight.
  - Lives on my bed headboard to stumble to the bathroom with or find something I dropped under the bed
- Surefire 6P w/ cheapy drop-in LED  
  - 2009, 2x123, unknown lumens but I estimate 300-400\. Has some peripheral light but is a great thrower and has a great hot spot. Was my Dad's primary around-the-house light, even though it's only a single mode light.
  - I don't really use this light a lot but if I need to hit something from afar this is one light I'll grab. Mostly lives in my desk drawer.
- Fenix TK21  
  - 2011, 2x123 or 1x18650, was purchased as an upgrade to the TK10 as it has more output and can take an 18650 battery. Is quite a thrower and is a great light to keep in the car and it lives in my primary car. Does 5, 58, 180, or 468 lumens.
  - Side note; this light seems to only run Turbo (468 lumens) for 1-5s, depending on the quality and state of a battery, which is a bummer. However with a quality 18650 it will run quite some time on Turbo.
- ThorFire TG06S  
  - 2018, 1xAA or 1x14500, was purchased to go in a bag that lives in my car and has been there the whole time I've owned it. Is a pretty decent light and seems pretty good overall for being less than $10.
  - Does 1, 50, 200, or 500 lumens on a 14500 battery and has a pretty solid flood with some throw to it. .5, 20, 80, and 150 lumens on a AA.
- OLight Baton 3  
  - 2021, 1xRC123 (proprietary), this is my latest EDC light and is a serious pocket rocket at .5 lumens to 1200 lumens. I've written up a full page on it if you want to check out my [OLight Baton 3](https://theblackmoor.net/olight-baton-3/?sametab&) 'review'.
- Wuben X0  
  - 2024, 1xRC123, this is a light I was given to review and see if it could replace my Baton 3\. Decent light, but the Baton 3 remained my EDC. It has 1-1100 lumens in four levels which can be adjusted, magnetic base, and a side-firing LED. The battery cover is somewhat difficult to remove but does take a standard RC123 battery making it a light you could use forever. I have a full review of the [Wuben X0 Light](https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x0-knight/?sametab&) for more details.
- Wuben X2  
  - 2024, 2x14500, I was also given this light to review and it has similar features to the X0 with 4 levels of light from 5-2500 Lumens, each level is adjustable. Puts out a ton of light in a very wide pattern making it good for finding things or working in an area. The batteries in this light are standard, however, replacing them requires some disassembly and soldering but is entirely possible. I have a full review of the [Wuben X2 Light](https://theblackmoor.net/wuben-x2/?sametab&) for more details.

## Photon King 1

I had the rare opportunity to handle a very rare, very obscure, and very cool flashlight in 2004\. A friend of mine named Kakster was receiving a special light designed by Paul Kim at Surefire himself. Using a (not sure now!) body and a custom head, a custom driver, and the best LED available at the time, he created a light monster that created a laser beam of pure, creamy white light. He couldn't ship directly, so the light was shipped to me, and I shipped it off to its final destination, but that meant I was the lucky one to get his mitts on it first. I was so afraid of dropping it, I barely got any good pictures of it, which is sad because Kakster passed away some years ago, and I sometimes wonder what happened to his massive collection of flashlights. But here are a few pictures of Photon King 1.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_02_03-22_39_31.jpg)

Photon King 1 beside my E1e; it dwarfs it to say the least

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_02_03-22_40_03.jpg)

For reference, here's a 4D Maglight

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_02_03-22_45_27.jpg)

I don't recall what emitter it is, but it was a beauty

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2004_02_03-22_58_46.jpg)

Signed by the man himself, Paul Kim

## What light 

What light would I grab for various situations, and why..

### EDC

This is an easy one, as I already said above... OLight Baton 3\. The Nitecore Defender Infinity is still a great EDC light for its flexibility (5 to 130 lumens ramp, can use a AA battery in a pinch, etc), but the Baton 3 is just so much smaller, lighter, very easy to charge, and has higher output. I can flip-flop on which one has better output, as the Baton 3 is pretty floody and the NDI has a brighter spot, and sometimes you need one or the other. The Baton 3's light output is also very green, which doesn't matter in real life, but it's noticeable even in normal use.

### Thrower

If I need a light that is going to light up a tree a few hundred feet away, it's a fairly close match between the Fenix TK21 and the Surefire 6P w/LED. The Fenix TK21 is somewhat picky about batteries, and if it doesn't like it, or it's not full, it won't stay on Turbo very long. On Turbo, the TK21 puts out a lot more light than the 6P, but on High, when it drops down from Turbo, the 6P outshines it. The beam from the TK21 is, however, a better/tighter spot than the 6P, but that could be my particular LED drop-in; I am getting another one for giggles to try out. Both are pretty sturdy lights, the 6P will only take 123's, and the TK21 will take 18650 or two 123's.

### Zombie apocalypse 

If there was a zombie apocalypse coming and I had to pick a *single* light, I'd get eaten by the zombies until I argued my way into bringing at least two lights. I would take the TK21 for its massive throw and light output and long battery life on low, and for a second light, I'd use the Nitecore Defender Infinity since it'll run off an AA, and those are available all over the place.

### Hand to wife/mom/daughter 

If my wife, mom, daughter, etc, needed a light and I had to pick one from my collection, ignoring my want to keep a particular light or need to use it during the upcoming zombie apocalypse, it would be the Quark with the AA body. It's an utterly solid, reliable light; it runs off AA, and it's simple to use with no tricky modes or operation. It can put out a pretty good amount of light, but can also put out a very low level of light for extremely long periods, which can help in a blackout-type situation.

## Specs and Useless Data

Below is a table of specs for a bunch of flashlights that are decent or I use frequently, classifying them into what kind of flashlight, beam pattern, power outputs, modes, battery type, etc. 

Also for giggles, I used a Lux meter on my phone and bounced the light off the ceiling and recorded the highest level. These values mean almost nothing except compared to each other; I have no way to test the actual values. Sorted from highest to lowest. If a light has a significant Turbo mode, I put that in the first column and High in the second one.

I'm a bit puzzled about a few of the values, such as using the TK21 and 6P; comparing the 6P looks pretty close, but the readings below the 6P are half that of the TK21\. Measuring from ceiling bounce has its limitations, and I wasn't being 100% consistent from measurement to measurement, so I will likely redo these measurements sometime in the future.

| Flashlight                 | Style    | Min Lumens | Max Lumens | Modes          | Battery Type       | Beam Profile         | Lux High | Lux Turbo | Size       | Weight |
| -------------------------- | -------- | ---------- | ---------- | -------------- | ------------------ | -------------------- | -------- | --------- | ---------- | ------ |
| Fenix L0D                  | Keychain | 5          | 150        | 3              | AAA/10440          | Flood w Hotspot      |          | 18        |            |        |
| Fenix P2D                  | EDC      | 12         | 180        | 4              | 123                | Flood w Hotspot      |          | 12        |            |        |
| Fenix TK10                 | Handheld | 60         | 225        | 2              | 18650              | Throw                |          | TBD       |            |        |
| Nitecore Defender Infinity | EDC      | 5          | 130        | Ramping        | AA/14500           | Flood w Hotspot      |          | TBD       |            |        |
| Quark 123                  | EDC      | 0.2        | 170        | 5              | 123                | Flood w Hotspot      |          | 22        |            |        |
| Surefire 6P Dropin         | Handheld | 400        | 400        | 1              | 2x123              | Throw                |          | 33        |            |        |
| Fenix TK21                 | Handheld | 5          | 468        | 4              | 18650              | Throw                | 25       | 69        |            |        |
| ThorFire TG06S             | EDC      | 1          | 500        | 4              | AA/14500           | Flood w Hotspot      |          | 38        |            |        |
| OLight Baton 3             | EDC      | 0.5        | 1200       | 4              | OLight 123         | Flood                | 32       | 132       | 63x21mm    | 53g    |
| Wuben X0                   | EDC      | 1          | 1100       | 5 with Ramping | 123                | Wide Flood w Hotspot |          |           | 57x24x28   | 82g    |
| Wuben X2                   | Pocket   | 5          | 2500       | 4 with Ramping | Internal (2x14500) | Wide Flood           |          |           | 85x39x22mm | 115g   |
### OLight Baton 3
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/olight-baton-3/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:17:39.000Z
I have always been a sucker for flashlights, as can be seen on my [Flashlight page](https://theblackmoor.net/im-a-flashlight-geek?sametab&). I am not necessarily a sucker for the latest and greatest, nor the fanciest titanium body and gradient anodization; in fact, I typically prefer my flashlights low-key and just plain black. And I have no flashlights that I don't use; no "shelf queens" in my collection. I do have flashlights that I haven't used **much** for one reason or another, but that's a different story.

I've always had a light to have on hand, my EDC (everyday carry) light that stays in my pants 24/7/365\. This light has to be small, light, have multiple output/modes (brightness), take a rechargeable battery, and ideally have a reasonably long runtime and reasonable brightness. While some of these seem to conflict, even 10-15 years ago, when LED flashlights were fairly new, these needs were fairly easily met within reason. I don't *need* 1200 lumens in my pocket all day. But boy, is it fun.

I've used a NiteCore Defender Infinity (NDI) since around 2008 as my EDC. I've purchased one light, the Quark 123, to replace it and decided it was not a viable replacement, so the NDI has remained king of my pocket for 13 years. It's extremely flexible, runs on AA or 14500 batteries, has a very low mode of around 5 lumens that ramps up to about 130 lumens, and has a good, wide flood with a good hotspot. It's just about everything I need in an EDC flashlight. But there are times I'd like to have more output, so after a bit of consideration, I purchased a new light, the OLight Baton 3.

I won't go deep into the specs of the OLight Baton 3 but the quick rundown is it has .5L, 12L, 60L, 300L, and 1200L modes and will run for over an hour and a half on High (300L), seven and a half hours on Medium (60L), a day and a half on Low (12L), 20 days on Moon (.5L). So it can do it all in an even smaller, lighter package than the NDI at only 63x21mm and weighing in at only 53 grams. The Turbo mode is ridiculously hot and only runs for 90 seconds, but for those times when you need a quick burst of insane amounts of light, the Baton 3 can do it. And it can do that in Turbo mode almost 5 full times, which is just insane using a tiny RC123 battery. And all of this for about $65\. If you want more specifications on the light, they can be easily found on the internet.

## Mini-Review

I won't get into measured light output, throw, exact light color, CRI, etc, as I don't have any equipment to measure such things, but I will talk about some of the user interface and general things about the light. When researching the light, I found a lot about the charging case (which I did not get) and how tough the light is (shot with a shotgun and still worked), but some of the nitty-gritty stuff seemed to be missing, so here's my take on it.

### User Interface

I am not going to document how the user interface works, as that's well documented in other places, but needless to say, it's pretty well-thought-out and I don't have any big concerns about it. The UI is a pretty important aspect of a flashlight (even ones with only one mode!) and is something I am sure to understand before purchasing a flashlight. If the UI is bad, I won't buy it.

That said, there are a few things I think could be tweaked, such as I think a double-press is a little too easy to get into Turbo mode. The flashlight gets insanely hot *super* fast in Turbo mode, and you would not want this happening in your pocket. There is a lock-out method, but I also don't want to have to unlock a flashlight to use it. I have yet to accidentally activate Turbo, and the button does require a reasonably firm press to activate, but I still think it could be a triple press or something a bit more difficult to accidentally do.

Another minor user interface issue I have is that to change modes, you turn the light on and then hold the light, and it endlessly loops from Low, Med, and High. Very often I want High, but not Turbo, so I turn the light on and hold the button and miss High and wind up back at Low, so you have to time when to let go of the button. I wish it'd go up to High and then stop. If it is at High already, they could have either reversed the pattern, going Med down to Low and stopping, or they could have just let it go to Low and keep the same pattern. I just find myself wanting High and cycling through the modes a few times to get there, which is a little frustrating.

Unfortunately, the triple press is taken up by a Timer function that will turn the light off after 3 or 9 minutes. An hour would make sense for a timer function, but 3 minutes? I don't understand why this feature even exists.

As for the physical user interface, I find the button just a little bit fumbly to try to locate and get my thumb on when pulling out the light. While the emitter end and the tail end don't feel the same, and the clip is asymmetrical, it's really not enough to always just grab the light in the right way with your thumb on the switch to turn it on. This can be fairly important if you need to get a light on something quickly. Perhaps if there were some knurling around the light switch to guide the thumb, this might be a little more intuitive. Right now, I feel for the "raised" bit of the clip and get that bit forward and down, and my thumb is on top of the switch. This is a fairly focused and minor complaint, but I very often find myself fumbling around after pulling out the light to find the switch.

### Body/Styling

This light looks really nice, everything is very well-designed, and it looks great. The knurling is perfectly designed to be fairly grippy but not overly sharp. I've gotten a few junky flashlights that the knurling would shred the inside of a pocket; this isn't going to happen on the Baton 3\. The only minor downside is that since the flashlight is so tiny, the knurling is honestly not really very useful. When I thought about how I was using and holding the light, 90% of my contact with the light was on the clip and my thumb on the button. The knurling itself was almost untouched. But everyone will hold the light a little differently.

The picture at the top of this page reflects the light I purchased: the simple black model. I initially was unsure about the blue bits (clip, ring around the button, and the bezel around the light), but the more I use the light, I like these highlights. It's not too flashy but adds just a bit of color to the light.

And the clip is pretty flexible in how you can use it. Clipped to a pocket to keep it away from the contents, on the outside of the pocket for a little light, clipped to a hat as a headlamp, etc. I almost always remove the clip-on flashlights, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to leave it on this one, as it's very functional and fairly low profile. 2025 update: four years later, and I've never removed the clip because it's so useful and doesn't get in the way.

## Beam Pattern

I'm not going to go into great detail here, but this light is really great for reasonably short distance usage, 100 feet perhaps max. The beam has a hot region, so it's not a floody light, but it's no spotlight. But that's fine, as an EDC light, I need a wide, smooth region of light, so this fits the EDC needs perfectly.

To put it in a little perspective, my NDI has a fairly wide overall beam pattern, but the majority of the light is in a fairly tight spot. The NDI at full power (130L) is significantly brighter in its hot spot than the Baton 3 on High (300L). However, the Baton 3 puts out a lot more light around its hot spot, making it overall more useful.

If you need a thrower, the Baton 3 isn't it, even on Turbo mode, putting out 1200 lumens. It'll light up a whole row of trees great at a distance, but if you need to really get a lot of light on a specific spot, you're better off with a light with a tighter beam.

## Concerns with the Charger

The actual process of charging the light is very nice; the charger just snaps onto the flashlight magnetically, no alignment, no fiddling, just works. This is great, except I've found the charger will also attach to other metal objects on my desk, and the charger turns red to indicate charging. When this happens, the charger gets very slightly warm, just enough to make me think it's doing something, but not enough to be overly concerned. I'm mostly concerned about whether the charger is going to damage itself over time. I'd prefer to keep it plugged in and tucked under my monitor stand so I can charge easily, but not sure if I should since it seems not to be able to detect a dead short. I contacted OLight customer support to ask them about it, and their response was "*We recommend that you unplug the charging cable when if you don't need to use the charger.* " Disappointing.

Also, I have another concern about the charge rings on the flashlight. When tested with a meter, they present a voltage of 2.4V. In testing, it only seems to pass about 2.2mA under a dead short, but I'm still rather disappointed there's voltage at **all** on the flashlight.

I've also had one issue with the charger not wanting to charge the light; I took some isopropyl alcohol and cleaned the battery, the contacts inside the light, the charging rings on the outside, and the charger itself, and it charged fine. Not sure what to make of that, but hopefully, if this ever happens again, the same cleaning job will fix it again.

## Button Wear

EDCing this light daily for almost a year now, I'm starting to see wear on the button that I worry long-term may wear entirely through the button. It appears to have an opaque coating over the button with one small spot you can see through to see battery status, but mine has started to wear off in a few places just riding around in my pockets. Another year and most of the opaque coating on top of the button has worn off, but the button itself still appears to be undamaged. I'm unclear if the black coating that is wearing off is a dye, paint, or part of the button, but I'm sure over time, the button itself will begin to wear down.

So far, the button itself is undamaged as far as I can tell; only the coating itself has worn off. However, I fear that long-term, the button itself will wear down. I wish this button were metal, which would avoid this issue and would likely also feel better to use. 2024 update: It seems like OLight realized this was a weak point, and in the updated model, the Baton 4, the button is now metal.

As of Oct 2025, I noticed that the black coating on the rubber button is entirely gone, and the button is starting to feel a little sticky. I don't think the button is damaged yet, but I've punched a tiny hole in some electrical tape and carefully wrapped it so it'll protect the button, but I can still see the battery status. I've had the light for a little over four years at this point, so it lasted longer than I expected and may last a long time yet, but I still carry this light every day and want it to last.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/10/PXL_20220606_164757762.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/10/PXL_20231024_125741606.jpg)

Left, one year. Right, two years.

## Negatives

There are a few negatives about this light that I am not alone in disliking, as I saw them in most reviews I read/watched, but they are worth mentioning here.

### Led Color

The first one is that the beam on the light is a rather lime green color, and the lower the output, the greener the beam is. This is apparently a combination of low bin parts and perhaps the overall design of the LED. I often dismiss LED color complaints as you can only see them when shining the light on white walls, but in this case, I notice it pretty much every time I use the light. That said, it's not such a big deal that it turns me off using the light; it isn't going to affect my use of the light, doesn't affect color recognition, etc. It's just kind of gross, but not the end of the world. And to be a bit pickier about the beam itself, it's a bit lumpy. One side has slightly less output than the other, and there's a hotspot in another spot. Fairly subtle and not really a big deal, and will likely vary from light to light.

### Proprietary Battery

The other negative is that this flashlight will not use anything except a slightly modified RC123 battery, only made by OLight. It won't use normal (non-rechargeable) 123s, and it won't use typical rechargeable RC123 batteries, as the battery exposes both the negative and positive terminals on the top of the battery. The previous version of this flashlight, the Baton 2, could use 123/normal RC123 batteries, but the 3 model will not. The reasoning is that the flashlight uses so much power on Turbo that this is the only safe way to handle what might otherwise be an "unknown" battery; however, it seems like the flashlight could detect if a battery cannot provide enough power and throttle down to a lower output level. This was something I did not realize until I purchased the light and was a bit thrown off by it. It's disappointing, and I *potentially* wouldn't have gotten the light had I known. If I had to purchase such a light, I might have even considered getting the Baton 2, as the differences between the two lights are fairly minor. That said, I do not plan to return the light and will continue using it as my EDC light, so this isn't such a huge issue. I have purchased two more batteries and cycle through them, and don't expect to have any real battery concerns for years to come. I tend to recharge the light as soon as I notice it isn't showing a Green LED anymore (below 60%), which will also keep the batteries in good shape for a long time.

### Battery Status LED

And the last nitpick is a pretty minor one, but it is worth mentioning. While the light is on every mode, *except Moon*, it shows the battery status in a dim LED under the light switch. Why is Moon (.5L) excluded from showing the battery status? Perhaps it would take enough power to reduce the 20-day runtime in this mode to fewer days, but it would have been nice to show the battery status for 10 seconds or so and then turn it off.

## Conclusion

Will I use this light as my EDC going forward/has the NDI finally been retired? Yes, I think so. 

Do I think this light is a good deal for what you get? Absolutely, as long as there's no unexpected failure, I think this light is a tremendous value. Are there cheaper lights that offer similar specifications? Yes, there are. If I were collecting lights just to collect them, I would probably own some of those too, just for fun. But I often find cheap lights unreliable, the specifications misleading, and overall disappointing.

Would I give this light to my mom/wife/daughter? No. Pretty sure Turbo mode would burn through a purse like Alien blood burning through the Nostromo. I'll take chances on my own, but I think I'd hand out something a little more sane to someone else.
### Analyzing HT antennas is hard
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/analyzing-ht-antennas-is-hard/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T16:21:53.000Z
Reproducing an antenna system to get the most accurate analysis of the antenna can be somewhat difficult, and to be sure that you're really reproducing a similar system to the HT itself. If you haven't already, read my [post about the NanoVNA](https://theblackmoor.net/antenna-analysis/?sametab&) to get a broader scope of info on what I do to analyze antennas.

There's no point optimizing an HT antenna setup on a perfect ground plane free of obstructions, etc, to see what the antenna can do ideally, as it's rarely in an ideal situation in normal use. You want to set up something that's as close to an actual HT as possible. I've tried a variety of things, from just holding the coax and keeping it at a normal distance from my head/body, I tried a metal box, and I've settled on a pretty typical 3" wide tin can, as that has a pretty similar profile to an HT in size. I've also heard of folks gutting a dead radio and installing coax into it, which is something I'm going to try next time I have a dead HT on my hands.

Currently, what I do is put a 1M pigtail on the NanoVNA and screw it into the can, and while holding the can, I do the calibration using the calibration kit that came with the NanoVNA so that the antenna system is calibrated. I then attach my antennas one at a time and hold the can near my face and in free air and compare the readings. I decided to try holding the can about a foot away from my face as I would normally hold an HT for my readings, and re-analyzed all of my antennas.

When I re-analyzed my antennas, I got slightly different results than my previous metal box jig, which is good, although some were decidedly worse, including some that I've seen measurements from other folks saying they were very low SWR in their testing so I still don't think I've gotten a good setup yet and I'm going to keep tinkering with it. I'm not looking for "better" numbers; I want accurate ones and am just not sure how to get those consistently.

And an update: got a new HT antenna, so I hooked up everything the way I had previously set it up, got all calibrated, and all looked good. Figured I should validate my setup by analyzing a few quality antennas I trust and comparing the sweeps against the last time I analyzed all my antennas, and they were all very different. Not just a little off, but very different-looking Smith charts. Messed around quite a bit, no matter what, not the same. Great. So I still have no consistent method for measuring HT antennas. I have no idea what's different than the last time I set things up. I think my next steps are buying a busted HT, mounting a cable in it permanently, and using that as my jig.
### Smart Home Automation
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/smart-home-automation/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:27:08.000Z
If I'm having to constantly do something manually to make my automation work, I have failed. I'm constantly trying to make the home automation less of a failure, but it's a work in process! (Progress? I have never figured that out.)

FYI, when I say "light," I really mean "outlet". All of my controllable things are, for the most part, just an outlet, so in most cases, that means a light, but it can also mean my IP cameras (which sometimes need a power cycle) or other things.

I have a number of things that all tie together to make up my automation at the house, and here's a (partial) list of those things.

##### Raspberry Pi 1B Controller

More or less, everything originates from an ancient Raspberry Pi 1B using a handful of scripts of HTML, PHP, and some Node (which I should publish on GitLab sometime) to control my Tuya outlets, and 433MHz receiver/transmitter boards to control my 433MHz RF outlets. The Pi is the central node/controller, so that the interface to turn lights on/off is a centralized thing, and everything uses it. 

My Pi also has a temperature and humidity sensor on it, so I can see what temperature the house is at any time, and it tracks it in [Cacti](https://theblackmoor.net/weather/). One caveat: it's at about 7 feet above the floor, as the Pi is on top of a bookshelf, so the temperature is significantly higher than the weather sensor just a few feet away and at 3 feet above the floor. Some day, I should extend the wiring on the sensor to get it to a more reasonable position for better readings.

I keep a backup of the Pi contents on my main server here at the house, so *when* the SD card dies, I can restore things fairly easily; however, it'll be a real pain to do so when that actually happens. I really should take a complete backup of that SD card so I can directly restore it. Yeah. That'd be smart.

##### Node/Tuya

Tuya outlets are well known to be pretty easily hacked to run your own code, but mine are bog-standard and I just use the cloud service and the [cloudtuya](https://github.com/unparagoned/cloudtuya?ref=theblackmoor.net) project to control them using my [tuyaservice project](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/tuyaservice/?ref=theblackmoor.net). Ideally, I'd prefer they work directly on the LAN, but for now, I leave them as-is. They also track power usage which is pretty nice. Node, in this case, allows me to control the lights via the Pi rather than use a smartphone app or a voice assistant.

##### 433MHz RF Outlets

I have a number of really cheap (read: sketchy/scary) outlets that are controlled via [433MHz](https://www.samkear.com/hardware/control-power-outlets-wirelessly-raspberry-pi?ref=theblackmoor.net) and just send a fairly simple binary code to turn outlets on and off. They come with a simple remote control, but using some cheap boards made for such things, you can easily control them with a Pi or other device. The image in this post is the transmitter and receiver for 433MHz attached to my Pi.

##### Linux Workstation

My office lights are tied to my workstation status. If the screen is unlocked, the lights are on. If the screen locks, the lights go off one at a time over a 10-minute period. This works well when it's just me in the office, but it has the tendency to drive the wife crazy when they turn off on her. The workstation also has some cron-driven scripts that turn lights on/off based on sunrise/sunset, time of day, etc. All of our TVs can be controlled over wifi as well, so I can even turn off TVs in case they've been left on inadvertently. 

##### Tasker on my phone

When I leave the house, Tasker turns my office lights off. When I arrive home, it turns them on. When I put the phone on the charger at night, it turns the office lights off. When I pick up the phone in the middle of the night, it turns one of the office lights on. Tasker does a whole truckload of other things for me, but using my phone as a "sensor" offers me finer control over some things.

##### Webpage Remote Control

Speaking of TVs and control, I have a very simple set of web pages I can access from anywhere that lets me turn lights on or off and even basic TV remote controls. I've enhanced them enough that I can basically do everything I need to do to a TV without finding the remote. Just like everything else, these run on the Pi as a central controlling location.

##### Smart Assistants

I occasionally will use my Google or Alexa devices to turn lights on or off, but this is generally the exception, not the rule. Odd times, or when some other "rule" has turned a light off and I need it on, etc.

##### Smart Bulbs

NO. I love LED drop-in bulbs; they are so much more efficient and more predictable than CFLs or incandescent bulbs. However, they are designed to fail. They're over-driven, under-designed, or get too hot, and one or more of those things will contribute to their demise much sooner than the LED itself would fail. So I'm not paying $10+ a bulb for a "smart" bulb because when it dies, I have to toss the whole thing. Also, most smart bulbs are 60W (equivalent) or lower, and I generally need 100W as my house is mostly lit by lamps.

Update: Okay, I caved at some point. Smart bulbs are actually not too bad for overhead lights where I can't easily change the light switch, etc, and their price has continued to drop. They also allow me to have a porch light that comes on at dusk, off at midnight, etc.

##### Smart Thermostat

My thermostat is smart enough. It has four time slots per day that allow me to set the temperature for each of those four time slots and can program these to be executed the same way every day, individual days, etc. And double that; it programs for AC and Heat separately. So effectively, my thermostat does exactly what I want it to all the time. And it cost $25\. And nobody can turn it off remotely.

One thing I would like to have is the ability to remotely see its setting, the current temperature, and turn the blower on manually, but none of these things are enough for me to replace my simple thermostat that just works.

Update: At some point, I did replace this with an [Amazon thermostat](https://theblackmoor.net/amazon-mostly-smart-thermostat/). Still not sure, I'm happy I did.

##### Things I'd like to do sometime

I'd like to add something like Sonoff's inline into various fixed lighting fixtures in the house to allow me to control turning more lights in the house on and off. I would wire up light switches so these lights behave like normal lights, but would allow me to remotely control them.

I'd like to add motion sensors to some locations in the house to turn lights on/off; however, this can be tricky to meet the needs of everyone in the house at all times.

I'd like to replace all the sketchy, non-UL, probably fire-hazardous smart outlets with UL-rated outlets. As prices come down, I have been doing this. 

I'd like to add a sensor to know what position the garage door is in and be able to open and close it remotely. Update: Did this; [it was junk](https://theblackmoor.net/chamberlain-dumb-garage-control/), but it works.
### APRS iGate
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/aprs-igate/
Last updated: 2026-01-18T17:55:13.000Z
We've always had some presence of [APRS](http://www.aprs.org/?ref=theblackmoor.net) in our area, but it was fairly limited and had even fewer [iGates](https://aprs.fi/?ref=theblackmoor.net) to get data in and out of the internet to get to/from APRS on RF. In 2015 or so, I set up an APRS node in the garage with a mobile whip on top of a pole on an eve mount to fill in some of the gaps and provide an iGate. I also beacon from this node, which gets out over RF via larger digipeaters around me and hopefully provides some kind of service to the hams around me.

Technically, this is a digipeater; it does repeat packets it hears over RF and also transmits APRS-IS stations over to RF. And since it's an iGate, of course, it puts stations it hears on RF over onto APRS-IS. However, I generally still refer to it as an iGate because its antenna is only at about 30 feet HAAT, so it's very low profile. It has a typical 12-mile range according to aprs.fi.

The image looks like a hot mess, and honestly, it is, but it works. The radio is a well-used HTX-212 2M mobile radio powered from a Supernight (ie, dirt cheap) 12v power supply adjusted to about 13.5v with a Raspberry Pi 3 running [Direwolf](https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf?ref=theblackmoor.net) to control it all. The cabling is all hand-made, and in between the Pi and the radio is an EasyDigi, which handles some of the audio isolation as well as PTT. I added a simple eave antenna mount, pole, and an NMO ground plane, and attached a mobile antenna I wasn't using for an antenna. I estimate that the whole kit from the box of junk to the antenna is around $150, and could be done cheaper if you already have some of the bits, like an extra Pi lying around.

To keep everything in the box cool are two fans which are on a relay and buck circuit shown below. The relay lets me turn the fans on and off via a GPIO pin on the Pi so that the fans don't run all winter long (basically, if the Pi is over 30C, the fans come on), and the buck circuit is to adjust the speed of the fans as when they're ran at 13.5V it made them sound like a vacuum cleaner.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/PXL_20210422_153048299--1-.jpg)

Fan voltage controller and relay to trigger from Pi GPIO

## More Pictures

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/PXL_20210728_230452172.jpg)

Top down view

Above, starting bottom left is a Pi 2B sitting on top of a Tupperware container with my audio and PTT harness to the HTX212 sitting under it. At the rear is an MFJ diplexer so I can throw my GD77 Hotspot onto the decent antenna occasionally. To the right is the fan relay and buck converter pictured above. The Cheapo Supernight power supply is underneath the fan relay box. 

And the eagle-eyed might wonder what the LED hanging off the Pi GPIO is? That's [piblink](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/piblink?ref=theblackmoor.net), which gives me a visual status of the Pi. Is it booted, is it online, are any partitions full, is it overheated, etc?

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/IMG_20200702_185959.jpg)

Audio interface and EZDigi

The top prototype board on the right side goes to a USB sound card, and the left side hooks up to the mobile rig. Nothing real fancy there, originally had the notion of making a very generic interface so that if I switched rigs, it'd be pretty easy to just swap the cables on one side and be good to go. Below is a standard EZDigi wired over to the audio interface for audio isolation, etc. Dangling off the EZDigi is the GPIO connector for PTT, which connects to the Pi. These are what's in the fancy red tupperware dish in the pictures above, which keeps them isolated from everything else since I didn't have a project box big enough to hold both of them.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/09/2021_02_11-09_24_10-3762-proof.jpg)

Ice adds moar gain

The antenna is mounted on a metal conduit junction box screwed to an L bracket on a pole on a mount on my garage, and yes, those are hand-made groundplane wires, #dealwithit. An NMO is mounted in the box, and a mobile antenna I no longer use is mounted to that. It could certainly be better, but like most things in my APRS node, it's cobbled-together junk I already had.

## Next Steps

It all honestly works very well, no issues from any of the components. My only failure has been one HT that I used before the HTX212; the finals went out in it. Not sure if it was a high duty cycle from some packet storms or too hot, or just failed over time. And my power supply died once. Haven't had any real cable, RFI, etc, kind of issues.

I'd love to put the audio and EZDigi into a box and screw them down so they're less janky than sitting in a tupperware dish, I should have made the PTT trigger wire longer, I really should put some ferrite beads on some various things just in case, and it'd be nice to just overall clean up the whole mess so it looks nicer, easier to mess with stuff, and better airflow across all of the contents.
### Tinkering, piddling, and farting around
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/tinkering-piddling-and-farting-around/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:35:13.000Z
I've always tinkered with stuff, but the 'rona gave me a lot of time to piddle with more stuff, and I've been expanding and improving my tinkering abilities. I got a workbench that can double as a standing desk, can take a beating, and has plenty of built-in storage with two wide drawers. The desk itself is a [Husky 46" Adjustable Height Work Table with 2-Drawers.](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46-in-Adjustable-Height-Work-Table-with-2-Drawers-in-Black-HOLT4602B12/312063230?ref=theblackmoor.net)

It's a bit of a mess in this picture; I don't normally tinker with Pineapple juice. But in the top right from right to left is my variable bench power supply (30V, 10A), my annoying auto-off-all-the-time multimeter (which is pretty okay, but powers itself off even if you're using which infuriates me), my Bakon T12/T15 soldering iron mounted onto my backstop, my cheapy soldering iron stand that I really need to improve, soldering tip cleaner. Middle of the table is a cutting mat, which I swap back and forth with a silicone soldering iron mat, depending on what I'm doing. In the drawers are my extra meter cables, soldering tips, solder, screwdrivers, driver bits, pliers, cutters, screws, heat shrink tubing, desoldering pump, zip ties, etc. Basically, most of the stuff I need anytime that I'm tinkering. I used to keep all this in a toolbox and in various containers, and it's great to have immediate access to it.

Not shown here is my Electrix light/magnifying lens mounted in the back-left corner of the desk with an LED replacing the original halogen bulb.

Out in the garage, I keep all of my wire, connectors, project boxes, prototyping PCBs, resistors, caps, etc. I still need to get a variety pack of diodes, transistors, and some more Deoxit, etc.

In case anyone is curious, here's the bare table and my simple modifications to it. I added a backstop with holes in it so I could run power cables through easily. There's a power strip attached to the back of this backstop in the middle, and on the corners is a small backstop, so nothing sneaks off the back corners of the table. The wood was cut to size, sanded, and sprayed with clear lacquer paint to protect it from bumps.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/PXL_20210325_185336200.jpg)

### And then there was a bottom shelf!

Almost immediately after getting the table, I realized that the bottom legs were pretty well designed to be able to put a bottom shelf for more under-table storage, such as my (fairly lightweight!) hobby toolboxes, drill, shoes, stuff like that, so after finally getting around to doing it, I made one. Since it's just a shelf and not anything fancy, it's just 1/2" plywood, and 2x4s are underneath for strength. It's overkill, but the other option of 1x2's or 1x3's was almost too thin to really be that sturdy, so 2x4's it was. The 2x4s sit on the top of the flat parts of the legs on both sides of the vertical portion of the legs, and then one in the back, which (with some additional shimming) sits on the leg support, which runs between the legs.

This gives me about 19x44 inches of space, plus the backside is enclosed, so I can pile up a few pairs of shoes or lean a bag in there with no problem. I made sure that the addition does not interfere with the table itself, even when lowered or raised all the way. It also does not interfere with me pulling up a chair or standing at the desk.

Some light sanding and a few coats of lacquer later, and I have a pretty decent, smooth, and durable surface for additional junk on my work table for years to come. There is one obvious issue: stamps on the plywood. My original idea was to just paint the whole thing a dark color and not worry about markings on the wood, but since the rest of the table is a natural wood color, I went ahead and did a clear lacquer. I got pretty lucky in most respects about markings/ink/etc on the plywood, except the very front lip has the remains of a large green stamp applied to the side of the stack of plywood. So yeah, that'll bug me for the next 20 years, but that's life. I tried sanding it of,f and it wasn't getting any lighter, so I am going to live with it. And another minor annoyance; the table is harder to roll after adding 20 pounds of wood to it, and now I wish I'd tried something lighter than 2x4's but it is what it is. And here's the result!

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/10/PXL_20211017_220729092.jpg)

Freshly lacquered and dried enough to assemble
### Ghost CMS, pretty neat stuff
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/ghost-cms-pretty-neat-stuff/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T14:42:15.000Z
I've set up a CMS several times for personal stuff.. A few I can't remember, others I can remember were CMSMS and WebGUI. All did way more than I'd ever need, were complicated, etc. Ghost seems to fit what I need, although I doubt I'll really use all of it.

Expect to see me tinkering with it, although I don't plan on going crazy with any templates, etc, perhaps some misc changes. Right now, it's running in a podman container but has a local Nginx proxying the SSL, thus the oddball URL with 11443 in it. Apache is currently doing some other stuff on ports 80 and 443, so I can't use those ports, so this will do. Looks a bit odd, but hey, why not?

And note to self: if I do change the port, I need to change the podman script to match ;) Thanks, past me, I did this at some point!

And here are a couple of tricks/tips (otherwise known as I'll never remember this unless I write it down). Note that I am using the default Casper theme on my site; these will very likely need adjusting for other themes and potentially as the default theme changes as well.

## Tag Cards

I wanted to expose the tags on the site in a pleasing way, and fortunately, the community was way ahead of me and had already documented how to do it by adding a few files into the theme, which is documented at [https://netlify.many-monkeys.com/adding-a-tags-page-to-ghost-blog/](https://netlify.many-monkeys.com/adding-a-tags-page-to-ghost-blog/?ref=theblackmoor.net) However, I had to do a bit of tweaking to make this work, so this is what I came up with.

##### custom-tagcard.hbs

```
{{!< default}}
{{!-- The tag above means - insert everything in this file into the {body} of the default.hbs template --}}

{{!-- The big featured header, it uses blog cover image as a BG if available --}}
{{#post}}

{{!-- The main content area --}}
<main id="site-main" class="site-main outer" role="main">
    <div class="inner inner-page-tags">                 
         <div class="post-feed">
            {{#get 'tags' limit='all' include='count.posts' order='count.posts desc'}}
            {{#foreach tags}}
                {{!-- The tag below includes the markup for each tag - partials/tag-card.hbs --}}
                {{> "tag-card"}}
            {{/foreach}}
            {{/get}}
        </div>
    </div>
</main>
{{/post}}

```

##### partials/tag-card.hbs

```
<article class="post-card {{post_class}}{{#unless feature_image}} no-image{{/unless}}">
    {{#if feature_image}}
        <a class="post-card-image-link" href="{{url}}">
            <div class="post-card-image" style="background-image: url({{feature_image}})"></div>
        </a>
    {{/if}}
    <div class="post-card-content">
        <a class="post-card-content-link" href="{{url}}">
            <header class="post-card-header">
                <h2 class="post-card-title">{{name}}</h2>
            </header>
            <section class="post-card-excerpt">
                <p>{{description}}</p>
                <p>A collection of {{plural count.posts empty='posts' singular='% post' plural='% posts'}}</p>
            </section>
        </a>
    </div>
</article>

```

## Open in new tab

I wanted to open links inside of articles in new tabs and Ghost doesn't have a built-in way to open in a new tab/don't open in in tab, so based on [this post](https://forum.ghost.org/t/i-want-my-external-links-to-open-in-a-new-tab/9830?ref=theblackmoor.net) I came up with the following, which goes in the Code Injection Site Footer (it's important it's in the footer, not the header):

```
<!-- Force a new tab on href's unless they have ?sametab& in them -->
<script type='text/javascript'>
  $( document ).ready(function() {
      $(".article a").attr("target","moredetail");
      $( "a[href*='?sametab&']" ).attr("target","");
  });
</script>

<script>
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
  const links = document.querySelectorAll("a");
  links.forEach(function(link) {
    if (link.host !== window.location.host) {
      link.setAttribute("target", "_blank");
      // Optional: add rel="noopener noreferrer" for security
      link.setAttribute("rel", "noopener noreferrer");
    }
  });
});
</script>

```

The first *article* match is matching any link in the site by default within an article, so you shouldn't mess with any site links themselves. The second one lets me override this by adding ?sametab& onto the URL, which generally will just be ignored as URL parameters and will open in the current tab, as it has no specified target.

## Lightbox for Images

Based on this post about adding [lightboxes for images](https://forum.ghost.org/t/fluidbox-integration-for-image-click-lightboxes/7451?ref=theblackmoor.net), I added the following to my Site Footer:

```
<script>
      window.fluidboxGhostConfig = {
      theme: 'image-backdrop', // Options: light, dark, image-backdrop, hsla(262, 100%, 82%, 0.6)
      showCaption: true, // Sets whether to capture the caption and show it below the image when expanded
      }
</script>
<script async src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/coreysnyder04/fluidbox-ghost-blog-plugin@0.1.0/fluidbox-ghost-blog-plugin.min.js"></script>

```

Update: At some point, Ghost added this themselves, and this code created 'double' Lightboxes and was a bit of a mess; so I've since removed this from my code injection.

## Google search box

Following the [instructions on the Ghost site](https://ghost.org/docs/tutorials/google-custom-search/?ref=theblackmoor.net) for adding search, I added the following to the Code Injection settings of the site:

###### Code Injection, Site Header

```
<!-- Google search box code, copy and paste from site -->

<style>
  .gse-searchbox {
     clear: both;
     position: relative;
     z-index: 10;
     margin-top: -5em;
     float: right;
     width: 100%;
     max-width: 400px;
     color: black;
   }
 </style>

```

###### Code Injection, Site Footer

```
  <div class="gse-searchbox">
     <gcse:search></<gcse:search>
  </div>

```
### Android.  That is all.
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/android-that-is-all/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T13:51:13.000Z
I realize that Android is in its own way a bit of a closed garden, but much more open than some other competition. So I am an Android guy, and I will be until something better comes along. 

## Devices

I have a Pixel 6 as my phone and a Google Pixel Tablet as my tablet. I also have a few Fire HD8s around because they make great little ZoneMinder monitors and/or just random book readers, and they're dirt cheap on sale.

The Pixel 6 is stock, and I've never even rooted it. I hadn't used root a ton in the last few years, except for adblocking, making backups, etc. I miss having backups, but ad blocking is sufficiently done with the Pi-Hole in the house. I do not miss having to do special things in order to update monthly.

My Google Pixel Tablet is pretty new as of this update, but it's so far primarily living on my desk on the dock and just keeping itself front-and-center, being useful as a weather portal but also reminding me of its existence. 

I still have my Fire HD10 that I de-Amazoned. I never rooted it, but did disable updates so it wouldn't keep enabling Amazon software I don't really need. It's really not a bad device, but I replaced it with the Pixel Tablet for a few reasons. It's not the fastest, and the battery life when gaming on it isn't great, but it'll get me a week just hosing around on IRC for a couple of hours in the evening using my [Bluetooth keyboard](https://theblackmoor.net/keeb-weeb-lol/?sametab&). I'll likely keep it around for a while, but then again, I'm a bit of a device hoarder.

## Apps

Android wouldn't be that useful without apps, of which there are 1,639,669,127 and counting in the Play Store. Here are a few I use daily.

### Tasker

[Tasker](https://tasker.joaoapps.com/?ref=theblackmoor.net) automates many things on my phone and in the house, from turning the lights on and off for me or tracking me into my own database for history/statistics. It automates many things for me on my phone; you can even view a [partial list](http://lamneth.theblackmoor.net:8081/tasks.txt?ref=theblackmoor.net) of such things.

### Fair Email 

K9 email went through a long period of a few updates, and I migrated to Fair Email, which is a rather good client and fits my needs well

### Flowx

I am a weather nerd, and Flowx gives me SO much weather info

### RainViewer

Extremely detailed information on upcoming rain and radars

### fbreader

Best e-text reader, hands down, I've read hundreds of books on FBReader over the years

### Dairio

Private diary of notes, reminders, and just "what happened today". I reference it a lot to remind myself when something happened or when I last trimmed the ferret's claws

And there are many, many other apps I use - I have tons of apps, maybe I'll think of more to add to this list to highlight.
### Keeb Weeb LOL
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/keeb-weeb-lol/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:04:17.000Z
Okay, I'm a bit of a keyboard nerd. On a scale of "I use a keyboard" (1) to "I just put 63.25g lubed springs in my Holy Pandas" (10), I'm about a 6 on the keeb weeb scale. That is to say, I care greatly about the keyboard as a user interface and how it fits my needs. I enjoy tinkering with them a bit, would even like to build some from the PCB-up one day, but I have no interest in collecting keyboards I don't use, and I use all my keyboards.

## My typing/preferences

I've touch typed since 8th grade, so for about a million years now, so I rarely look at the keyboard except to poke an individual key when I'm not otherwise on the home row. I use the QWERTY layout and don't do a great job of reaching for those extended keys without moving my hands, but it's pretty natural for me. I only use the right thumb for the space bar, and I generally type about 70wpm in normal typing, but in speed tests, I can get up to 125wpm for short bursts.

I prefer tactile switches, and of those, the most tactile are also generally clicky switches. Unfortunately, clicky switches can be loud, so I will sometimes compromise a bit on the switches while optimizing for noise.

## My Primary keyboard

[Mistel MD770](https://www.mistelkeyboard.com/?ref=theblackmoor.net) with [Kailh Box Royal](https://novelkeys.xyz/products/novelkeys-box-royal-switches?ref=theblackmoor.net) switches. This is a split, TLK, with a bit of a compressed layout type of keyboard. It has all the normal keys, minus numpad, but the arrow keys are compressed in a bit, etc to fit the keyboard in a smaller space. My keyboards go on a keyboard tray, and I prefer to put them where my hands naturally land, so this layout works perfectly for me. 

This keyboard originally came with MX Clear switches, as I thought they would be very similar to the switches I was used to in the past with IBM M keyboards, but I could not have been more wrong. They had very little tactile feel and were very, very tiring to type on. I only used them a month or two before I desoldered and replaced them with Box Royal switches. As for Box Royal, I'm still using them 6+ months later, so I find them a good compromise on sound and feel. They aren't as tactile as I'd like, and the tactility isn't quite to my taste, but they're pretty good switches. They have gotten a little clicky sounding on the more-used switches, but not loud. Just a different noise. They are not a 'quiet' switch, but they are also not a loud switch. Perfect for the small home office or office environment.

## My portable keyboard

[Royal Kludge 68 Pro](https://theblackmoor.net/royal-kludge-68-pro?sametab&) with [Kailh Box Jades](https://novelkeys.xyz/products/novelkeys-x-kailh-box-thick-clicks?ref=theblackmoor.net). This is a USB or Bluetooth, hot-swappable 65% keyboard. I got this keyboard so I could use it with my tablet, phone, etc, and potentially swap out keyboards a bit if I got tired of one and also let me try out different switch types. I got lucky on my first set of switches, however. I **love** my Box Jades, but they are quite loud. Not office-friendly, but they are quieter than MX Blues or IBM M Keyboards so your mileage may vary.

## My other keyboards

Okay, yeah, I said I don't have any keyboards I don't use. You didn't believe that for a second, did you? To be fair, I only have one keyboard I don't use anymore, and a number that I need to clean up and sell. 

My previous primary desktop keyboard is a Lexmark M15\. Yes, really. If you're a keyboard nerd, you just said "no way", but yes way. Loved it, used it for many years, just wanted something more modern, and now I can't go back to it. I love buckling springs and that precise tactility, but it's just not quite as nice as a modern keyboard, sad to say. It needs some minor repairs, but otherwise, it's in great shape, and someday I will get a few things done on it (left shift and \\ are a little wonky) and sell it.

I also have a garage full of IBM M keyboards, but those were hoarded from work when some folks were moving office and dumping old stuff they no longer needed. I'll clean these up and sell them on eBay. These keyboards will never die; they just move from person to person.

I also have a couple of utter crap Bluetooth keyboards I used in the past for the phone/tablet that I just need to toss. They are just garbage.

Here are a couple of pictures of my keyboards; the top two were me beginning to resolder the Mistel MD770, which I sadly forgot to take any pictures of while doing. The keyboard on the bottom left with a bunch of caps missing was me messing with my Kemove 61 with its delicious Kailh Box Jade switches, and the last picture is of my trusty ole Lexmark M15 that's currently in storage. 

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/IMG_20200812_135307-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/IMG_20200811_151104-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/IMG_20200804_152913-1.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2021/07/IMG_20161231_163802-2.jpg)

And here is my new Royal Kluge 68 Pro with most of the keycaps stolen from the Kemove 61 because the RK68's keycaps are pretty terrible.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/02/PXL_20220205_173736218-2.jpg)

And when you have a random piece of LED tape lying around, why not make it a keyboard light? Later upgraded to an RGB string that lets me know when I have unread email, an upcoming calendar event, high system load, CPU overheating, etc.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/03/PXL_20220220_015135387.jpg)

Keyboard lit from above, why not

## Auxillary Numpad

Because I watch entirely too much Youtube, I often thought it'd be handy to have a macro pad that would perform a lot of Youtube things that I could easily hit when my chair was turned, I had food in hand, cat in my lap, etc, so I started looking into a fancy hot-swap QMK macro pad and found they were ridiculously expensive so I went with a $12 junk USB Numpad instead. However, using the magic of xmodmap and xbindkeys in Linux, I was able to remap it to do what I needed.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2023/01/numpad.jpg)

Numpad with Legends

Some of the keys are obvious, like the arrow keys (Up/Down/Left/Right), Mute (my primary headset), and volume up/down, but others may be less so. Play/Pause at the bottom will play/pause YouTube (really Chrome, using MPRIS), and Thumbs Up sends a +, which will Thumbs Up in YouTube with a Chrome extension. Play/Pause at the top is for my music player, your typical media play/pause signal. RGB Power turns my under-desk RGB on/off (mostly on; it has issues randomly turning itself off). I've also added a few Control-numpad combinations in Cyan, such as muting my playback audio (default is Mic mute) and RGB White forces my RGB light to White.

The ones labeled 1/2/3 make my mouse cursor and keyboard input jump to a predefined place on monitor 1, 2, or 3, which comes in very handy. I already do this same sort of movement using my mouse, using left/right on the scroll wheel on my Logitech MX Ergo, but it comes in very handy to switch between my primary terminal and YouTube or whatever.

The rest of the keys I have not yet mapped (Esc, Tab, and Backspace) are not Numpad-specific, so I can't remap those, and NumLock and FN I can't map at all. I do, however, have plenty of options for Shift, Alt, or Control combinations if I really need them.

The Numpad came with some cheap linear switches (similar to MX Reds) and generic keycaps, but using my stash of keycaps, I came up with some that fit the intended purpose a bit more, and I desoldered the existing switches and swapped in some spare Kaihl Jades I was not using.

It sits to the left of my keyboard, which was otherwise empty, unoccupied space, and I use it more than I expected to; probably multiple times every day.
### chatdb, IRC log query, and analysis
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/chatdb-irc-log-query-and-analysis/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:06:30.000Z
While many folks likely do not use IRC or haven't used IRC in years, it is still a terrific collaboration tool to communicate with users in a community, provide support, or just basic socializing. I heavily use IRC and frequently use it to discover new information and/or get help on things, so my logs are important to me to be able to find the information again. 

So after many years of grepping log files, I decided to write a tool called [chatdb](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/chatdb/?ref=theblackmoor.net) which parses my log files and puts them in a database. Indices make query speeds almost instantaneous. There is a tradeoff of setup complexity and disk space, but depending on your needs, the results may offset the requirements.

## Finding Information

Finding information from a huge pool of information is really about filtering that information down to the important bits. chatdb has many filters in order to narrow down the results, such as (fuzzy!) date ranges, by nick, in a specific channel, containing words/phrases, etc. Once you have narrowed it down a bit, you could use grep, a pager, or whatever is comfortable to find what you're looking for. If you need some context, chatdb can do that too!

## Contextual Information

Often, a line in a conversation isn't enough to reconstruct the information, so chatdb can show you N lines around a conversation in order to pick up all the context you need. Ideally, you'll want to narrow in on a particular message, and then chatdb can dig out lines before and after for you.

## Statistical Information

Channel stats can be useful for users or moderators of a channel. chatdb has a number of ways to create statistics, such as activity in a channel by lines, by the user, what channels a user has been in, how much activity a particular user you've seen, etc. I've written the stats that have sounded useful to me over the time I've built chatdb, but suggestions are always welcome.

## Tracking Users

Unfortunately, IRC can also involve moderation, which sometimes means understanding user history. Sometimes a user will come in and blatantly encourage moderation, other times they may repeatedly disrupt to the point of moderation, but pull back before they get themselves in trouble. Others just come in as different nicks to avoid moderation, avoid bans, etc. chatdb has a few queries to help identify these users, although it's never going to be perfect.

## Where does chatdb get all this info??

Your own log files. Currently, irssi and znc logs are supported. Weechat is coming soon. Any channels you're in can be logged in your client, and chatdb can parse those logs. There is no central location to 'get' logs, and chatdb is (currently!) not designed to be accessed by anyone except you. The query interface is purely command-line. I have considered a web front end a few times to make it more convenient for me in some cases, but UI dev is not one of my talents, and so far, I just haven't taken the time to really dive in and work on it.

## Patches welcome!

Seriously, suggestions, bug reports, new log formats, etc, are all welcome. I will be adding Weechat as I have begun to use that quite a bit recently, but I don't use any other IRC clients, so I do not plan on supporting clients X, Y, and Z that I don't myself use. The log parsing and queries are all designed around IRC, but I see no reason that one could not do things to parse other logs, such as Matrix or Discord, etc, given you have the log files in a format you can parse.

chatdb is entirely Perl with some bash shell scripts to support it.

## Where do I get it, or get more info?

The [chatdb GitLab repo](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/chatdb/?ref=theblackmoor.net) has the code and documentation. There will be more code as I find more things to do, and there can always be more documentation, so if you start using chatdb, make sure to keep an eye on the repo to see if there are changes.
### Photo Gallery
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/photo-gallery/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:07:11.000Z
I have a public photo gallery up, but fair warning... This isn't a curated collection of my best photography; it's a view of everything in my collection. A more curated view may come at some point in the future. I have attempted to do it a few times in the past and quickly abandoned the idea, as it takes a lot of time to do and maintain.

However, there are a lot of shots in my galleries that I am really proud of and should work on exposing better, so I'll work on this in the future.

My public gallery is available at [https://photos.theblackmoor.net](https://photos.theblackmoor.net/?ref=theblackmoor.net) and uses ThumbsUp as the gallery generator, and has a [search engine](https://gitlab.com/khaytsus/thumbsup-search/?ref=theblackmoor.net) I wrote embedded in it.
### Amazfit is an amazing deal
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/amazfit/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:11:41.000Z
I've had a Fitbit Alta HR for 5-6 years now, and while I'm surprised it's lasted this long, it is on its way out. It only keeps a charge for a few days, and it doesn't seem to stay connected to the phone; it sometimes goes several days or weeks without syncing. I am not sure what could possibly be causing that, but it's pretty inconvenient when I realize it isn't syncing anymore. So it was time to go.

I'd heard of Amazfit a few times but didn't pay too much attention to their offerings and price, and I initially was very skeptical... A device that offers more (on paper, anyway) than the Fitbit for a third of the cost. I have had an Amazfit Band 5 (otherwise known as the Xiaomi Mi Band 5) for several weeks now, and it's excellent. I get 10+ days out of the battery, the band is comfortable, the size is perfect, the screen is quite readable even in sunlight, etc. I do question the Zepp software a bit in that it shows it'll do Blood Oxygen, and you can tell that it's doing it at night (red LED on constantly), but the data never shows up anywhere. But for other things like steps, stress, heart rate, etc, it seemed to align very well with my Fitbit. 

Another thing I question is the sleep analysis; it doesn't seem to match up with my Fitbit, but when I looked closely a few nights when I wore the Band 5, Fitbit, and a WearOS watch running Sleep as Android, none of them really matched up that great, but the Band 5 in particular never seems to show deep sleep and rarely shows any kind of sleep cycles. I suspect this could be tweaked in software, but it's been out for a while, so I have no expectation that this will happen.

The Amazfit also has a pretty large community of people who make custom faces and third-party applications that can replace Zepp as the phone software. I've tried a few of the third-party apps, and I found them clunky and unreliable. And when they were installed, data wasn't getting reliably stored, no heart rate, no steps, etc, but I plan on trying them again sometime in the future, as they did have more features and tweaks.

I think if I ever get another smartwatch or a bigger fitness band, I will start at Amazfit and see what fits my needs.

### (Nearly) One Year of Ownership Update

I've used this band for almost a year and wanted to post some updates. 

First, I'm utterly **amazed** that the screen still looks *brand new*. I'm pretty careful with not banging my arm into stuff, but it happens, and I don't recall seeing the band specify any particular scratch resistance, but it still looks absolutely perfect, which is amazing to me. My Fitbit was starting to look dinged and scratched within 6 months, like it was made out of really soft plastic. I am honestly not sure what material the Amazfit Band 5 is, but it must be hardened glass. And overall, the device itself is still in great condition, with no issues with the rubber band, fit, etc. I honestly expected some wear, tear, etc, by this point, so I'm very impressed.

The software has continuously gotten updates, which are great to see. Yes, sometimes a feature is added and a feature is removed, moved, or broken; that happens in all software, but by and large, the software has been improved multiple times over the past year.

SpO2 still does not give any kind of "continuous" reading that I've seen, even though the software has always implied that it does. If left enabled, it seems to give a little more data in the Sleep section, but no specific SpO2 information. I'd really like to know what my oxygen levels are throughout the day, especially in this day and age, as that is an indicator of potentially having an infection and a high-level indicator of health. Manual readings work fine, but I would have really liked to have seen automatic periodic measurements when the band is set to do so, and the ability to review those results like the other measurements the band does.

And one bug that I've seen twice, but happens rarely enough that I didn't experiment with it much; the watch strangely doesn't immediately update on DST time changes. In the Fall of 2021, I noticed this, but when I went to look into it, the band had already updated, even though it was late morning or so when I was looking, so in theory, it should have happened 7+ hours prior. Spring of 2022, I also noticed the same; no automatic update. This time, about 3 in the afternoon, I disabled Bluetooth on my phone momentarily, and then the time was immediately updated on the band, so again, 13 or so hours after it should have automatically updated. So, not the end of the world, just a very strange bug to go overlooked.

And one more issue that I wish they'd improve is the integration with other apps and authorization/token timeouts. For example, Google Fit, I'm not sure yet of the exact timeframe, but about every 90 days, it seems like the authorization expires, and it quietly stops sending data to Fit. I only happened to notice it, and have to go into the Zepp app and go through the process of re-authorizing it. The process is easy, and it seems to sync all the data once it's done, but it's still silly that it does not at least warn me when this happens. I made a note of the last time it seemed to time out on me, so next time it happens, I'll see if there's a pattern; however, it's happened to me at least 3 times in the last year that I can recall.

## Another Update: 18 months. RIP

The band is deteriorating, cracking, and splitting. Both at the "loop" part, where the band goes through, as well as the hole that I always use. While I'm disappointed, I must say that I honestly never expected it to last this long at the price point it sold at. The actual 'pod' that is the electronics appears, to my eye, to be in brand new condition. No dings, no scratches, and even the battery seems to be working exactly like it did when it was brand new. Honestly impressed. I could purchase a new band, but last I looked, they were actually not available for purchase, and I've had a replacement watch ([Samsung Galaxy Watch 4](https://theblackmoor.net/samsung-galaxy-4/)) for a while now, so I've been meaning to retire the Amazfit Band 5 anyway. Running both Zepp and Samsung Health seems to use quite a lot of battery on my phone. 

The device itself (minus band), 5/5\. Charger, 5/5\. Battery, 5/5\. Zepp Software; eh, it has had its ups and downs. But overall, it's worked the vast majority of the time. I considered replacing it with another Amazfit device before getting the Samsung Galaxy watch, but read on for why I did not.

## A quick note about other Amazfit devices

While the Band 5 is an amazing deal that works great, especially for the price, Amazfit has a bad tendency to put out as many devices as they can and not support them very well, and have mediocre sensors in them. At the typical price of $35 for the Band 5, this can mostly be forgiven, but they are attempting to sell the TRex 2 for $250, which is more expensive than the previous model but with nearly no improvements. I had considered getting one, but with the price and the heart rate sensor performance, I am no longer interested. I'll see how the Band 7 looks when it comes out soon; it may be a decent device to upgrade to.

## Exporting Data

All things come to an end, but you can keep the data! The following path in the Zepp app, more or less, will get you to a screen where you can export your data. The path seems to vary over time, but hopefully, this is close enough to find your way. 

- From your phone; your Zepp app > Profile > Settings > Information > User Rights > Export Data
### Antenna Analysis
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/antenna-analysis/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:13:41.000Z
A [NanoVNA](https://github.com/ttrftech/NanoVNA?ref=theblackmoor.net) is both a blessing and a curse. I dig it out entirely too often to re-analyze all of my antennas after discovering some new way to do it, or some new analysis feature. Nonetheless, it's an excellent tool to analyze antennas, coax, filters, etc, and any ham who tinkers around should have one.

I have the model that has a 2.4" screen and is said to work up to 1.5GHz and has harmonics above 300MHz, vs the "V2" or "N2" models, which go up to 3GHz and do not use harmonics for the higher ranges, so their accuracy is better. The older model I have does just fine for my needs, just need to allow it time to do a bit more averaging on 70cm to get a good analysis.

At the desktop, I primarily use [NanoVNA Saver](https://github.com/NanoVNA-Saver/nanovna-saver?ref=theblackmoor.net) which is an excellent program for calibration, capturing data, and analyzing data, as well as doing some more specialized calculations. However, I've also found that the [NanoVNA WebApp](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.lowreal.nanovnawebapp&ref=theblackmoor.net) on my phone works excellently to capture data. I can certainly do some analysis of SWR and Return Loss charts on the phone (or on the NanoVNA itself, for that matter!), but I prefer to get the data, send it over to the desktop via NextCloud, and then analyze it further using NanoVNA Saver.

In a pinch, you can certainly use the NanoVNA just by itself, standalone, and it has pretty much everything built in you'd need to analyze antennas, but with the 2.4" screen, it makes it a bit harder to see for me, but I've tuned antenna matches directly off an antenna, doing this a few times and it works great. I still prefer to have the data saved for analysis, so I know the antenna system is doing what I expect, as well as potentially comparing it to a future state of the antenna if I suspect any issues with it.

The coax that comes with the NanoVNA is usable, but not great. I pretty quickly got some quality RG316 pigtails for mine and made sure my other existing pigtails around the house were of good quality (one was not!). The calibration kit that comes with the NanoVNA was sufficient for my needs.

Speaking of calibration, I'm not going to attempt to explain it here, as that's well documented in other places, but make sure that you calibrate for the cabling/setup you're using. If you reuse the same setup without changing it, you can store and recall the calibration, but if you change anything, always recalibrate. I personally have a calibration for an [HT antenna jig](https://theblackmoor.net/analyzing-ht-antennas-is-hard/?sametab&), a calibration for 2M right off the cable, a calibration for 70CM right off the cable, and a calibration for HF right off the cable. The separate 2M and 70CM calibrations aren't really necessary; I could calibrate 140MHz-460MHz and be done with it, but it's nice on recall for it to set it to 140MHz-150MHz to see details better, especially if you're viewing a [Smith Chart](https://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/smith-chart-basics?ref=theblackmoor.net). There's no point in looking at a Smith chart outside of the design parameters of an antenna.

I have done an [analysis of a bunch of antennas](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WrGkUq32bSvUlu6kf3xob9RVPED5xYPMPZTKoMhpgnA/edit?usp=sharing&ref=theblackmoor.net) I own, and while my antennas may not overlap with yours or your antenna might perform differently than mine, maybe my analysis of them will be of interest to someone. Everything listed here is what I own. Sorry, but I can't do any requests as I have more than enough HT antennas as it is. That said, I am seemingly always getting another one, so as I do, I'll add it to the list.
### Anytone 878UV
URL: https://theblackmoor.net/anytone-uv878/
Last updated: 2025-11-01T14:26:19.000Z
Like seemingly every ham, I now own an Anytone 878UV. Not the Plus, not the II, just the AT-878UV with GPS. The Bluetooth module sounds somewhat interesting for monitoring traffic using a Bluetooth earpiece, but it wasn't worth the additional $50 for me. And the II has a few interesting upgrades, but again, not worth the additional $90 at the time.

I replaced an Anytone 3318-E with this radio, effectively, and while it's a pretty decent replacement, there are a few things I'm missing. The dual receive was pretty nice on the 3318-E. However, I do not miss the 3318-E's quirks, such as being able to turn off all of the banks to scan while scanning, and the radio freezing until you manage to turn it on and turn on a bank, which was very tricky to get the timing right to do.

I've been taking some notes on the 878 that might be of interest to someone, who knows. It's not really a review, but I've written up a document that contains [tips/tricks/workarounds](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MZWBDGQgMRraYs9knAbjdLLtovbSPpCqCiKXO-X7zjs/edit?usp=sharing&ref=theblackmoor.net). Hope it's of use to someone, I know it will be to future me when I forget something ;) I've documented a few things in the document linked above on this page, but will likely pull all of the information out eventually so it all lives in one place.

I am currently running Firmware 1.26 and the matching CPS. I did a [write-up on the 1.25 Firmware](https://theblackmoor.net/anytone-878-gets-firmware-upgrade), which adds GPS Zone Roaming, which is a really nice addition. There is also a 1.26 firmware which was made available a few days after 1.25 to correct "repeater access issues" and some other minor things, so the write-up on 1.25 is valid if you're curious about any major changes, but of course, I suggest updating to the latest (as of this writing) 1.26.

## Tips

Here are a few tips and workarounds I've found; they are more deeply explained in the document linked above on where to find them in the CPS or Radio, but I wanted to expose some of the ones I find the most useful here. Some of these are documented in various places, but are in terse release notes or random blogs/posts on the internet. Perhaps I'll slowly migrate everything from the Google document into this post at some point.

##### Quick Talkgroup Entry

If you hold the 0 (Zero) button while on a digital channel, the radio will prompt you for a Talk Group/contact number. It defaults to a private ID, but you can hit the # key to switch it to a Group. Type in the number and hit the PTT, and it'll send straight to the private ID or Group you typed in. Do note you have to set the Manual Dial (both Group and Private) timeout in the CPS, or it'll quickly revert to your previous Talk Group. Your needs and how you use your radio will determine what settings you use here, but I personally set it to Infinite so it stays on the Talk Group I dialed in. I can switch channels to switch back if needed. Unfortunately, the Talk Group displayed on the screen does *not* update to show the group you've typed in; maybe they'll fix that someday. See the Talk Group Holding section below for a lot more detail here.

You can also pick a Talk Group by going to the List feature, which lists all groups; however, fair warning. It does not seem to actually stay on the Talk Group selected from the List unless you actually select it, then under Option, hit Select Contact, then hit \* to exit out of the menus. If you just go to a specific contact and then hit the PTT, it will transmit to that contact for a few seconds (likely tied to the Hold Time settings) and then revert back to the previous contact. 

#### Scan Shortcut

You can initiate a scan by long-pressing Up or Down; no need to assign Scan to a P or PF button. If on a Channel, it will start scanning the Scan List assigned to that Channel; if in the VFO, it will start scanning the VFO.

Press PTT to respond to the current channel or the Menu key to stop and stay on the current channel

#### Volume is too LOUD

The volume on this radio is unfortunately not analog; there are 15 steps, and there's nothing in between these steps. The volume knob might as well just be an Up/Down button. It would be nice if there were 30 or even 60 steps here for more granularity. However, overall, you can adjust the range of volume range of the radio, sort of. The Max Volume lets you shift the volume range up and down, which means the lowest volume can be set lower, but it also means the max volume is also lower. You may find yourself indoors wanting one setting and outdoors or in the car wanting a different setting, which is unfortunate. I set mine to 1 for now, which is still too loud for indoors but a lot better than the default.

- Radio: Settings->Radio Set->Max Vol Level
- CPS: Optional Setting -> Volume/Audio -> Maximum Volume

### Dual Monitor mode can get glitchy

I'm putting this in the Tips/Workarounds section because it's not really a bug as much as it is the reality of how Dual Monitor mode works. Monitor, or as other radios call it, Promiscuous Mode, will decode audio from any Talk Group when it's in Single Monitor mode, and in Dual Monitor mode, it'll also decode from either Time Slot. So if your hotspot or repeater has multiple QSOs ongoing, it can get very strange when the radio is decoding from Time Slot 1 one moment and Time Slot 2 the next. I personally have Monitor mode assigned to a PF button so I can quickly turn it on and off, and I leave it on most of the time. 

### "Private" Calls on Brandmeister

Have you ever wanted to get in touch with a buddy but sure what talk group they might be on, or the talk group you use often is already busy? On Brandmeister, you can initiate a Private call directly to their DMR ID, and as long as their radio is working, they should receive it. This isn't really an Anytone 878-specific tip; this will work on any radio.

Other DMR networks do not necessarily support this, but you can always test to see if it works. Also, this is likely best used on a personal Hotspot and not a repeater; however, you could always use a repeater to get someone to go to a specific public Talk Group to chat with them. It's a bit rude to have a private 1-to-1 conversation across a repeater, but putting out a call and organizing a "QSY" to another Talk Group should certainly be no problem.

### Misc Radio Tips/Tricks

So as not to be too overly verbose, here are some remaining tips and tricks that I might break out into individual sections later.

- Tone Scan  
  - Set frequency, enable a receive tone (Settings -> Chan Set -> RCDT) then Scan -> CDT Scan
  - You have to have tone decode enabled, it won’t scan otherwise
  - Press PTT to respond/save the current tone or just Menu to keep the current tone
- P1 in menus will scroll a page at a time  
  - No need to hit down 20 times, P1 will scroll down one full page so hit P1 until you see the option you’re looking for, then hit Down to get to it
- Other key tips  
  - Red button or P2 both do back
  - - in a menu exits all menus immediately
  - Up/Down in VFO mode moves Up or Down 1MHz
- Switch to current TG in Promiscuous mode  
  - Hit \* while listening to a QSO in Promiscuous mode and it’ll switch the radio talk group to the current one being received so you can respond.
  - This only seems to work if you catch it during the transmission and within the N seconds for your Hold Time settings
  - Personally, I assigned a P/PF key to Last Call Reply which works 100%
  - Warning; when using '\*' to "call back" the last caller the radio ONLY changes the Talk Group, not the Time Slot, so if you're in Dual Monitor mode you could call back on the wrong Time Slot.
- Weather Alert  
  - This mutes all audio until there is a weather alert broadcast by NOAA weather radio.
  - This means all (analog only?) audio; not just weather channels.
  - Your radio has to be on a NOAA station for it to actually function
  - There is no alert; it simply un-mutes

### CPS Misc Tips

- Tone Encode/Decode  
  - To enable tone encode or decode you must manually set it, just setting the tone does not enable it like in most radios  
    - CTCSS/DCS Encode in the CPS in the channel setting, and TCDT in the radio
    - Likewise, CTCSS/DCS Decode and RCDT in the radio for turning on Tone Decode
    - The radio defaults to Carrier which is just normal squelch
- Setting up hotkeys to work with long-press of Green followed by Number  
  - In the CPS in Hot Keys, make sure to set up Fun Key + N, then this function will work.  
    - Seems obvious, but also is easily overlooked or accidentally mistaken for the top items in the Hot Key window that are just "Hot Key 1" which are only for assigning to P/PF keys.

### Button Layout

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2025/03/buttons.jpg)

Button layout for the Anytone 878

## Radio Issues

The radio has a few issues that I've found in my testing and usage that are described below.

#### Analog signals can cut in and out

Those of us who have used superhet receivers over the years are a bit baffled as to why modern inexpensive radios literally receive *worse* the better the antenna system is. They simply get overloaded and can no longer decode a signal. It makes sense on a technical level but not on an intuitive level. This is exactly what I initially thought was happening when I found some analog signals to cut in and out while listening to them, and I was initially quite disappointed that the radio had a poor receiver. However, with some digging, I found that this is actually related to the Squelch Tail Eliminator setting. If you turn off STE, the problem goes away. Basically, STE is designed to close squelch when a certain frequency is transmitted, eliminating the loud hiss at the end of a transmission. On this radio, for some reason, this seems to happen quite often mid-transmission when the radio detects the STE frequency. Perhaps it clamps down faster than other radios, not sure.

There may be other reasons for the audio to cut in and out. I am sure this radio still suffers from intermod and RF overload, but in normal use, I have not experienced any issues once turning off STE.

- Radio: Settings -> Radio Set -> No Signal STE -> Off
- CPS: Optional Setting -> STE -> STE When No Signal -> Off
- Untested: Analog CTCSS Decode set to a frequency, but Squelch Mode set to Carrier is also said to work around this issue

On a side note, I hear of people who leave the radio in Narrow mode on all channels. You need to set the appropriate bandwidth for the given channel. In the US, most ham radio repeaters are 25khz. In particular, I've heard of some folks having issues receiving NOAA, even with STE disabled, and they had the bandwidth set to Narrow. Again, set the channel bandwidth correctly.

### Pressing P1 or P2 can also activate P3

Sometimes when you press P1 or P2, the radio also seems to activate P3\. For me, P3 is set to Power, so I can easily adjust the output power, and I would find randomly my power level changes randomly because of this bug. Not sure what makes it happen, but it doesn't do it all of the time.

### Analog APRS Altitude seems to be about 10% too low

Multiple users have found that when using imperial units on this radio, the Analog APRS altitude is about 10% too low. If you use metric, the number seems to be correct. This is likely due to a conversion issue and may be as simple as assuming 1 meter = 3 feet, which is about 10% off.

This is reportedly fixed on Firmware 1.25 onwards, but I have not retested this.

### Can't manually transmit DMTF tones C and D

P1, P2, Up, and Down should be A, B, C, and D, respectively; however, only A and B work. Up and Down seem to only change the Zones. I assume you can create a DTMF string to send as a workaround, but I have not tested this.

## CPS Issues

The Windows CPS has quite a few rough edges, but all can be worked around in some fashion.

### Make sure Hide Zone isn't enabled

The CPS/Firmware, since 1.25, supports hiding zones; in particular, this is useful for GPS Zone Roaming, so you can hide the roaming zones. However, this seems to default to turned on in some cases, which makes the Up/Down button not change zones. If you have this issue, just check your Zones in the CPS.

#### CPS does not keep track of talk groups or channels if moved

Every DMR CPS automatically updates references if they are moved, such as if I have channels 1-10 in a zone and swap 10 and 11, the zone will have 1-9 and 11 in it. The 878 CPS still has channels 1-10 in it, so now the channel I previously had in this zone is no longer in it. Same issue with Talk Groups; you can assign default talk groups to channels, and if you move that Talk Group to another position, suddenly your defaults are all wrong. I suspect this problem also happens on Receive Groups and in various other areas I'm not thinking of. It's pretty frustrating to not be able to organize your codeplug without having to fix all of your references.

Also fun fact: if you change Talk Groups in the CPS, even saving it does not seem to store the new Talk Group changes. You have to make your changes, fix all your channel references, export Talk Groups, Import Talk Groups, and then save your codeplug. If you don't export/import, it doesn't appear to save it in the codeplug, and the next time you reload the software or codeplug, the changes you've made will be lost. I would suggest reloading the codeplug after making such changes to make sure everything is as you expect it to be, so you aren't surprised later. 

And if you do move talk groups around, you have to fix not just all of your channels but also any Hot Key call objects and possibly other places.

### If you change any channels, be sure to check your Zones

This one isn't a bug, but just a warning. If you copy/paste channel information around the zones will still just reference the old channel entry, ie, channel 100\. So if "channel 100" isn't what it used to be, it might now effectively be in the wrong zone. This also includes Scan Lists and possibly Roaming Lists.

### Moving things around in CPS is inconsistent

Just a minor gripe here, but in some places in the CPS you use Control-U or D to move Up or Down, other places it's Alt-U or D. Some places if you move something the cursor also moves with it so you can hit Control-U three times to move something up three lines, other places the cursor stays in the same row so you would have to hit Control-U, up cursor, Control-U, up cursor, Control-U to do the same thing. This can be a bit frustrating when moving things around, especially when building a new codeplug.

### Export/Import does not do all settings

I have not attempted to figure out exactly what all isn't captured here, but there are a number of items that Export/Import misses, ie, you will have to set back up yourself if you recreate a codeplug from a clean factory image. Just from what I do know, it feels as if all of the ham-radio specific items are likely just entirely missing from the Export, such as the likely incomplete list below:

- Screen color and display setup in general
- P/PF key setups
- Sound/beep setups

## Unofficial Issue Tracker

Someone has set up an unofficial issue tracker for Anytone 878 issues. It's unclear if Anytone actually looks at it, but it exists. [https://github.com/geary/AnyTone-D868UV](https://github.com/geary/AnyTone-D868UV?ref=theblackmoor.net) 

## Weird Design

This is just a random list of "why you do this Anytone??"

- Why in the world is the audio level not an analog level, instead it’s a digital stepped volume  
  - In order to not be too loud even on level 1, you have to set the volume to “Indoors”, then it won’t get loud enough
  - I get they allow you to set the range of volumes, that’s great, but maybe make it more than 15 levels for more granularity
- Scan Speed  
  - Very, very slow. Again, compared to OpenGD77 it scans at least 10 channels/second where the 878 scans maybe 3 channels a second
- No way to do Analog monitor without taking a P/PF short and long press  
  - Having 5 P/PF keys are great on this radio, but you can not assign Monitor to a P/PF long press, and if you assign it to a P key, the long press of that key is meaningless, effectively giving that key only one function.
  - Why not allow Monitor on a long press so it shares a P/PF button?
- No way to see battery voltage unless assigned to a key  
  - The only way to see the battery voltage is if you assign it to one of the P/PF keys, why is this not in the Device Info or somewhere?
- Analog audio sounds like it has a lot of static like the repeater is far away even though it’s very strong  
  - This one is likely due to the receiver/SDR

## Suggestions to Anytone

This is just a miscellaneous list of suggestions to Anytone for future updates to this radio or possibly other radios they make in the future to make them better.

- Allow dimming of the screen on idle, not just turning off  
  - Could have a setting to determine what backlight level the screen is when idle instead of just off
  - 0 would be off, 1 would be the darkest backlight, etc
- Narrow Talk Group list to RX Group List  
  - Add some way to limit the Talk Groups available to a channel, such as only showing those in the RX Group List by default if one is set for the channel.
  - But also allow the user to show all Talk Groups
- Quicker menu navigation  
  - Settings are numbered, but you can’t use those numbers for shortcuts to them, such as if I hit Menu -> Settings -> 2 -> 4 it should go into TX Power
  - Ideally, the top-level of items would also be numbered, so the above could be Menu 724
- A way to scan all channels and see channels not in a zone  
  - You can edit a zone, add a channel, scroll through channels, etc, so there is a way to work around if you accidentally add a channel but don’t assign it to a zone, but pretty tedious
  - Cannot just put all channels in one zone, seems to have a max of 53
- Zone Scanning  
  - Speaking of scanning channels, it would be awesome if you could simply scan the current Zone
- Tone Scanning  
  - It would be nice to not have to turn on a tone in order to do tone scan, that’s an extra step that isn’t really necessary, just temporarily enable tone decode.
- On a future radio case update, please, attach the belt clip to the radio, not the battery
- Change the SMA connector to a female  
  - Connecting other antennas, coax, etc, is much nicer when the radio has a female connector
- Offer to bundle the radio with the 2100mAh battery or make the battery easier to get  
  - The 3100mAh battery is great for battery life but it makes the radio super thick and heavy.
- Change the channel knob to be more grippy, the smooth volume knob is okay so you’re not always changing volume.

## DMR Talk Group Holding

This subject is a bit tricky, but also quite necessary to understand to have conversations on different Talk Groups or to respond to someone calling on a talk group while you’re in promiscuous mode, in which you don’t have otherwise programmed, etc.

### How to change the Talk Group temporarily

Holding 0 is a shortcut for Talk Group -> Manual Dial, where you can dial in a Talk Group if you know the TG number. I personally prefer this method as long as I know the Talk Group ID, as it’s fast to do and it persists as long as you have the “Manual Dial” settings mentioned below set to a long value.

You can also go to the Talk Group list and pick from the list of Talk Groups that you have set in the radio; however, keep in mind you have to find the Talk Group in the list, select it, then pick Select Contact for the radio to really switch to that contact and stay on that contact. If you just go to the Talk Group list and hit the PTT, it sends to that contact one time for the amount of time set in Group/Private Call Hold Time, then it reverts to the previous contact.

### CPS Settings that affect Talk Group hold times

- Group Call Hold Time  
  - This affects how long a DMR call is considered ‘active’. It holds the talk group and also blocks the other VFO (Sub Channel) from any activity for this amount of time, blocks APRS activity, etc.
  - When the timer expires, the talk group reverts to the previous one
  - Suggestion: 2 to 5 seconds maximum
- Private Call Hold Time  
  - Same as above, but related to Private DMR Calls
- Manual Dial Group TG Hold Time  
  - This affects how long the radio holds a manually dialed in Talk Group, such as holding 0, selecting a Talk Group from the List then Selecting that Talk Group, and (TBD) the \* function that selects a Talk Group from an ongoing QSO
  - When the timer expires, the Talk Group reverts to the previous one  
  Suggestion: Infinity
- Manual Dial Private TG Hold Time  
  - Same as above, but related to Private DMR Calls

I set the Group/Private Call Hold Time to 2-5s, max. Manual Dial Group/Private TG Hold Time set to Infinity. This will allow you to manually dial in or pop in an existing QSO on a Talk Group and remain on that Talk Group until you manually change that Talk Group. I personally find this more predictable than, say, 30s, where if you wait for 31s between calls, the radio will have reverted to your previous Talk Group. The biggest issue with this functionality overall is that it does not show the real Talk Group on the screen and continues to show the Talk Group associated with the channel.

Warning: Do **not** set Group Call Hold Time or Private Call Hold Time to a large value. I don’t offhand know of a reason to set these longer than 5s or so.

What will happen if you set these to abnormally long times is that any call on DMR will do the following:

- Causes the other VFO to stop receiving  
  - It will make you think the other VFO/Sub Channel has stopped working, effectively stopping the Dual Watch functionality
- Causes APRS (both Analog and DMR/Digital) to stop auto-beaconing  
  - All APRS beaconing activity will stop while the radio thinks a call is in progress
  - This also affects APRS RX if your radio supports it
- Roaming will not function at all

## GPS Tips

Most users don't have too many issues with the GPS on the Anytone 878 as long as they realize that it's going to be slower to get a fix than their phone for a number of reasons, however, there are a few tips and general understanding of how GPS works and how the GPS in the 878 behaves which could improve your experience with its GPS. 

Your phone has access to the internet and can download what's referred to as ephemeral GPS data, which defines what satellites are above you and exactly where they are. That data is only good for about a week, but it makes a GPS fix take seconds rather than minutes. That same data can be downloaded from the GPS satellites themselves, but that takes a long time with a solid view of the sky. Once your radio has a fix, however, it'll get a fix again pretty fast as long as you regularly use the GPS. 

The GPS antenna in the 878 is rather small, and the GPS chipset is fairly old compared to modern ones in phones. The GPS antenna is on the front top of the radio, basically behind the Anytone logo, and seems to be best oriented upwards for the best reception, ie, the radio standing up on its bottom, top of the radio towards the sky.

Unfortunately, some folks have determined that the radio itself can interfere with the GPS, notably having the radio VFO between 146.850MHz and 147.090MHz seems to have an effect on GPS reception.

In general, you'll always get a faster GPS fix if you give the radio a clear view of the sky and are not moving. I've usually found that as long as I start the radio up before I'm about to leave and let it sit on my desk for a few minutes, standing on its bottom as noted above, it will always get a GPS fix. If you start it up while you're driving, it's likely to take quite a while to get a fix.

Once I have a fix, I have rarely had any issues with it losing the fix or having an inaccurate location. It's not going to be as accurate as some other GPS units, but I usually find it follows right along with where I am when I review my track on aprs.fi, and I generally have no issues with the GPS. I have a great DMR repeater with solid coverage in my area, so I use APRS on DMR most of the time when I'm tracking my radio. Analog APRS can sometimes be more difficult to reliably pass packets from an HT in my experience, so if you're using analog APRS and having issues with getting reliable tracking on your radio, it may just be the complications with analog itself. Analog APRS works well with a good signal, but on an HT, there are a lot of variables that make it more difficult.

Jason Reilly has a suggestion that if you live in an area with BDS, BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, you may try that setting on your radio. You can look at GPS satellite sky maps or look it up on the internet to determine if BDS makes sense in your area. In the US, I don't see any BDS satellites above me, but in the Asia-Pacific area or Europe, this may make sense for you.

## Talk/TX Permit Settings

Talk/TX Permit settings allow you to tweak when the radio allows you to transmit in order to avoid transmitting over the top of another user, similar to "Busy Channel Lockout" some FM radios have, except on DMR, there is more granularity since there are more use cases. The CPS refers to this as "TX Permit" settings, and it is per-channel, on the radio, it is at Settings->Chan Set->TX Allow.

Each setting is described below. Note that different use cases may have different settings, such as Hot Spot, vs Simplex, vs Repeater. You may decide to have a different setting for each.

- Always  
  - Able to transmit over another QSO with no restrictions
  - Recommended for Simplex use only
- Channel Free  
  - Only able to transmit if the channel is completely unused, but without any color code considerations
  - Recommended for Hotspot use only
- Different Color Code  
  - Only transmits when the channel is free
  - Inhibits transmit when another DMR user/repeater with a different color code is active on the channel you are using
- Same Color Code  
  - Only transmits when the channel is free
  - Will only transmit if the other DMR user/repeater is using the same color code
  - If you want your radio to tell you when you are out of range of your repeater or there is another QSO on your chosen slot that you are not programmed to receive, use this
  - Recommended for Repeater usage

I am slightly unclear on one aspect of the "Different Color Code" and "Same Color Code" settings; does the radio cache the last heard color code to determine this if the channel has been busy? If you're communicating with a repeater, it will respond, but only if you're on the same color code. Another simplex user will not automatically respond.

Also, there is some controversy about whether one should use "Different Color Code" or "Same Color Code" on the Anytone 878\. Logically, "Same Color Code" makes sense, but some people claim that "Different Color Code" is better.

## APRS Guides

If you haven't yet set up Analog and/or Digital (DMR) APRS, I would suggest you read the following three sites. They all cover the same information, so maybe just one will help, but I found all three to have excellent information.

- [http://www.pnwdigital.net/aprs/aprs-d.html](http://www.pnwdigital.net/aprs/aprs-d.html?ref=theblackmoor.net)
- [http://www.tim-yvonne.com/ham/dmr/radios/anytone/daprs.htm](http://www.tim-yvonne.com/ham/dmr/radios/anytone/daprs.htm?ref=theblackmoor.net)

## SMS

Sending/Receiving SMS on the Anytone 878 is a bit of a confusing subject, as there are a lot of guides out there that have conflicting information on what you should set in Brandmeister, what you should set on the radio, which IDs you should send SMS to in order to configure, etc. These are the best two guides I've seen on the subject, but I still don't think they make things work 100%.

- [https://techwolf12.nl/blog/dmr-setup-anytone-d878uv-aprssms](https://techwolf12.nl/blog/dmr-setup-anytone-d878uv-aprssms?ref=theblackmoor.net)
- [https://on7lds.net/42/BM262\_service\_numbers](https://on7lds.net/42/BM262%5Fservice%5Fnumbers?ref=theblackmoor.net)

## Other Excellent Resources

There are likely others, but one of the best resources I've found online to cover many 868/878 topics is Jason Reilly's page, [h](https://members.optuszoo.com.au/jason.reilly1/868mods.htm?ref=theblackmoor.net)[ttps://bit.ly/3gATbpt](https://bit.ly/3gATbpt?ref=theblackmoor.net)

The [Anytone 878 Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/335468753629329/) is also an excellent resource for information.

# Problems with Code Plug, Radio Crashing, CPS Crashing, etc

If something starts going really wonky with things, try loading your codeplug in the CPS, Tools -> Export, at the top, hit Export All. This will create a file that you can name, but it also creates a CSV file for every category below it, so it creates a bunch of files. Reset your radio with PTT + PF1 while powering on, download from the radio using the CPS, then Tools -> Import, and browse to the file you exported earlier. Let the import finish, save the codeplug to a new file, and write it to the radio. You will lose a few settings that don’t seem to be saved in the Export/Import process that is mentioned earlier in this document.

Note: I have personally not had any issues with freezing, etc, with this in general. One time, I moved some items around in the CPS when I wrote the codeplug to the radio. I think they weren’t fully updated (talk groups seem not to persist unless you export/import them again, as noted above), but not sure; this caused the radio to reset on power-up. I fixed the talk groups and double-checked them, and re-flashed the codeplug (and digital contacts), and they had no more issues.

## Power-On button/Sequences

- Top orange / blue button + PTT for main firmware update mode
- Top orange / blue button + # for DSP SCT update mode  
  - Equivalent on Alinco DJ-MD5 is PTT + #
- PTT + PF1 enters the reset radio confirmation menu  
  - ONLY if this option is enabled in CPS first!
- PTT + PF2 enters a display icon update mode
- PTT + 1 enters test mode where you can select operational bands ("modes") and/or adjust alignment parameters  
  - ONLY if enabled by the AT Options v7 application first!
- PTT + 2 enters a GPS signal strength (RSSI) test mode - only on 878 from firmware V1.10 onward. Credit to IK8JHL

## Belt Clip Replacement

I've used a few belt clips, but I've finally settled on the Kenwood D Ring system. If you Google Kenwood SMKW1002, you will find the one that works perfectly on the Anytone 878 without any modification, and needs minor modification to work on the GD77\. I have three sets of the mounting studs (that mount to the HT) and one of the belt clips, and I highly recommend them for carrying the HT. You can insert the HT at any angle, but it will only remove at almost exactly 180 degrees upside down, so there's almost zero chance of the HT coming out of the clip. And the clip itself is very secure.

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/09/PXL_20220921_142609815.jpg)

Kenwood SMKW1002 on an Anytone 878 and GD77 radio and its associated belt clip

## Vertex CLIP-14

I had a Yaesu VX-7R in the past; horrible radio, but one thing I did love about it was the belt clip. I didn't like it initially, but the more I used it, the more I liked it. Instead of a clip on the radio, there is just a button on the radio, and the button slides into the belt clip and snaps into place. You have to rotate the radio for it to release. In practice, the radio comes in and out of the clip very easily; it sways as you walk, so it doesn't get in the way as much, and it's still very secure. Also, since there's no belt clip on the radio, holding the radio is more comfortable as there is no belt clip on the radio all the time.

I don't have any real specific suggestions on how to make this work for you, but what I've done here is use an aluminum strip that is 1cm wide and about 1mm thick. You can get this at any hardware store; look for an aluminum flat bar, and it'll only cost a few bucks. I used a vice and some vice grips to make bends in the bar, so it is offset a little from the radio to give room for a nut on the backside, and the clip button just has a screw going through, and the nut secures it. I usually paint the bar and put LockTite on the screw; however, I used one for a few months, and it did not get loose on me. The belt clip screws are M2.5 in case you need to replace them; the depth of the threads is 5mm. I was able to use the existing ones in my application.

I would suggest getting the Kenwood clip mentioned in the above section, but you can pick up the Vertex CLIP-14 for cheaper, so I'm leaving this section in for folks who might want to save a few bucks! 

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/01/PXL_20220113_142208231.jpg)

![](https://theblackmoor.net/content/images/2022/01/PXL_20220113_142150778.jpg)

My Anytone 878 and GD77 with CLIP-14 style belt-clip buttons installed

## Memorial to Jason Reilly VK7ZJA

Anyone in the Anytone community likely had some interaction with Jason, who was exceptionally intelligent and helpful. He created multiple web pages and helped folks on various forums with the radios. He passed away from cancer on January 17, 2023\. Thanks for all the help you gave me and the community, Jason. Rest in peace.