Month: August 2025

When Should You Upgrade Your Plex Server? (sponsored)

When I was straightening up the other day, I stumbled across my very first Plex server. I have since upgraded my Plex server two more times, and it got me to thinking: when should you upgrade your Plex server? In my latest monthly sponsored Plex video, I step through what servers I’ve used and why I upgraded them.

My first server was a Sony Vaio laptop that I had originally reviewed back in 2013, and at some point it ended up becoming my main media server. It was running Windows 7 with Windows Media Center, and I used it alongside my HDHomeRun tuners back before they had their own software. And of course I ran my Plex server on it too. Surprisingly, after years on a shelf, the laptop powered right back on.

The laptop worked fine for a while because it had an Intel processor with QuickSync support, which Plex has long taken advantage of for hardware transcoding. It was an efficient and cost-effective way to run a server at the time. But as my library grew to include more HEVC content, the limitations of that generation of Intel hardware became clear. Without hardware support for HEVC encoding, the laptop had to fall back on software transcoding, which bogged down quickly when more than one person tried to stream.

In 2017, I retired the laptop and moved over to a WD My Cloud PR2100. That device also ran with an Intel chip, this time from the Braswell family of processors. It expanded the range of formats I could work with, including hardware decoding of HEVC, though it couldn’t encode HEVC or handle HDR tone mapping. As more of my library shifted toward HDR content, the inability to perform tone mapping in hardware became a significant bottleneck.

Earlier this year, I moved to a Beelink NAS with an Intel N150 processor, part of the Twin Lake/Alder Lake-N generation. That change brought me modern hardware transcoding features, including tone mapping, which made a big difference. While some older formats dropped off in support, the trade-off has been worth it because the server is now better equipped to handle contemporary video.

Over time, the way I’ve hosted Plex has also evolved. The original laptop server ran Windows, the WD device had its own Plex server app, and now I run Plex in Docker on Unraid. Docker has proven to be the easiest to back up and migrate. Shutting down the container and copying over the metadata folder is all it takes to preserve everything. Moving to new hardware is as simple as pointing Docker at the same files and starting it up again.

For those looking to set up a Plex server today, inexpensive Intel-based mini PCs are worth considering. I’ve had good luck with small GMKtec systems that cost under $150 (compensated affiliate link). They handle Linux, run multiple Docker containers without issue, and can perform hardware transcoding and tone mapping. If you have an older Intel server, adding a GPU can also extend its usefulness. Plex officially supports Nvidia cards, and I’ve seen encouraging reports about Intel Arc GPUs as well.

Looking back at this progression, each upgrade was less about overall system performance and more about keeping up with changes in video formats and transcoding demands. The servers I left behind were still functional, but they couldn’t keep up with the evolving needs of my library.

Disclosure: This video was a paid sponsorship from Plex, however they did not review or approve this content before it was uploaded. All opinions are my own.

More Examples of Facebook Being a Cesspool

A couple of years ago I did a video about how Meta/Facebook operates a cesspool where they look the other way as international criminals exploit unsuspecting users on their platform.

Here’s another example: Take a look at any public Facebook post of a car wreck or other local tragic event and you’ll often find posts like this:

This of course will link you to a scammer account who will do who knows what to a person’s account or privacy.

As the dutiful netizen that I am, I decided to report this Facebook to see what happens.

It took over a week for them to review this, but guess what? Facebook’s moderators allow the scam post, and its author to continue exploiting people on the platform. What’s crazy is how formulaic these posts are and how easy it is (conceivably) to block them programmatically. But they allow this to persist.

Why is that? The answer is shareholders.

Facebook uses a metric called “family daily active people” to report to shareholders how many active users are on their platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, etc). They likely have hit critical mass for new users, so the activities of active users are now the metric.

On this post of a recent tragic accident, you’ll find 8 of these spam posts out of 24 posts total – over 30%! Given the volume of spam traffic I see, it’s probably not out of the realm of possibility that scam accounts are likely a significant portion of the “family daily active people.” A more aggressive effort to remove them would eat into a key shareholder metric.

With no consequences and money to lose, why deal with the problem? For them it’s far more profitable to look the other way. Just like UPS is doing with the recent scam I uncovered coming from one of their local retail outlets.

Wyze Duo Cam Pan Review

In my latest review video, I check out the new Wyze Duo Cam Pan. This device essentially combines two cameras into one unit: a fixed-position camera on the bottom and a pan-and-tilt camera on the top.

The design lets you monitor a specific spot with the stationary lens while still having the flexibility to track motion with the movable one. Both cameras record independently, so you end up with two separate video files or photos for each event.

The Duo Cam Pan retails for a higher price than Wyze’s standard pan camera because you’re effectively getting two cameras in one. You can get the latest prices over at Amazon as they do fluctuate from time to time (compensated affiliate link).

It uses a USB-C power connection, but the included power supply isn’t outdoor-rated, meaning you’ll need an outdoor rated adapter if you plan to mount and power it outside. As for installation, you can place it on a flat surface, mount it to a wall, or even hang it upside down, with the Wyze app allowing you to flip the video image as needed. Both lenses shoot in 2K resolution with a 106-degree field of view, and while the video quality looks good overall, the heavy compression can create noticeable artifacts in fast-moving scenes.

I was impressed with the low-light performance. Even without night vision enabled, the camera pulled in more detail than what my eyes could see in a dark room. Night vision also works as expected, and both cameras have the same specs in that regard. Audio features are built-in, with a speaker on the bottom unit and a microphone for two-way communication. The speaker isn’t especially loud but works well enough for conversations. An SD card slot on the bottom allows for local storage, which is essential if you want continuous recording without paying for Wyze’s subscription service.

The Wyze app recognizes the Duo Cam Pan as a single device, but you can view both camera feeds at the same time. Motion tracking is enabled by default on the top camera, letting it follow movement around a space while the bottom camera keeps watch on one fixed area. You can also set patrol routes, or just control the pan-and-tilt manually. One limitation is that this camera does not support RTSP streaming, so you’re locked into Wyze’s app ecosystem.

Many feature are sadly locked behind a paywall. Subscription plans add AI detection for people, pets, and vehicles, but without it, the camera only notifies you of generic motion. Free-tier users will notice more false alarms and will also run into restrictions like the five-minute cooldown period between event notifications. The SD card helps offset this, since it records continuously and provides more context before and after events, though if the camera is stolen, that footage goes with it. You can still copy recordings to your phone, but it’s done in real time by streaming the playback, rather than simply downloading a file.

Storage needs will depend on how much recording you do. With two cameras running at once, space fills twice as fast than on a traditional Wyze camera. I found it used around 500 megabytes per hour, so a 64GB or 128GB card feels like a reasonable starting point. The camera supports up to 512GB. As the card fills, it automatically overwrites older clips. This makes a larger card a better investment if you want longer retention.

Overall, the Duo Cam Pan works well for those already in the Wyze ecosystem. It’s convenient to have a fixed and a movable camera sharing one power source, and the image and audio quality are solid for the price. Still, the full feature set is heavily tied to Wyze’s subscription plan. If you don’t plan to pay a monthly fee, an SD card is absolutely necessary.

Disclosure: Wyze provided the camera to the channel free of charge. However they did not review or approve this video before uploading, no other compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Is UPS Looking the Other Way on Fraud?

I recently posted a video about the “D Deng” review bribery scam where I was offered $20 to remove a negative review and replace it with a five-star one. In that first video I mentioned the letter originated from a UPS store address in California. At the time I assumed the store was just being used without its knowledge, but I’ve since learned the company actually rents a mailbox there.

In my latest video we hear from that store along with UPS Corporate.

As a recap I didn’t take the bribe, but I did report the attempt through Amazon’s review compensation reporting system, uploading the letter and details about the product. Not long after, the product is no longer available for sale, although the seller’s page remains active.

A few days later, Amazon emailed me to acknowledge the report, but also let me know my review of the product had been removed while the investigation was underway. That leaves only glowing five-star reviews on a product I found to be subpar. If the listing comes back, shoppers will see no critical feedback. Sometimes it feels like no good deed goes unpunished.

When I reached out to the UPS store where the letter originated, they said:

We are not part of any kind of services/activities that our boxholder are associated with. They are just using our mailing address so we are not responsible for anything they do.

But the terms of service agreement every UPS Store customer signs clearly prohibits unlawful, illegitimate, or fraudulent use of a mailbox. This scam is exactly that—fraudulent and against federal law. Yet this mailbox holder has operated from the same address for at least four years as it was the same one used in a brushing scam in 2021.

I also asked UPS corporate for comment. Their reply wasn’t much better:

The UPS Store network of stores provides a variety of personal and business services for our customers. All but a handful of The UPS Store locations are individually owned and operated by local franchisees. Franchise owners hire and train their staffs and are responsible to ensure they follow all required laws and regulations related to the services they provide to customers. We have no direct affiliation with the business about which you are inquiring and are not privy to their interests or operations.

Postal authorities and/or law enforcement often work with franchise owners when investigating alleged violations, and we have no reason to believe that could not occur here.

So while they absolve themselves of a franchise holder not following the terms of service, they do profit from that mailbox—5% of monthly sales for royalties plus another 3.5% for marketing according to the UPS store franchise website. That means UPS profits from mailbox rentals, including this one. While technically arms-length, it’s hard to ignore that the corporate parent benefits financially from the revenue franchisees collect, even from problematic clients that violate the terms of service all franchises must present to their mailbox customers.

This whole episode highlights how scams keep finding places to operate, and the corporate owners of those places look the other way. Whether it’s on major e-commerce platforms, social networks, or something as simple as a rented mailbox, there’s little incentive for the companies involved to intervene. They still get paid while fraudsters exploit people. For consumers, it means being extra cautious, because the protections we assume are in place from seemingly trusted corporate brands often aren’t.

Email Newsletters Updated!

I’ve updated the look of my email newsletters! My newsletters up until now were hacked together using a combination of PHP, RSS feeds, and a lot of shoehorning. They didn’t look bad all things considered, but some of the automation wasn’t working well enough for me.

If you’re receiving this via email you’re already subscribed. If you’re not, you can sign up for the “digest” version that sends out an email every time I upload a new video, or the “weekly” version that comes out on Sunday mornings.

So this weekend I embarked on a project using my new favorite self hosted app, N8N. I can now take the process from a bunch of RSS feeds and turn it into a really nice looking newsletter with minimal intervention. I had ChatGPT design me a template based on my logo – I think it did a great job!

The output goes right into my self-hosted email blaster Sendy (compensated affiliate link). All I need to do from here on out is click on the send button in Sendy to get my emails out. It could actually send it automatically but I like to take a look for safety purposes. Sendy is great because it outputs email via Amazon SES saving me hundreds of dollars a year.

I did a video a few years ago about how self-hosted content process. It was largely unchanged up until now so I’ll probably do an update soon. N8N is a super cool platform once you figure it out.

Let me know what you think of the new newsletter!

8BitDo Pro 3 Review: A Nice Revision of My Favorite Game Controller

The 8BitDo Pro 3 controller (compensated affiliate link) is the latest revision of one of my favorite game controllers of all time. This version builds on the familiar PlayStation-style shape combined with a Super Nintendo layout, but now comes with a few refinements and a higher-end presentation. You can see it in action in my latest video review.

The controller is priced a bit higher than its predecessor, the Pro 2. The higher price does come with a charging dock that doubles as a wireless receiver when connected to a PC.

The Pro 3 is compatible with the Switch and the Switch 2, as well as Windows, Steam Deck, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, and the MiSTer. It does not work with Xbox or PlayStation consoles. There are three color options available: a GameCube-inspired version, a Super Nintendo style, and a Game Boy-themed design. In the hand, the controller feels much like the Pro 2, though it now includes two additional configurable buttons adjacent to the shoulder buttons.

Connectivity options are flexible. It works over Bluetooth, but the bundled 2.4 gigahertz dongle offers a more consistent low-latency experience. In my testing, using a 240 frames per second high-speed camera, button presses over the dongle or USB-C registered in about seven to eight frames, which makes this one of the faster controllers I’ve tried. On the Switch, latency is higher, closer to twenty frames, but that appears to be more a limitation of the console’s Bluetooth hardware.

One clever feature involves the face buttons. Since the layout differs between Nintendo and X-input/Xbox controllers, 8BitDo designed the buttons to be magnetically swappable. A small suction tool included in the dock makes it possible to pop the buttons out and rearrange them to match the correct labeling for the system in use. Extra faceless buttons are also provided for those who prefer a cleaner look.

The thumbsticks have been updated from Hall Effect to TMR sensors which should provide better accuracy and smoothness. In practice, I didn’t notice a major difference, but they felt smooth and accurate in games nonetheless.

The D-pad has also been tweaked, with a subtle tactile click that gives more confidence when pressing without being distracting. I found it handled directional inputs well and did not produce much in the way of errant diagonals in classic 8-bit games.

8BitDo’s Ultimate Software, available on Windows and macOS, opens up more customization. Profiles can be created to remap buttons, adjust stick sensitivity and dead zones, adjust vibration motor intensity and even program macros. The two extra top buttons and the back paddles can be assigned as needed. The software also helps resolve button mapping inconsistencies when switching between Bluetooth and dongle modes.

In actual gameplay, the Pro 3 felt familiar and comfortable. I tried it with No Man’s Sky on PC, Mario Odyssey on the Switch 2, and classic titles on the MiSTer FPGA console hooked up to a CRT television. Across platforms, the controller performed well, with motion controls working properly on the Switch and the D-pad delivering a solid retro experience on the MiSTer. Battery life is estimated at about twenty hours, but keeping the controller on its dock after play sessions largely eliminates concerns about battery longevity.

The Pro 3 doesn’t dramatically change what 8BitDo has been doing with this line, but the refinements to the D-pad, the option to swap buttons, the improved sticks, and the dock integration make it a nice upgrade. It’s a little more expensive than the Pro 2, but for players who already enjoyed that design, this one should feel right at home while adding some nice touches.

Discloure: 8BitDo provided the Pro 3 controllers to the channel free of charge, however they did not review or approve this review before it was pubilshed. No other compenstation was received and all opinions are my own. 

Tyler the Antennaman and I Met With the FCC

Tyler the AntennaMan and I recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the FCC’s media bureau about the push to encrypt over-the-air television. In my latest video I run through the slide deck I presented to the FCC, and Tyler did the same with his presentation on his channel.

Broadcasters are hoping to make it harder for viewers to watch without paying subscription fees, and we wanted to make sure the concerns many of you raised were heard directly by the Commission. We paid our own way for travel, hotel, and meals, despite accusations from one broadcaster that Tyler was somehow on the take. The reality is that we were supported only by our viewers, who are equally frustrated by the ATSC 3.0 DRM roll-out.

The FCC doesn’t hold big public hearings for these kinds of decisions. Instead, they rely on docket filings and meetings with stakeholders. That’s why this visit mattered. The bureau staff listened closely, asked thoughtful questions, and took notes. It was clear they are trying to get a full picture before advising the commissioners, who will eventually make the decision about when ATSC 1.0 will be sunset and the ATSC 3.0 era beings.

My portion of the presentation centered on why DRM is the main obstacle to consumer adoption of ATSC 3.0. The technology has been on the air in many major markets for years, but tuners remain scarce and expensive. In contrast, ATSC 1.0 tuners are inexpensive, often around $20, and easy to build because compliance is limited to FCC standards. ATSC 3.0 requires not only FCC compliance but also certifications from NextGenTV and approval from the A3SA, with costs so high that small businesses are effectively shut out.

This leads to situations where a basic ATSC 3.0 tuner costs upwards of $90, compared to $22 for an ATSC 1.0 device with identical functionality (including DVR features). And even when people buy these devices, they often ship with outdated software—one box I tested was four years behind on its Android security updates. Meanwhile, only three operating systems currently support ATSC 3.0 DRM, leaving much of the market, including Roku’s large share, without access.

I also shared with the FCC what I found at Walmart and Best Buy. Walmart, which accounts for more than a third of U.S. TV sales, didn’t stock a single ATSC 3.0-capable television. Best Buy had a few, but only in the high-end section, and even then the support wasn’t advertised. Shoppers wouldn’t know about it unless they asked. On the other hand, antenna sales remain strong, with valuable retail space dedicated to them, and even ATSC 1.0 tuners were sold out on my last visit to Walmart.

Despite the challenges, many existing devices can handle unencrypted ATSC 3.0 signals, including older TVs, Roku models, Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, Xbox, iPhones, and iPads. I showed examples of all of these working fine with unencrypted broadcasts. Encryption is the barrier. Without it, adoption could grow quickly and cheaply, as inexpensive tuner boxes could be developed for broad compatibility. Instead, enthusiasts remain the only group experimenting with ATSC 3.0, mostly through devices like the HDHomeRun.

Broadcasters want to mandate the inclusion of expensive tuners in new TVs, but I argued that the real fix is simpler: drop DRM. Years have already been lost to this failed experiment, and open signals would encourage innovation and adoption much more effectively. The FCC now has to weigh the evidence, and I expect strong pushback from broadcasters in their docket responses. Whatever happens next, the commissioners will need clear evidence before making their decision, and I believe we’ve shown that DRM is the central issue holding back this transition.

Tyler’s portion of the presentation is available on his channel, and I’ll continue watching the docket for developments. The debate over the future of free, over-the-air television is far from over.

A Company Tried to Bribe Their Way Out of a Negative Review – The “D Deng” Scam

In my latest video, I reveal yet another brand behaving badly. This time sending out letters to bribe Amazon reviewers to delete their critical reviews of products.

I recently bought a product on Amazon (affiliate link) that looked like it could be useful for filming. It was a small display that snaps onto the back of an iPhone to mirror the front screen, which sounded ideal since the rear cameras are much better than the front-facing one.

At first, the device seemed to work, but once I hit record, I noticed the display lagged 20 to 30 seconds behind realtime. That made it useless for its intended purpose, and on top of that, the orientation button didn’t work either. I left a review describing what I found—both the good and the bad—but ultimately explained why it didn’t serve its purpose or meet its marketed claims.

After posting my review, I received multiple messages from the third-party seller offering direct refunds, though they avoided directly asking me to change my review. Their eagerness to issue a refund without going through Amazon made sense—too many returns can trigger Amazon to delist a product. But I had already started the Amazon return process so I ignored them.

Not long after that, a letter showed up at my home offering me $20 if I deleted my review. This was troubling because it showed the seller had access to my address, even though the product came from Amazon’s warehouse.

The letter asked me to not only remove my review but also replace it with a five-star positive one. It included instructions to scan a QR code that led to a Chinese website, which logged some data, and then redirected my browser to a mailto address with my order information and gift card preference.

The letter explicitly said not to mention the gift in the review “to protect your Amazon account.” This of course violates Federal Trade Commission guidelines and Amazon’s terms of service, leaving customers at risk of losing their accounts or worse.

The letter came from a UPS store address in San Leandro, California, which has been tied to similar scams in the past. Searching online, I found others had received almost identical letters, sometimes dressed up to look like official Amazon communication. Some even pushed people to review products they hadn’t purchased, including inappropriate ones for adult toys, raising concerns about what unsuspecting recipients—possibly even kids—might see when opening these envelopes.

What makes this situation particularly concerning is how long it seems to have been happening. Reports going back years link the same address to review manipulation and product “brushing” scams, where people receive unordered items to inflate seller ratings. Amazon has been trying to crack down, even working with Chinese authorities to pursue criminal cases, but the persistence of these letters shows how difficult it is to stop.

For anyone who gets one, Amazon has a reporting mechanism. You can submit the product details, ASIN number, and a copy of the letter through their review compensation reporting page. It’s important to do this because the more evidence Amazon has, the better they can track and take action against bad actors. For the rest of us, the takeaway is to stay vigilant. A $20 gift card isn’t worth risking your account, your reputation, or potentially landing yourself in hot water with the law.

My Crazy Travel Weekend on Amtrak and JetBlue..

Had a pretty crazy travel experience this week. Headed down to DC for a meeting at the FCC on Amtrak. The ride is long but when factoring the hour drive to the airport, security, flight, etc. Amtrak from Old Saybrook is often less time. That is, of course, if the train is running on time.

It took us 6 HOURS to get out of Connecticut due to an engine with stuck brakes. They brought in another engine after an hour or two but didn’t detach the one with stuck brakes, so stuck we stayed. Eventually they limped us to Stamford where they just crammed all of us on the train behind us for the 5 hour ride to DC.

Then we got hit with some communications issues around Philly which added to the journey. All in took about 15 hours to get to my hotel. Even the cafe car was out of service.

The meeting was productive and then I took what should have been a quick Jetblue flight to Nantucket to meet up with the family for our annual weekend here. Quick in theory..

We sat on the taxiway for two hours before returning to the gate due to a northeast US air traffic control logjam. We finally took off three hours after our scheduled departure time. Just as we were on approach to Nantucket the fog rolled in and we were diverted to Boston!

We touched down at BOS at around 9:45 p.m. With Nantucket’s tower closing at 10:00 p.m. there was no way that plane was turning around. Jetblue staff were nowhere to be found in the airport as they probably knew there was a planeload of angry passengers coming their way. I booked the cheapest room I could find on hotels.com and headed off. I got there around 11 p.m. – 7 hours after I first boarded the plane.

I called JetBlue and their foreign call center told me to go back the airport and talk to customer service. No joke! Yet somehow they magically could fix the problem after I demanded to speak with a supervisor. They booked me on a flight the following morning and finally arrived around noon yesterday.

At least my meeting went well!

The silver lining in all of this is that Amtrak refunded my full fare unsolicited (and will provide a voucher for future travel) and JetBlue covered my Boston room, ground transportation and my uber eats deliveries. While both organizations responded well after the fact, a more proactive customer-first approach at the time these incidents were occurring would have cost them a lot less money.

Here’s What’s in my Latest Amazon Tech Haul

I recently put together another Amazon gadget haul video with a great mix of gadgets! Let’s take a look. All links to the products on Amazon below are compensated affiliate links. You can see the full list of items here.

Some of these items came in free of charge through the Amazon Vine program or directly from the manufacturer free of charge. This was not a sponsored video, however, so there was no pre-approval or editorial direction by Amazon or the brands featured. All opinions are my own.

The first item was the Retro Flag 64 Pi case, which I bought a while back but only just got around to unboxing. It’s modeled after the Nintendo 64 and designed for the Raspberry Pi 5, complete with controller ports, cooling fan, heat sinks, and working power and reset switches. It also has a storage spot for SD cards. While low-powered Pis aren’t the best emulation option compared to cheap Windows PCs these days, the case makes for a fun and functional setup.

Next was the MobaPad case for the Nintendo Switch 2, sent free of charge from Aknes. It’s slimmer than most travel cases, with padding, room for a few game cards, and several color options. It takes up less bag space when traveling, which I appreciate.

AverMedia sent over two capture devices. The Elite Go looks like a compact GaN charger but doubles as a capture device for USB-C video output devices like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck. It records up to 1080p60 while passing 4K through.

The Xtra Go is configured like a dock, and includes a pair of USB ports or direct peripheral connections, an HDMI out, and SD card recording capability. It can record to the card while also simultaneously capturing video back to a computer. It supports 4K30 capture to both card and computer but works best at 1080p60. Both this and the Elite Go only work with devices that output video over USB-C.

Plugable sent over a six-port USB-C charger hub that turns one high-powered USB-C charger into a multi-device charging station. It manages power distribution automatically, making it useful for charging multiple devices overnight. This is similar to a 10 port version we looked at earlier, but this one is smaller and less expensive.

Next up is the V-Rig, a MagSafe-compatible phone mount that can be used handheld, tripod-mounted, or used as its own little tripod. The magnet mount has another magsafe mount point on the back, so you can attach other mag safe accessories. One thing I didn’t mention in the video is that there’s a cold shoe mount just below the masafe mount. It’s also compatible with arca-swiss heads so it can slide right in on a compatible tripod.

Another MagSafe mount I featured clamps onto tray tables or desks and has fold-out legs for flat surfaces, handy for travel despite a few design quirks. Both of these came in free of charge through the Amazon Vine program.

Two flashlights from Wuben rounded out the highlights. The X4 is a bright, all-metal, rechargeable model with adjustable brightness, a side light, magnetic mount, and a replaceable battery.

The smaller Wuben G5 is less powerful but still solid, with a magnetic base and USB-C charging. Both of these lights are built like tanks – all metal build and very rugged. Both lights came from Wuben free of charge.

But not everything was a hit. A UPS-style power adapter claimed to offer backup power and PoE output but fell short. It only delivers 18 watts, uses outdated passive PoE, lacks polarity settings for its barrel plugs, and came with minimal instructions, making it hard to trust for real use. This one came in through the Amazon Vine program.

These videos are fun to make and many of you appear to enjoy them too. When I accumulate enough stuff we’ll do a 12th edition!

See my previous hauls here!

Linux Gaming Still has a Ways to Go.. Bazzite on a Gaming Laptop Review

One of my most favorite purchases of the last couple of years is my Steam Deck. I’m amazed by how capable SteamOS is. It’s a Linux-based system, not Windows, yet it manages to run the majority of Windows games surprisingly well on very modest hardware. Much of the technology that makes that possible is also available for other Linux distributions, which led me to try installed the gaming-centric Bazzite on the Asus Strix G16 gaming laptop I recently reviewed.

You can check out my Bazzite experience in my latest video review.

Bazzite is optimized for running games on desktops, laptops, and handhelds. I selected the Asus-specific installer with Nvidia support, chose KDE for the desktop environment, and went with a standard install rather than the beta live version.

The setup process was straightforward: download the installer, flash it to a USB drive using Balena Etcher, and boot from the drive. I did run into an issue after installation where the system wouldn’t boot until I disabled Secure Boot in the BIOS. Once that was changed, Bazzite loaded into its desktop environment with Steam preinstalled.

My first test was Cyberpunk 2077, using the same settings I had used in Windows for comparison. On Windows, the benchmark averaged about 176 frames per second; on Bazzite, it was closer to 136. That drop in performance was noticeable, and the display brightness was also lower compared to Windows. There were some hardware quirks as well, such as missing keystrokes on the keyboard and reduced control over the backlighting.

Bazzite comes with Lutris for managing games from platforms beyond Steam. My GOG titles worked without issue — Space Quest IV launched quickly in ScummVM — but Epic Games titles were another story. Shenmue III and Deathloop, for example, failed to load after launching from Lutris. Steam titles generally worked fine, especially those that already run well on the Steam Deck, though most showed a performance gap compared to Windows.

This is the challenge for Linux gaming on laptops: hardware optimization. Manufacturers spend considerable time fine-tuning performance for Windows, but the same level of support often isn’t there for Linux. Consistent hardware platforms, like handheld gaming devices, seem to fare better.

While Linux gaming has come a long way and it’s impressive to see modern Windows titles running at all, my tests suggest that on a gaming laptop like the Strix G16, Windows still has the edge in performance and hardware compatibility straight out of the box.

Commenters on my video also pointed out that AMD has done much more work optimizing their drivers for Linux vs. Nvidia. So in a follow-up video I’ll test the GMKTec AMD based eGPU I reviewed a few months back connected to the GMKTec Intel Core Ultra 9 I reviewed last week.

A Review of Roku’s $2.99 Howdy Service

Roku has launched a new streaming service called Howdy, priced at $3 a month. I subscribed to see what it offers and shared the experience in my latest video.

The marketing is straightforward: “almost everything you want to watch,” ad-free, for around the cost of a cup of coffee. At the moment, it’s only available through Roku devices, including Roku TVs, streaming players, the Roku Channel website, and their mobile app on iPhone/iPad and Android. While it may eventually expand to other platforms, this is currently a Roku-only service.

Comparing titles through JustWatch, I found that many Howdy offerings can also be found on other platforms, sometimes for free but with ads, or for a rental fee. For example, Reservoir Dogs can be rented on a few services for more than the monthly cost of Howdy, or streamed free with ads on Plex. The series Southland is available on Howdy without ads, while Prime Video offers it with ads for a higher subscription price. So far it looks like there are not many exclusives, but the content that is available is not always widely available either.

The interface is basic, and while there is a search function, browsing can be clumsy. You can save content that you want to watch for later so you don’t have to go hunting for it on subsequent sessions. Like other streaming services, I expect content to cycle in and out as licensing deals change.

One surprise was that some of Roku’s own popular exclusive productions, like The Spiderwick Chronicles and Die Hart, aren’t on Howdy at all, even though they’re available on the free Roku Channel with ads. On the other hand, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is available ad-free. I’m guessing Roku may rotate its original programming on and off the service much like it does with licensed content. So unfortunately Howdy is not the gateway to watch all of Roku’s exclusives ad-free.

Kids & family content is limited—about 20 titles in the “family favorites” section—and there’s no dedicated kids’ mode. That’s a missed opportunity, since ad-free children’s programming at a low price could have been a strong draw.

Overall, Howdy seems designed for people who already enjoy free streaming content but dislike ads. For three dollars a month, you get an ad-free experience with a mix of familiar and lesser-known titles, most of them older back catalog type of stuff. It’s a low-cost way to remove interruptions, but given the small library and lack of exclusives, it may lack value for many.

Disclosure: I paid for the Howdy subscription and the Roku player demonstrated with my own funds.

HDHomerun Makers Meet With the FCC Regarding ATSC 3.0 Encryption

Last week, SiliconDust, the makers of the HDHomeRun, met with the FCC to discuss ongoing concerns over the encryption of over-the-air broadcasts in the U.S. We know this meeting happened because FCC rules require a public filing summarizing the conversation—and that document reveals a lot. It offers new insight into the challenges SiliconDust has faced, including what appears to be selective regulation by the broadcast industry, and some possible paths forward.

I take a deep-dive into their filing in my latest video.

At the heart of this issue is the use of digital rights management, or DRM, to encrypt ATSC 3.0 signals—something that wasn’t present in the older ATSC 1.0 standard. SiliconDust argues that encrypting these broadcasts violates the spirit, if not the letter of the law in regards to public access to the airwaves. They also point out that the rules governing access to the encrypted content are deliberately opaque. Device makers like SiliconDust are under NDA and can’t publicly explain how the system works or how they comply with it. That kind of secrecy runs counter to how the FCC has typically operated—where rulemaking is transparent and compliance information is available to the public.

SiliconDust has gone through the expensive process of getting NextGen TV certification for their device. That’s one of two certifications needed to access encrypted signals. The other is DRM certification through A3SA, the private industry group managing the encryption scheme. They had initially pursued a different DRM method—DTCP—but the A3SA changed course, which forced SiliconDust to pivot midstream. This shifting landscape has created additional costs and delays, which helps explain why so few tuners for ATSC 3.0 are available and why they’re priced well above what consumers might expect.

Silicondust isn’t new to managing protected content. Years ago, they developed the HDHomeRun Prime, which worked with cable providers to decrypt scrambled digital signals. That product functioned reliably for years and helped many consumers avoid renting costly cable boxes. So, SiliconDust already has experience building secure systems that work within industry requirements.

They even tried to partner with LG to bring ATSC 3.0 access to older LG TVs via an app and an HDHomeRun device. This would have allowed millions of LG customers to access the new broadcast standard without upgrading their hardware. LG was a co-developer of the ATSC 3.0 spec, yet their joint proposal was rejected by the A3SA. That decision blocked a cost-effective solution that could have helped speed up adoption.

There are also examples of what appears to be selective treatment between SiliconDust and competitors. ZapperBox, another ATSC 3.0 tuner, has been promoted at trade shows and in press materials, despite lacking NextGenTV certification. SiliconDust, which has both DRM and NextGen certifications, has been left out.

SiliconDust isn’t just voicing complaints. They came to the FCC meeting with proposed solutions. The simplest, they say, is to eliminate DRM from public broadcasts altogether, which would remove the need for expensive certification and open up the market to more affordable devices. That certification process might explain why inexpensive TVs at retailers like Walmart don’t include ATSC 3.0 tuners—the added cost pushes them out of the low-margin price range.

Another option is to model DRM implementation after streaming services like Netflix, which encrypt streams using widely supported methods. But the current ATSC 3.0 DRM system goes further, layering additional restrictions on top of Google’s Widevine which is what the broadcasters chose for encryption.

But Widevine is only one of several DRM standards. Apple devices use FairPlay. Microsoft Xboxes and PCs use PlayReady. Netflix supports all three by tailoring the stream to the device.

Netflix can do this because they provide a unique stream to every viewer. Broadcasters, working with limited over the air bandwidth, do not have the flexibility to deliver three separate streams of the same content.

Although A3SA had promised broad device compatibility over a year ago, but only Android devices, which are owned by Google and support Widevine natively, have proven to work. Apple, Roku, WebOS, and others remain unsupported. That’s a significant problem for a broadcast standard that’s supposed to be universally accessible.

Another issue is that the DRM standard is not actually part of the official ATSC 3.0 spec, nor is it regulated by the FCC. That means A3SA—a private organization with just five members—can change the rules at any time. They can add new restrictions or limit access based on brand. That kind of unchecked authority over access to public broadcasts raises valid concerns.

The FCC doesn’t hold public hearings on this issue. Instead, they’re conducting private meetings like this one to gather information. It was the National Association of Broadcasters that initiated this push for a hard transition from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0. But adoption has been slow, partly because DRM has made devices more expensive and difficult to develop. Over the coming weeks, more meetings and filings like this one will likely surface, possibly followed by a draft order outlining the FCC’s next steps.

Even though the public comment period has closed, it’s still possible to file additional thoughts with the FCC. Here’s a link with instructions where you can do that if you feel the need to respond to other filings. I’ll continue following the story and keeping you updated.

GMKTec EVO-T1 Mini PC Review – With Intel Core Ultra 9

I recently spent some time testing out the GMKTec EVO-T1, which sits at the higher end of the mini PC spectrum. You can see it in action in my latest video.

It’s larger than most of the mini PCs I usually look at, but that extra size supports a more robust cooling system, allowing it to house an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor—the Ultra 9 285H specifically. With 16 cores (six performance, eight efficiency, and two low-power), it offers a lot of CPU capacity for a Mini PC.

As configured, it retails for $999 on GMKtek’s website (compensated affiliate link) and includes 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and a 1TB NVMe drive. A barebones version is also available for $899, but the fully-loaded configuration is a better value right now. For those buying on Amazon (compensated affiliate link), it’s worth hunting for a coupon link to bring the price in line with the direct sale.

The Evo T1’s upgradability was a highlight. It supports up to 128GB of RAM and has three PCIe 4.0 NVMe slots. While the build quality feels a bit more “plasticky” than some of their earlier models—likely to accommodate the vapor chamber for cooling—the internal layout is straightforward and accessible.

Port selection is generous. On the front, there are three USB-A 3.2 ports, a USB-C port with display output, and a headphone jack. The back offers two 2.5G Ethernet ports using Realtek controllers, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, a USB 4/Thunderbolt port, another headphone jack, and an Oculink port for high-speed external GPU connectivity. The included 150W GaN power supply is compact and external.

One setup note: by default, the system runs in a balanced 54W power mode. I switched it to 70W performance mode in the BIOS, which unlocked noticeably better performance without thermal throttling. There’s also a “fan mode” button on top, but that’s just to change the LED lighting color—not the actual fan speed or performance.

Out of the box, the PC came with a fully activated version of Windows 11 Pro. It was fast and responsive in basic use and handled 4K60 YouTube playback with only a single dropped frame at the start. Benchmarks landed where expected, with a Browserbench.org Speedometer test score of 35.5. It’s worth noting that Apple’s Mac Mini with the M4 chip edges out this machine in browser performance, but from an Intel and Windows standpoint, it delivers solid results.

The T1 shipped with a preinstalled app called “AI PC,” which runs a stripped down version of DeepSeek—a large language model—locally. It ran on the GPU, which provided better performance than when I tried the same model using Ollama on the CPU. Still, I was cautious about this preinstalled software and opted to run several malware scans, all of which came back clean. I’d still recommend using open-source tools like Ollama for local AI workloads.

For video editing, DaVinci Resolve handled simple 4K60 edits smoothly, although more complex effects introduced some slowdowns. An external GPU might help here, and the Oculink port makes that possible. Gaming performance was respectable for a mini PC with integrated graphics. No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 were playable at 1080p on low settings, staying in the 45–60 fps range depending on the scene.

On the 3DMark Time Spy test, the system scored 4,180, with the CPU performance notably stronger than the Core Ultra 7 I tested on a laptop previously. Thermals held up well even under stress, with consistent performance and quiet fan operation. Power consumption under load peaked around 90W, while idle usage hovered around 12 to 15W.

I also tested Linux compatibility using Ubuntu. The system ran well overall, though Wi-Fi and Bluetooth weren’t detected despite using an Intel AX201 chipset. That could be a temporary driver issue. For server use, though, the system’s NVMe slots and efficient idle power draw make it a strong candidate.

Despite its higher price tag, the Evo T1 packs a lot of power and flexibility. Enthusiasts looking for a machine to experiment with in a home lab or as a local AI box might find this an interesting option.

Disclosure: GMKTec provided the Mini PC to the channel free of charge. However they did not review or approve this content before it was uploaded and no other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.