Category: video

Broadcasters Roll Out Restrictive DRM Encryption on ATSC 3.0 Broadcasts

In my latest video I discuss the concerning trend of broadcasters introducing encryption and Digital Rights Management (DRM) to ATSC 3 broadcasts in the United States. This move, while seemingly about preventing piracy and illegal re-transmission of signals, could significantly limit consumers’ ability to consume content in the way they want.

While consumers can watch ATSC 3 content live on next-gen certified televisions, they may face restrictions when trying to use apps like Plex or Channels for DVR recordings or outside-the-home viewing. There’s also the looming question of whether an Internet connection might be required to watch broadcast TV in the future.

I suspect that the motivation behind this move is largely to protect their re-transmission fee revenue broadcasters collected on a per-subscriber basis from cable companies and streaming services. Some estimates have it as high as $15 billion annually.

However, this shift towards DRM and encryption raises several questions and concerns. One of the most pressing is whether broadcasters could eventually charge consumers to watch what should be free television. While broadcasters are barred from doing so by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), I wouldn’t be surprised to see some broadcasters lobbying the FCC to allow it.

Another concern is the future of free TV content. As networks transition into streaming services, there’s a risk that high-quality content may become exclusive to paid streaming, leaving only local news and less desirable content for free broadcast TV. We’re already seeing examples of NBC, through Peacock and CBS, through Paramount+ offering content exclusive to those streaming apps that are not available on broadcast.

Given these concerns, I believe it’s crucial for consumers to voice their objections to the introduction of DRM in ATSC 3 broadcasts. I recommend reaching out to your senators and representatives, particularly those who have shown interest in accelerating the rollout of the ATSC 3 standard, to bring this issue to their attention.

Since this video was uploaded I heard from a bunch of viewers who were recently impacted by this change. Here’s what Matthew Mello sent to me on Twitter this morning:


Here the Comcast owned affiliate encrypts their ATSC 3 over the air signal making it more difficult to tune for free. If you want to DVR content or watch on a phone you’ll have to subscribe to cable to get those features – with Comcast picking up subscription AND retransmission fees.

There’s a reason the FCC used to limit media ownership in a market!

As a consumer and a tech enthusiast, I’m keeping a close eye on these developments. If DRM gets activated where I live I’ll be sure to share my experiences and continue to advocate for consumer rights in the broadcasting industry. Until then, I encourage everyone to stay informed and take action to protect our access to free over-the-air TV.

Tailscale is the Easiest Way to Implement a Personal VPN

My latest video takes a look at Tailscale – a personal and enterprise VPN solution that is the easiest solution I’ve come across in quite some time. You’ll see me set it up and demonstrate a few real-world examples of it in use.

I made this video in the hopes that it will get more casual users to lock down their home network security. There are far too many exploits in the wild now that look for devices like Network Attached Storage devices that are exposed to the public Internet. Locking those devices behind a router or firewall keeps them safely hidden and solutions like Tailscale help with accessing them from the outside securely.

Tailscale is based on the open source WireGuard VPN protocol to establish encrypted connections, but it completely eliminates the friction involved with setting up such a secure connection.

It utilizes a mesh networking approach, where devices authenticate with a central server and then establish direct encrypted connections with each other. This allows devices within the mesh network to communicate securely, even across different networks or firewalls.

One of the key advantages of Tailscale is its ease of use. It provides a user-friendly interface and supports a variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and even NAS devices like Synology and QNAP. It integrates with existing identity providers, such as Google, Microsoft or Apple for authentication, making it convenient for organizations to manage access to their networks. Tailscale’s free tier was recently expanded to allow up to 100 devices per account.

It allows users to access resources as if they were on the same local network, even if they are physically located elsewhere. This can be useful for accessing files, services, or applications that are typically restricted to specific networks.

Each device gets its own Tailscale IP address that will only be accessible to other computers in your Tailscale network. It’s also super easy to share devices outside your personal network with others which I demo in the video.

Certainly for those technically inclined running your own VPN server is the ideal solution. But for many a turn-key solution is what’s needed and that’s what I like about Tailscale’s solution.

Plex Amp Sonic Sage Adds ChatGPT AI Music Recommendations

In my latest video I dive into the world of AI-powered music discovery with the Plex Amp player and its new “Sonic Sage” feature. Sonic Sage uses ChatGPT to deliver playlist recommendations.

Here’s how it works: Sonic Sage interfaces with OpenAI’s GPT model. To get it running, you’ll need an API key from the OpenAI platform. There is a small cost for using this key but I’ve found it to be minimal. So far I’ve only racked up about 5 cents of cost for well over 20 queries.

Once you’ve enabled Sonic Sage, it lives right inside the search icon on your Plex Amp app. ChatGPT uses your queries to generate music recommendations. You can ask it for anything, from general genres to very specific prompts. For example, you could ask for “high energy, lesser-known female rockers from the last 20 years”, and Sonic Sage will whip up a playlist to match.

The AI’s recommendations are based on how you word your prompts. While it’s not perfect at always getting things right, it does a pretty solid job of delivering great music to match what you’re looking for. The only drawback I’ve noticed so far is that these AI-generated playlists can’t be saved, but I’m sure this could change in the future.

This feature works best with a very large personal library or with Tidal, a subscription music service that integrates with Plex and Plex Amp. Tidal costs $8.99 a month if you subscribe through Plex and delivers all of its music as CD quality lossless FLAC audio. I covered the Tidal integration in a previous video.

In my view, Sonic Sage adds an interesting new dimension to Plex Amp’s already awesome music discovery capabilities.

Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 4k 31.5″ Gaming Monitor Review

Price at only $749, The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 is a gaming monitor that packs quite a punch for its price point. You can see it in action in my latest review.

The Y32p-30 is a 31.5″ IPS display with 4K resolution, a refresh rate of up to 144 Hertz, and support for variable refresh rates with compatibility for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD Freesync. To maximize these features, particularly the 144 Hertz refresh rate, it’s crucial to have an HDMI 2.1 cable for HDMI devices like game consoles.

The monitor is well-equipped in terms of connectivity, boasting four video inputs: two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, and a USB Type-C port. Notably, the USB Type-C port can deliver video to the display and power a laptop simultaneously, providing up to 75 watts of power over the USB Type-C connection. While this is not enough power for gaming laptop it is sufficient for most ultrabook style laptops.

There are two USB-A ports on the side of the display for connecting peripherals along with a headphone/microphone jack. Notably the monitor has a built in KVM function that allows for the active USB connection to be mapped to the display input. So it’s possible for one PC to be connected through the USB-C port and another connected through the monitor’s USB-B port.

The Y-32P30 offers impressive display quality with a 1000:1 contrast ratio. However, its brightness level peaks at 400 nits, which may not be sufficient for HDR content production or consumption. The color coverage is 99% of sRGB and 90% of DCI-P3, which may not meet the needs of professionals requiring highly accurate color representation.

But the Legion Y-32P30 is designed as a gaming monitor. It has a super-fast response rate of 0.5 milliseconds, and the motion blur is practically nonexistent, even during fast-paced gaming. The input lag on the display is the best I’ve ever tested, providing an optimal gaming experience.

The monitor comes with a sturdy base, providing stability and a good range of motion for height and angle adjustments. While it has built-in stereo speakers, they leave a bit to be desired in terms of sound quality.

In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 may not be the best choice for creatives requiring top-tier color accuracy and brightness levels. However, for gamers, it offers exceptional value, combining a large display, high refresh rate, low input lag, and an array of convenient features that enhance the gaming experience.

Switchbot Hub 2 Review

In my latest video, I explored various smart home products from Switchbot, a company that has been filling gaps left by other manufacturers in the market especially when it comes to automating light switches and curtain rods.

They recently introduced a new Hub device called the Hub 2, which interfaces their smart home products with the internet and popular home platforms like Google and Amazon. In the video I demo it working with their “bot” that can turn any rocker or button switch into a smart one.

The Hub 2 also controls air conditioners or split systems over infrared, has built-in humidity and temperature sensors, and can control TVs or other devices that use infrared remote controls.

One area that could use improvement is the Matter support on the Hub 2. While it supports this new open source standard I could not get it to connect with my Homekit environment as advertised.

Even if I could get it working, Matter support is limited to just their curtain motors at the moment. I found the open source Homebridge application to be a better solution for bridging Homekit connections as it works with all Switchbot and IR devices through the Hub 2.

Matter issues aside the Switchbot Hub 2 offers a wide range of features and is a great way to connect their innovative smarthome products with automation platforms and the Internet.

A Follow-up on the Facebook Class Action Suit

In a follow-up video discussing the Facebook privacy lawsuit, I addressed several questions from viewers about my decision to opt out of the suit. You can see the update video here.

In the new video I emphasized that my choice is grounded in the principle of taking a stand against abuse from corporations and lawyers.

To illustrate my point, I compared the current privacy lawsuit to a previous lawsuit against Facebook regarding facial recognition. In that case, Judge James Donato of California pushed for a better settlement that was 3 times higher than what was originally negotiated, resulting in increased payouts for affected consumers, less money to the lawyers and a narrower scope of immunity for Facebook.

In other words, “we the people” still have some power to influence decisions that lead to better outcomes. But we have to choose to exercise that power and unfortunately too many don’t.

In the video I shed light on the phenomenon of “no action bias,” which refers to people’s preference to do nothing over something. This, I believe, often leads to consumers accepting unfavorable situations. I use an example of my local power company Eversource doubling electric supply rates and how 82% of consumers opted to pay more vs. filling out a simple form to pick a lower cost supplier.

I urge all consumers to be proactive in taking principled stands against corporate and legal abuse. It is only through our collective efforts that we can make a real difference and hold corporations and lawyers accountable for their actions.

HP Dragonfly Pro Review

The new HP Dragonfly Pro is the subject of my latest laptop review.

The Dragonfly Pro is a Windows-based laptop aimed at meeting the needs of freelancers and independent contractors. With a starting price of $1,399, the device is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7 7736U processor and has a power system designed jointly with AMD to boost the system’s responsiveness while preserving battery life.

The base model comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, with options for a 32GB RAM and 1TB storage configuration. The system is not upgradeable as all components are soldered on the mainboard.

The Dragonfly Pro features a 14-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920×1200 and a 16:10 aspect ratio, suitable for document editing tasks. Weighing in at hefty 3.53 pounds (1.6 kilograms), the laptop’s recycled aluminum construction provides durability.

The backlit keyboard on the Dragonfly Pro has well-spaced keys and adequate key travel, contributing to a comfortable typing experience. The haptic trackpad is responsive and can be adjusted according to user preference. For video conferencing, the laptop comes with a 1440p webcam.

The sound quality on the Dragonfly Pro is clear, but it lacks a headphone jack and card reader. The laptop offers two USB 4 ports providing compatibility with external GPUs and Thunderbolt 3 devices. Those two ports are on the left side of the unit and a single (slower) USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port is on the righthand side.

Battery life is decent for a Windows laptop and thanks to the hardware based power management system does not require a settings change to maximize longevity. The system is tuned to deliver performance when necessary and dial it back when not needed. It’ll easily get through a workday provided the user sticks to the basics.

In terms of performance, the Dragonfly Pro is capable of handling web browsing, media consumption, and basic office tasks easily delivering some of the snappiness promised in the marketing. It can also manage video editing and casual gaming, delivering average frame rates on popular titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fortnite.

Ubuntu 23.04 booted on the laptop but unfortunately audio was not detected properly.

Overall, the HP Dragonfly Pro offers a range of features and performance at a competitive price point, making it a potential option for freelancers and independent professionals in the market for a new work laptop.

Walmart Onn Google TV Review

The Walmart Onn (compensated affiliate link) is a 4k Streaming Box from Walmart running Google TV that sells for $20. You can see my full review here.

The Onn Google TV is running the same OS as Google’s Chromecast 4k, but at half the price of Google version. The only downside with the Walmart offering is that it does not support Dolby Vision HDR and in my testing didn’t seem to work with ATMOS audio either. So for those looking for Dolby Vision & ATMOS I suggest going to the Google device or the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k Max.

But for the price there’s not much to complain about here. Performance is adequate and the Onn supports most if not all of the popular streaming apps. I had no issues with 4k playback from YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix. This version adds support for the AV1 codec which was lacking in the prior version of the Walmart device. The remote features voice control and some useful shortcut buttons. Walmart even packs an HDMI cable in the box!

As expected the Onn is missing features enthusiasts might be looking for. Like many Android / Google TV devices it does not properly switch most apps into 24p mode when playing 24 frames per second content. It also lacks support for lossless audio codecs Plex Pro users are looking for. Additionally, I encountered some issues with games not displaying properly and game streaming apps dropping their connection to servers. But on the plus side it does support AC4 audio passthrough for ATSC 3 broadcasts.

Surprisingly it does offer some additional connectivity options through its single micro USB port. My Smays Ethernet hub that delivers power, ethernet and additional USB ports worked great. But the USB port is only USB 2.0 so the built in AC Wi-Fi might actually be faster than an ethernet connection.

At $20 this box brings a lot of value for most consumers. If you have an older 720/1080 or 4k set that is lacking smarts the Onn Google TV will immediately boost your television’s intelligence level without breaking the bank.

Turn Your Lights On and Off with Plex Webhooks

For this month’s sponsored Plex video, I delved into the webhooks feature that’s part of your Plex Pass subscription.

Webhooks fire off data to a specified URL when specific events happen on your Plex server, such as adding new content, pausing, or playing media. Some of the applications that can listen for these webhooks include IFTTT, Zapier, Home Assistant and Homebridge.

Although it might be slightly complicated to set up, once you have it figured out it can do some cool stuff. In the video I demonstrate how I connected my Plex server with Homebridge, allowing my lights to turn on and off automatically based on hitting the play and pause button.

I also slightly modified some code in the Homebridge Plex plugin I was using to look for a Plex “scrobble” event that fires off whenever the credits are reached or 90% of the content is played. This will turn my lights on right when the end credits start rolling most of the time!

Overall, webhooks in Plex open up a world of possibilities for integrating your Plex server with your smart home system. While it may be complicated to set up initially, the end result is a seamless and enjoyable viewing experience.

Roland UVC-02 Web Presentation Dock

It’s no secret I’m a video production nerd! I’m always on the lookout for useful tools that can increase efficiency and simplify the number of connections needed for a live production.

The other day I stumbled across this “swiss army knife” device from Roland called the UVC-02 Web Presentation Dock. It is currently on sale at B&H for about $200 (compensated affiliate link).

You can see my review of it here!

The UVC-02 integrates a balanced XLR audio input (with phantom power) along with a HDMI input that can take in video at 1080p at up to 60 fps. So immediately it frees up a USB port if you need to bring in both video and audio for a production.

In addition to audio over the XLR input it will also take in audio via the HDMI port, a 3.5mm aux connector, and a second 3.5mm jack that supports TRRS headsets with microphones. So you get grand total of four audio inputs: XLR, HDMI, AUX and Headset.

All four are mixed as a single audio output from the box and you can adjust their levels individually with the dials on the top. The UVC-02’s configuration software which runs on Mac and PC has level meters that will display on screen.

Additionally there are two multifunction buttons that can be mapped to various functions including acting as a sound effect board, turning on or off audio effects like a voice changer, or even work as a “clicker” to advance slides in a PowerPoint presentation.

There’s also a bunch of audio adjustments that can be made including a built in compressor, EQ, and various noise reduction features. I found those settings will require some significant tweaking to get the sound you’re looking for on a mic-by-mic basis.

It has a really cool “ducking” feature that will automatically lower the aux, hdmi and headset audio when the main mic detects audio coming in. I demo that in the video.

The configuration software is not required on every PC as the settings will be retained inside the device. And because the UVC-02 doesn’t need any drivers you can plug it into anything and have it work immediately.

This is a feature packed device that will lighten my production travel bag. It’s worth checking out!

I am Opting out of the Facebook Class Action Settlement

Facebook settled a privacy lawsuit for $725 million related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and other data sharing practices from 2007 to 2022. Over 200 million people in the United States are automatically included in the class unless they opt out.

In my latest video we take a look at the settlement and why I think the lawyers and Facebook / Meta are the only ones who really benefit.

The lawyers involved in the case are set to receive 25% of the settlement fund, which amounts to about $181 million. Users are expected to receive just a couple of bucks each depending on the length of time they have been Facebook users. The settlement also prevents users from participating in any future lawsuits against Facebook or their parent company Meta regarding any issue related to data sharing that took place throughout the fifteen years the lawsuit covers.

Anyone in the United States that had a Facebook account between 2007-2022 will automatically be included in the class even if they don’t file for a compensation claim. That means unless individuals take the effort to opt-out they will be barred from any legal action against Facebook should additional data sharing scandals and or damages arise in the future.

To opt out of the settlement and preserve your rights, you can visit the Facebook lawsuit website and follow the opt-out instructions.

Synology BC500 Security Camera Review

One of the multitude of features built into Synology network attached storage (NAS) devices is their Surveillance Station software. Surveillance station is a security camera DVR system that runs alongside all of the other functions the NAS can do. It currently supports more than 8,000 IP cameras.

Most Synology NAS devices allow for free use of the software for two cameras with additional cameras requiring the purchase of a camera license. But Synology’s newest products are a line of security cameras that come with the license and offer some built in AI features that integrate with Surveillance Station. I took a look at their BC500 camera in my latest review.

The camera can be powered over ethernet or by DC with its barrel connector. There is no power supply or injector included in the box. And either way you power it an ethernet connection is necessary for video to be sent back to the NAS. There’s no Wi-Fi option on this unit.

The camera is weatherproof although the connector for the ethernet cable was not friendly to pre-terminated cables. The manual instructs installers to terminate the cable after it’s been threaded through the weatherproofing.

I found that the motion detection will take some tweaking to avoid false alerts, but the camera’s built-in AI person and vehicle detection features should reduce those false alarms considerably. The surveillance station software has some neat features like the ability to search for motion in only specific portions of the image.

Video quality is decent out of the camera and it has a night vision mode with a built in illuminator that can light up about 30 meters in front of the camera in darkness. There’s also a built-in microphone that will record audio and can be used as a alert sensor. It can shoot video at a 2880×1620 running at 30 frames per second.

There are much less expensive cameras on the market with similar specs that are compatible with Synology’s system. But the addition of a license along with a 3 year warranty does add some value to the offering. In addition the bullet camera that I reviewed here they also have a turret configuration that shares similar specifications. Although turret camera looks like a PTZ device it does not move once it’s installed and pointed.

Synology will continue to support third party cameras but some users may find a camera designed to be integrated with the surveillance station to be more desirable.

Testing WD’s 22TB My Book External Hard Drive

I recently had the chance to take a look at a massive 22 terabyte WD My Book external hard drive. You can watch my full video review here.

This particular model is priced at just under $600, making it a bit less cost-effective on a per terabyte basis vs. smaller capacity versions. But if you need this much capacity in a single drive you’ll find it here.

The My Book series comes with a three-year warranty, a license for Acronis backup software, and encryption features. You’ll also find the same capacity and guts in their more affordable Elements line that has a shorter two year warranty and lacks the encryption and backup software.

The MyBook uses an aging USB 3 Gen 1 interface and comes with a USB-A cable. It’s compatible with USB-C but you’ll need to purchase a separate adapter or cable to interface the drive.

It’s equipped with a SATA 600, 7200 RPM drive inside, and during testing, it achieved around 220 MB/s for both reading and writing large blocks of data, making it suited for backups and archiving. Its random reads and writes were a big sluggish making this not ideal for gaming or booting operating systems.

While it’ll work with game consoles most will not be able to make use of its full capacity so a smaller drive would be a better choice.

If you plan on using this for storing your priceless data, make sure you have a solid backup plan in place as mechanical drives with this much storage density are susceptible to damage from bumps and drops.

Overall if you needed a lot of capacity in a relatively portable package this will certainly get the job done. Just make sure you have a good backup strategy as you’ll be putting a lot of eggs in one basket here.

Streaming ATSC 3 Content Outside the Home

I am continuing my journey into over the air ATSC 3 television now that I have a functional antenna up on my roof. In my latest video I explore streaming ATSC content outside my home!

Unlike the older ATSC 1.0 broadcasts that are encoded in a high bitrate MPEG 2 format, ATSC 3.0 uses a modern HEVC codec. This is very similar to the video encoding used by Netflix and other popular streaming services, making these ATSC 3.0 broadcasts much friendlier for remote streaming. ATSC 3.0 also runs at about half the bitrate of ATSC 1 broadcasts for HD content.

As before we used my HDHomerun Flex 4k to tune the signals which was provided free of charge by Silicondust to review a little while back. These devices are primarily designed to work on a local network only, but because HDHomeruns have an open architecture there are third party software options that provide more flexibility.

That’s where the Channels App for HDHomerun comes in. The app can connect to an HDhomerun remotely providing a channel guide and even pause and rewind capabilities. In my use case I set up a local VPN on my router to access my home network from the outside securely. In my testing it worked just as well outside the home as it did inside the house!

For iPhone and iPad users the Channels App for HDHomerun is free to use. On android and TV boxes (including the AppleTV) the app costs $25 one time with no subscription fees. Channels also offers a self-hosted DVR service that we’ve covered in the past for an $8 monthly subscription fee.

But there is a big asterisk on this which involves ATSC 3.0’s dark side – the option for broadcasters to enable a DRM flag. This is already taking place in some markets and it’s unlikely that the Channels App will be able to tune those DRM’ed channels in the future. The AntennaMan has a great analysis of the situation on his YouTube channel.

But for now this works great for me. We’ll likely see more players support this in the future once the AC4 audio codec can be decoded using open source tools like FFMPEG.

Disclosure: Silicondust, the makers of the HDHomerun along with the Channels App are past sponsors here on the channel. They did not sponsor this video.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 Review

In my latest video, I take a look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5, a premium laptop that delivers close to gaming laptop performance in a business oriented ThinkPad.

As we approach the time of the year when prices tend to drop on these, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take this high end model out for a spin.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 starts at around $1,800, and the model I reviewed was configured at about $2,600.

My review loaner features an Intel i7 12700H processor, an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of video RAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Both the RAM and storage are upgradeable. It has a 16-inch 4K IPS display with a 3840 x 2400 resolution, which is Adobe certified and X-Rite calibrated. This laptop is also HDR 10 and Dolby Vision compatible, making it useful for creative work and media consumption. The display is nice and bright with a decent contrast ratio for a non-OLED.

Weighing just over 4 pounds (1.88 kilograms), the laptop is made out of carbon fiber and magnesium. It has a solid, well-balanced design and a backlit keyboard with a 1.5mm key travel. It comes with a variety of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI output, two USB-A ports, a full-size SD card reader, and a headphone/microphone jack. The laptop also has a 1080p webcam with a physical shutter and decent speakers.

The battery life on this high-performance machine isn’t exceptional, with around six hours on minimal use. As expected, the laptop performs well for basic tasks like web browsing and video playback.

It does well at higher end tasks too like photo and video editing thanks to its CPU and GPU. But it may experience performance degradation under heavy sustained load as its cooling system is not as robust as what might be found in a gaming laptop. “Bursty” tasks like video editing should do fine but work that hits the CPU & GPU over longer periods of time will see a performance drop after a few minutes at full load.

Despite this, I was pleased with the overall performance, look, and feel of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5, especially for those who appreciate the traditional ThinkPad design. For many the cooling issues will not have much of an impact but for those needing something for more long duration work a gaming laptop is the better choice.

My Amateur Radio Exploration Continues!

In my latest YouTube video I update you on all the things I’ve been doing lately exploring amateur radio with my technician license.

Technician licenses are mostly limited to the 10 meter high frequency band for long-range communications, which is what we’ll focus on in this video. Right now conditions on the 10 meter band are at their best in years, allowing me to talk to people over great distances using voice and digital communication modes. In the video you’ll see me make contact with somebody over the radio in Texas from my home in Connecticut and I talk about how I’ve reached people in other parts of the world too.

In addition to voice communication, I have also experimented with digital modes like FT8. FT8 allows communication over even longer distances, thanks to its weak-signal performance. I’ve also been playing a lot with tried VarAC, a robust keyboard-to-keyboard communication method allowing for long distance chats, email and even file transfers. Towards the end of the video, I give a brief demonstration of connecting to a packet radio bulletin board system.

I’m currently working on obtaining my general license which will open up even more possibilities for communication and exploration. My journey as a technician license holder in the world of ham radio has been both exciting and educational, and I’m eager to continue sharing my progress as I advance to the next level. Stay tuned for more updates!

Update on the Incorrect Apple Replacement Device Lawsuit Checks

Last week I uploaded a video in regards to the Apple “Replacement Device Lawsuit” which was a class action suit brought against Apple over AppleCare replacements that concluded with a $95 million settlement. The lawsuit alleged that Apple provided replacement devices for warranty swaps that were either refurbished or contained used parts. Most impacted customers received about $14 per incident. The lawyers received over $27 million!

In the original video I noted that many customers found that their checks were made out to the wrong name, while others never received notification that they were part of the class.

This week I have a followup that includes comment from attorney Michella Crass from Hagens Berman, from the law firm representing the plaintiffs. Cras provided additional information and offered an alternative means of getting checks corrected via email:

Kras says the court approved email as the primary method of notifying class members. Despite sending multiple email reminders, many digital payments went unclaimed (likely because emails didn’t get delivered), and the deadline for claiming cash payments was extended to February 26, 2023.

After failing to reach people digitally, the parties agreed to send checks to 1.6 million class members for whom they had physical mailing addresses. Kras acknowledges that a portion of those checks had misspelled or incorrect names. To rectify this, affected customers can email AppleCare@hbsslaw.com with the necessary information, and a new check will be issued. But it has to be done by May 30, 2023.

But how could somebody who did not get notified and whose name was incorrectly recorded be in the class? Crass says that if an individual received a replacement device with non-new parts during the class period, they are considered part of the class. Members of the class are entitled to the settlement amount only and can no longer sue Apple over a similar issue – even if they were never notified as being part of it.

And what if funds go unclaimed? Kras says unclaimed funds may either be redistributed to class members who claimed their funds or donated to a charitable organization, but will not return to Apple or the law firm.

I question the effectiveness of class-action lawsuits like this, as a customer suing Apple individually over this issue in small claims court would likely recoup the entire cost of the phone if Apple is found in the wrong – not a measly $14.

And while it could be argued that class action lawsuits are an effective way of regulating corporate behavior that’s not the case here. Apple merely updated their terms of service to allow the use of previously used parts for AppleCare replacements rolling forward.

My suggestion is that if you’re notified as being a member of a class action lawsuit be sure to exercise your right to opt-out of the litigation. You’ll retain your right to sue and be able to get a much larger settlement in the end.

Lenovo Chromebook 3 11″ Review – Currently on Liquidation !

It’s amazing how much laptop you can get for very little money these days – especially when that laptop is being sold at a liquidated price like the Lenovo Chromebook 3 11 that is the subject of my latest review.

This is a low-cost option that offers a functional secondary computer for basic tasks. With an AMD A6-9220C dual-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of eMMC storage, the IdeaPad Chromebook 3 has an 11.6-inch TN display with a maximum brightness of 250 nits. While the display is not touch-enabled and the colors are muted, the build quality is solid, with a weight of 2.46 pounds and an estimated 10-hour battery life. The keyboard is not backlit but offers a comfortable typing experience and the trackpad performs well.

The Chromebook has two full service USB Type-C ports (although only one display can be output at a time) along with a pair of USB 3 ports, an SD card reader, and a microphone/headphone jack.

But the device’s performance is sluggish, especially when compared to similar Chromebooks with Intel processors. But for basic tasks it’s fine and the battery life is pretty good for that type of work.

The speakers provide better sound quality than expected, and the device is compatible with Android apps and Linux. The end of support date for this Chromebook is June 2027, but it may be possible to extend its lifespan using Chrome OS Flex. Overall, the IdeaPad Chromebook 3 is a good value for those who manage their expectations and require a basic, functional laptop.

As value packed as this machine is there is a better option out there – if you can find it. The Acer Chromebook 311 I reviewed a few months back had a similar price but came with a higher quality display, faster performance, and the ability to output dual displays. Crazy!

Boosteroid is a Competitive Game Streaming Contender with Room for Improvement

Game streaming has been growing increasingly competitive, with numerous platforms vying for the attention of gamers. We’ve looked at a number of different offerings that you can find in this playlist. My latest video looks at Boosteroid, a startup based out of Ukraine with servers located throughout the USA and Europe.

Boosteroid (affiliate link) allows users to stream some, but not all, of the games they purchased on Steam, Epic and a growing list of other platforms at 1080p at 60 frames per second.

Boosteroid is subject to the same developer licensing restrictions as other cloud services. So like GeForce Now not every game you paid for will be available to stream but it looks like some developers unwilling to allow their games to be streamed GeForce Now do allow Boosteroid to do it. On the flip side I found a few games on GeForce Now that are not available on Boosteroid!

I found Boosteroid’s performance to be as advertised, with low latency and responsive controls. However, there is still some work to be done on the interface front.

After selecting a Steam game from the Boosteroid interface, the user is dropped off on a cloud computer running a Steam client where they have to then run the game from. Quitting a game doesn’t end the session but returns the user back to the Steam client. I found Epic games will load directly but quitting a game does drop the user back off to the Epic Store interface.

Despite this shortcoming, Boosteroid’s price point is quite competitive, even beating out Nvidia’s GeForce Now base tier if users opt for an annual subscription.

But buyer beware: Boosteroid does not currently offer a free trial or refunds, so it’s essential for potential subscribers to sign up for a free account and search the games database to ensure their library is compatible with the service. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to match a user’s owned games with the Boosteroid compatibility list at the moment.

Boosteroid (affiliate link) is a promising game streaming service with a competitive price point and solid performance. Although it still has some kinks to work out in terms of interface and compatibility matching, it’s a viable alternative to more established platforms.

Unboxing Some Cheap Gadgets from TEMU.com

As a tech enthusiast always on the hunt for cheap and useful stuff, I couldn’t resist diving into the world of TEMU.com (affiliate link), an online schlock house that offers a variety of inexpensive gadgets and other cheap stuff in just about every product category imaginable.

In my latest YouTube video, I shared my unboxing experience, revealing a mix of surprisingly useful items along with some of the crap I expected.

First the good stuff:

I got a $20 face tracking smartphone camera mount that performed surprisingly well. The best part was that all of its face tracking was done on the hardware itself and did not require an app. Another win was a relatively low cost wireless lavalier microphone kit. While it was not as good as my expensive Sennheiser gear it was pretty good for a couple of bucks. And the super cheap knock-off Apple pencil was recognized as an Apple Pencil by my iPad at 10% of the price. The only feature it was missing was pressure detection.

There were of course a few letdowns in the mix. The tiny action camera I received didn’t work, the $12 “smartwatch” had non-existent health sensors that delivered false results and the $10 1080p webcam delivered a washed out image with a microphone that sounded like I was underwater.

Without a proper customer review system it’s hard to know what you’re getting from TEMU. Many products pop up and disappear when stock runs out only to be replaced by the same item with a different brand name. In short you get what you pay for at TEMU so be prepared for disappointment. But you may encounter some delight when a cheap gadget turns out not to be a piece of junk.

Caveat emptor!