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GeekNights Monday - Headphone Jacks and iPhones

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  • edited December 2015
    I get what you mean as I have owned the 6i in the past.

    On the note of the ER4 series, they will service the canalphones for life, after the first 2 years it is no longer free but after servicing they are tested and returned to with a max error of 1db.
    Post edited by sK0pe on
  • I've found many reinforced cables to be bullshit. I use a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm to play podcasts in my car when driving to/from work every day. The cables always last 6 months. First, one side goes, and you only get mono sound. A few days/weeks later, the whole cable stops working.
  • Matt said:

    I've found many reinforced cables to be bullshit. I use a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm to play podcasts in my car when driving to/from work every day. The cables always last 6 months. First, one side goes, and you only get mono sound. A few days/weeks later, the whole cable stops working.

    I'm sure many are. I can speak only for the ones I've used. This Anker Lightning cable is legit.

    The thing that gets me is that you see all these cables which are reinforced for their full length, but even weak cables don't break in the middle. It's the joint between the cable and the jack. There must be some improvement that we can invent to reinforce that spot. I've seen a lot of different designs, and none of them really help when a cable is seeing daily usage.
  • Yesterday, when buying Juliane a new iPad (holy shit that iPad Pro screen is huge), I took out my MacBook Pro charger. I have to replace it every year (for the almost 6 years I've owned this laptop) and I asked "What can I do about this?"

    The Apple shop person just said, pretty bluntly, "Change your habits" then explained that the power connectors and cables are really only designed for laptops that sit on tables, and aren't moved around constantly. That is exactly not how I use it! My laptop and the cables are abused like almost nothing else I own. Except headphones!
  • Considering it's for a, you know, portable computer you'd think they would take that into account.

    As for headphones, replaceable cables all the way. That's the main reason I bought the Skullcandy's I'm currently using (plus they were on sale). I have some pretty nice Altec Lansing studio headphones at home but I can't use them because the jack got all messed up. I'll eventually try to re-solder them but that's a lot more work than replacing a $2 stereo cable.

    For earbuds, they're basically disposable to me at this point. Its not as bad now because I'm not shoving them in my jeans pocket like in high school but the Jack is almost always what craps out. That actually has rarely happened with Skullcandy earbuds and the cables seem higher quality but those have mostly died by one of the earbuds just coming apart. I mostly buy earbuds on clearance or on sale now so its not as big of a deal when they break.
  • I can't wait for cyber ears. Don't have to worry about going deaf. Hear everything. Perfect noise cancelling all the time without wearing anything. No need for any kind of headphone at all. Also, Superman eavesdropping powers when necessary.
  • How about AR earbuds. They're pass-through, so you hear the real world normally. But they can insert sounds. With binaural techniques, you could get directionality as well.
  • Rym said:

    How about AR earbuds. They're pass-through, so you hear the real world normally. But they can insert sounds. With binaural techniques, you could get directionality as well.

    That doesn't require any hardware we don't have. Just make an app on your phone that plays binaural sounds depending on GPS and other factors.
  • Apreche said:

    Rym said:

    How about AR earbuds. They're pass-through, so you hear the real world normally. But they can insert sounds. With binaural techniques, you could get directionality as well.

    That doesn't require any hardware we don't have. Just make an app on your phone that plays binaural sounds depending on GPS and other factors.
    Nah. To do it well, the earbuds need their own accelerometers. A sound fixed in place needs to move in relation to your head turning or else it is crazily disorienting when walking.

    I'm talking things like a pulsing sound in the direction you want to travel based on your navigation.

  • Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    Rym said:

    How about AR earbuds. They're pass-through, so you hear the real world normally. But they can insert sounds. With binaural techniques, you could get directionality as well.

    That doesn't require any hardware we don't have. Just make an app on your phone that plays binaural sounds depending on GPS and other factors.
    Nah. To do it well, the earbuds need their own accelerometers. A sound fixed in place needs to move in relation to your head turning or else it is crazily disorienting when walking.

    I'm talking things like a pulsing sound in the direction you want to travel based on your navigation.

    Oooh, interesting. Still requires no new hardware development. You can do it with one of those VR things where you strap your phone to your face like a doofus.
  • RymRym
    edited December 2015
    Apreche said:

    Oooh, interesting. Still requires no new hardware development. You can do it with one of those VR things where you strap your phone to your face like a doofus.

    Those are VR, not AR. ;^)

    The point is that using Thunderbolt for headphones, you can put dumb sensors in the hearphones and all the smart logic in the phone with a high bandwidth low latency connection.

    I wouldn't trust bluetooth for that level of response.

    Post edited by Rym on
  • edited December 2015
    Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    Oooh, interesting. Still requires no new hardware development. You can do it with one of those VR things where you strap your phone to your face like a doofus.

    Those are VR, not AR. ;^)

    The point is that using Thunderbolt for headphones, you can put dumb sensors in the hearphones and all the smart logic in the phone with a high bandwidth low latency connection.

    I wouldn't trust bluetooth for that level of response.

    If you cut a hole in the plastic shield so the phone camera could "see" out, the back, you can make it AR. Or you can just wear it on the back of your head to make it audio-only AR.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • Apreche said:

    If you cut a hole in the plastic shield so the phone camera could "see" out, the back, you can make it AR. Or you can just wear it on the back of your head to make it audio-only AR.

    How does that help determine the motion of your head?

  • Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    If you cut a hole in the plastic shield so the phone camera could "see" out, the back, you can make it AR. Or you can just wear it on the back of your head to make it audio-only AR.

    How does that help determine the motion of your head?

    Accellerometers in your phone.

    I guess you could also just strap, or duct tape, your phone to your head.
  • Apreche said:

    Accellerometers in your phone.

    I guess you could also just strap, or duct tape, your phone to your head.

    Unless your phone is strapped to your head, accelerometers on the phone help nothing. You already have them. They're there.

  • Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    Accellerometers in your phone.

    I guess you could also just strap, or duct tape, your phone to your head.

    Unless your phone is strapped to your head, accelerometers on the phone help nothing. You already have them. They're there.

    I just said. Strap your phone to your head like ten times.
  • RymRym
    edited December 2015
    Apreche said:

    I just said. Strap your phone to your head like ten times.

    But that's a terrible and ridiculous solution.

    Post edited by Rym on
  • Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    I just said. Strap your phone to your head like ten times.

    But that's a terrible and ridiculous solution.

    I'm glad you now agree that strapping things to your head is ridiculous.
  • Considering it's for a, you know, portable computer you'd think they would take that into account.

    Portable seems to mean "can be used in multiple locations/positions" not "can be used while transitioning or traveling between multiple locations/positions".

  • Apreche said:

    Rym said:

    Apreche said:

    I just said. Strap your phone to your head like ten times.

    But that's a terrible and ridiculous solution.

    I'm glad you now agree that strapping things to your head is ridiculous.
    Phones aren't designed for that purpose, and the tech isn't far enough along for dedicated devices for that purpose in AR.

    It's fine in VR.

  • Bone conduction headphones would be good for Audio AR. They shouldn't get in the way of normal hearing or be just be uncomfortable and impractical like leaving in normal earbuds all the time, and they would be a lot more subtle, even more so compared to google glass.
  • Listened to this last night and that stinger was fuckin choice. Possibly because I had just finished Undertale an hour earlier.
  • Aukey Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless Stereo In-Ear Headphones have been working pretty well for me, considering the amount of in ear headphones I've own for the price.

    The volume is good, they come with a bunch of attachments that I couldn't quite figure out, but eventually managed to use to keep them in place.

    They're generic design, so you'll find them on Amazon under different names, but exact same product. I recommend these over and cheap wired in ear thing you own. (if you have bluetooth)
  • edited December 2015
    Remember when I said that Anker Lightning cable was legit? I take it back. Sure enough it is super durable in all the places other Lightning cables are not. But that doesn't make it invincible. It just breaks in a different place.

    image

    I got that cable in August.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • Even legit lightning cables seem to break exactly there...
  • If you reinforce one part of the chain, all you do is change which link is the weakest.

    I think we really need to start taking the idea of wireless charging, and wireless everything, more seriously.
  • I suspect lightning cables assume no use on-the-go, just like apple power chargers seem to.

    I've lost one USB2.0 cable to breakage in my entire life.
  • Rym said:

    I suspect lightning cables assume no use on-the-go, just like apple power chargers seem to.

    I've lost one USB2.0 cable to breakage in my entire life.

    That's true! I've never had the USB end of a USB cable ever break.
  • Apreche said:

    Rym said:

    I suspect lightning cables assume no use on-the-go, just like apple power chargers seem to.

    I've lost one USB2.0 cable to breakage in my entire life.

    That's true! I've never had the USB end of a USB cable ever break.
    I have, and it broke inside my Nook tablet. Had to fish it out with a needle and pliers.
  • It may not be the most size efficient nowadays, but mini usb cables still seem pretty damn sturdy.
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