Re: media

[Brian <http://www.cs..edu/~b>]

On Nov 17, 2024, at 11:01 AM, Robert <http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert> wrote:
> I was surprised the other day that the HDMI->VGA adapter/converter that I
> had connected on Noelle's computer died.  I thought that these sort of
> things last forever.  (It turned her screen to a bright yellow, which was
> interesting.)
> 
> I was only using the adapter because her other computer was connected to
> the HDMI on the monitor, but, since she is no longer working, she doesn't
> use that computer any more and I just connected the HDMI to HDMI.

Yeah, things die.  Turns out even simple-looking things are complicated.  A 
while ago I stumbled upon a YouTube video in which some engineering guys were 
investigating why Apple's power supply cords cost so much, and they did a cool 
thing: they did a CAT scan of the two ends of an Apple cord and a drugstore 
cord.  Turns out the Apple one is full of hairy electronics that send data back 
and forth between the computer and the power brick to condition the power, 
whereas the drugstore one is just two wires, power and ground.

By the way, I really enjoy talking with someone who believes in bottom-posting 
so you can actually follow the conversation.  :)  You're the only one I know 
who does it.  I've given up and default to top-posting.  :(