Category: Devices

Hardware reviews

Parkcity ELM-327WF + DashCommand (iPad)

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2014-10-18
No Comments on Parkcity ELM-327WF + DashCommand (iPad)

I have discovered Onboard Diagnostic (ODBII) scanners as a new device class. It is tool for those who interested in some insight on usually hidden car parameters. Modern car have standard controller area network (CAN) and standard diagnostic interface (OBD), that allow to collect and analyze some car internal data with universal devices.

ParkCity_ELM327WF_box_side

My set up was devices: Apple iPad Air + Parkcity ELM-327WF (~80$) and application DashCommand (10$). ELM-327WF using Wi-Fi to connect tablet or smartphone. There is also cheaper Bluetooth version OF ELM-327 exist, but it not work with Apple devices (due to Bluetooth limitation in iOS).

ParkCity_ELM327WF_device_front

See application screenshots below:

Tags car, iPad

GSM iphone

speedtest: 3G in Montenegro (Telenor)

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2014-09-01
No Comments on speedtest: 3G in Montenegro (Telenor)

Tags 3G, speedtest

NAS Synology

ipkg on Synology NAS.

Just to keep the note for myself:

1. Read WIKI. For DS213+ (e500, e500v2)
wget http://ipkg.nslu2-linux.org/feeds/optware/syno-e500/cross/unstable/syno-e500-bootstrap_1.2-7_powerpc.xsh sh syno-e500-bootstrap_1.2-7_powerpc.xsh
2. add /opt to path
vi .profile PATH=..:/opt/bin:/opt/sbin
3. Logout and Login again to apply PATHs.
4. update ipkg and install some tools
ipkg-opt update ipkg-opt install mc ipkg install mlocate updatedb

mc_on_DS213p_619px

Devices DVR

Car DVR: ParkCity DVR HD 710 vs GoPro HERO3 White

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2014-06-01
No Comments on Car DVR: ParkCity DVR HD 710 vs GoPro HERO3 White

Just a quick comparition of Action cam vs digital video recorder.

Summary:

	ParkCity DVR HD710	GoPro HERO3 White

Price	200$	290$ (+50/100$)
Resolution	1080p@25fps	1080p@25fps
Accumulator	470 mAh	1050 mAh
GPS	+	–
LCD	+	–
Wi-Fi	–	+

Both can rewrite video (delete old files automatically). Both wide angle. ParkCity controls with LCD are much usable in car, but GoPro may be controled from iPhone (including video preview, start recordsing, change settings) using Wi-Fi. GoPro has better accumulator. Without external power HERO able to record video for about an hour, ParkCity only half an hour. Both have miniUSB power input. To be able to use it on GoPro “The Frame” or “Skeleton” cases must be bought also. It is additional 50$. Suction cup (instad of Adhesive Mounts) is also additional 50$. GPS on ParkCity make it possible to make tracks and also print speed to video.

In short the only reason to use GoPro HERO3 as a car DVR is you already have it. Or if you need action camera. In all other cases special DVR devices are better and cheaper.

Video quality below

Devices Flash

Transcend JetFlash 300 USB 2.0 32 GB

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2014-02-27
No Comments on Transcend JetFlash 300 USB 2.0 32 GB

Testing yet another USB flash drive speed. TS32GJF300. This one is slow.

Tags CrystalDiskMark

Devices HDD SSD

Intel NUC D54250WYK

Introduction

Most annoying issue about my old PC was that it cannot playback 1080/60p and 4K video smoothly. Since 3D was not in use last couple of years I decide to switch from discrete graphics to internal. Also after some market investigation I decide to switch from classic desktops to nettop. So I was trying to buy nettop that will give me at least same computing power as previous PC but also gives me 4K and 1080/60p video playback. I chose Intel NUC Kit D54250WYK.

Inside Intel NUC

I did add 2x8GB DDR3 1600 and Crucial M500 480 GB mSATA drive and did some tests.

SSD Speed

Windows 7 performance

Passmark PerformanceTest v8

Also did some tests to compare with previous PC. Results in short: about same FPS in 3D, faster video playback (compressed 4K is OK), faster load, 90 times smaller (in volume), 20 times lighter, 10 times less power consumption, less noise. Details below:

Tags benchmark, nettop, NUC

Flash SD

Modern 32 GB SDHC UHS-1 cards I/O speed test

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2013-12-31
No Comments on Modern 32 GB SDHC UHS-1 cards I/O speed test

Some new SD cards speed test

TDK 32 GB SDHC UHS-I Class10 t78717
Transcend Premium 32 GB SDHC UHS-I Class10 TS32GSDU1
SanDisk Extreme SDHC UHS-I Class10 SDSDX-032G-X46


Sequential Read (MB/s)	52.090	88.012	46.786
Sequential Write (MB/s)	14.136	38.338	42.927
Random Read 512KB (MB/s)	44.635	69.408	40.880
Random Write 512KB (MB/s)	0.659	13.426	29.822
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) (MB/s)	2.818	2.540	3.031
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) (MB/s)	1.077	0.509	1.600
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) (MB/s)	2.825	2.736	2.877
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) (MB/s)	0.852	0.423	1.529

Tags flash, sd, sdhc, speed

apple Devices Uncategorized

Philips Fidelio DS8800w firmware update

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2013-11-09
9 Comments on Philips Fidelio DS8800w firmware update

Just found that DS8800 may be updated with DS9800 firmware. Device has no check for models and also not check region codes. In my experiment I have updated DS8800W/10 with DS9800W/37 firmware

Tags firmware

apple Devices iphone

iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5. Camera test.

Post author By liutyi
Post date 2013-10-06
No Comments on iPhone 5S vs iPhone 5. Camera test.

Let’s see if new iPhone 5S camera is much better.

iphone 5S back

White balance of complex scene is much better due to two colored LED flash. So there is no more unnaturally yellow backgrounds on indoor shots with flash. See example below. Right is iPhone 5S, left is iPhone 5. Also note blue shadow behind the object. Two color LED flash has disadvantages.

iphone5s_vs_iphone5_led_flash_test