EEVblog 1569 - A Very Ploopy Open Source Mailbag

More mailbag!

00:00 - Mailbag
00:24 - Ploopy DIY Open Source Headphones
13:32 - EEtackle Probe Holder
18:18 - Intertooth Wireless Bluetooth Networking Console

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#ElectronicsCreators #Mailbag

[HomelabExtreme]

Regarding the bluetooth serial interface...
A lot of current enterprise IT equipment use rs232 for initial setup and offline configuration, and for what ever reason, there is a LOT of different connectors that have been used for basic 3 wire rs232 and that is the case here.
It is NOT an ethernet port on those switches, but commonly a RJ45 where just 3 pins are used for serial communication, so it has nothing to do with ethernet.

Here is a quick list of the connectors i have come across for serial communication on enterprise gear:
Micro jack
Mini jack
RJ11
RJ45
RJ50
DB9
Mini DB9
Mini USB

On network switches, Cisco's RJ45 pin layout is very common, but other equipment like UPS, PDU, SAN, ATS, Env Monitoring etc, it is the wild west, and you commonly find multiple pinouts for the same connector.

One exception that is getting more common, is some equipment has a USB port (typically Micro USB) which connects to a internal rs232 transceiver, and thus the switch (or what ever) will pop up on you computer as a serial modem.
But that is the exception, not the rule :D

[piotr]

When you open a virtual COM giving access to a bluetooth device, the baudrate in the terminal emulator does not matter.
I think Intertooth wasn't responding to the commands because it requires a different end-of-line marker. Try changing the setting in Termite to CR+LF.
The switch did not respond because it probably works on a different baudrate, which you need to change by issuing a command for the Intertooth device.

[trickyd]

Quality is the Q Factor of the filter Dave

[SeanBZA]

Eeprobe looks nice, with that crackle finish making it look straight out of the 1950's electronics catalog.

[EEtackle]

Thanks for the review Dave! I find it easier to unlock the ball joint with the thumb screw while positioning. Then lock it up when it's where you want.

[rodlophus]

I would love to see a @DankPods review on those 😁

[CammyFi]

Judging by the frequency response, these ploopy headphones measure with better bass response, and more faithful less fatiguing well extended treble than the Samsons

[gerryjamesedwards]

That probe holder looks like a proper piece of kit. The Americans do that sort of thing very well.

[Petertronic]

A touch of silicone grease in the moving joints might help with the headphone creak. I've had to do that on old Sony headphones.

[calholli]

On the probe holder, that knob on the other end should loosen the pivot ball.. and then you tighten back again.

[retrozmachine]

I was hoping they weren't going to fall off once Dave started moving around. Hang on Ploopy, Ploopy hang on.

[Gossamer]

I would try a different terminal program; something simple like Putty. The terminal program you are using is making you enter a string of text and then hit enter and the characters don't get sent until you hit enter. I would try a terminal program that sends characters as you type them, which Putty will do.

[calholli]

I have that same knife. I like it a lot, especially the leather sheath with the weave pattern on the side.. It did end up rusting a bit, so I covered it with mustard and then held it over the flame over my stove to burn a charcoal coating all over it. The mustard makes it sort of flash rust with color patterns. After burning it, it shouldn't have any rust issues anymore. I didn't get it very hot, so it shouldn't effect hardness. After doing that, it's now one of my favorite knives because it's so maintenance free and I can beat on it and use it how I want. It's a good one.

[nonsuch]

I don't really see open or closed back cans as a preference personally, each have their distinct place and necessity. Open back are the best for low fatigue listening and enjoying. Closed back are the best for recording, isolation, and for controlling bleed-out.

[cheekireeki]

That headphones toolbox works similar to Equalizer APO (which I use, so I noticed that).

[eDoc]

Switches and routers don't have ports which double-up as Ethernet and serial. The console port is a dedicated port which happens to use an 8P8C connector on many models. The 8P8C is smaller than a regular serial port, but more importantly I'm sure it's cheaper. Design for manufacturability and all that.

[movaxh]

It is not Ethernet. It is just serial over RJ45. The most common pinout is a Cisco standard, now used by most of the network equipment. (Very rarely it is a different pinout).

If you work with switches, routers, every day, then it makes absolute sense to use this thing. Less cables, universal, etc. I would be a bit worried about plain text (no encryption) possibly, but for most stuff it is short range, and in well walled building / room, so maybe it is ok.

I only connect over serial to network equipment, about 2 times a year, so of not big use to me, but nice kit. You almost never use these serial connections for monitoring, rather for one time setup, to do some initial setup, or emergency access. Then do everything else using network connection (SSH or web interface). In bigger installations people would even have something called serial server, which is a separate box with like 16 or 30 serial ports, and connect permanently serial devices to it, and use that to log in remotely to devices in emergency or major reworks of the config (where the network itself can stop working).

The USB part is weird tho. It should have been USB type A connector I think instead.

The speed you have seen in the terminal window is for the bluetooth connection from your computer to this device. 56k there. That is just from your terminal to the device. The device to the switch, that is configured separately using the as you said.

Most switches itself use 9600 bps by default (especially Cisco switches), so you also have that setup correctly. It is super slow and annoying to work at this speeds, but it is just a standard decided decades ago by Cisco, and is pretty stable.


I think you terminal program is just meh, and is not working well. I see they use some ANSI escape characters that your program does not support. Try with putty on Windows, or with minicom on Linux, .

[KeritechElectronics]

Ploopy, not too spoopy! Looks like a nice design, though I'm not really a fan of symmetrical phones, and the jacks pointing forward rather than downward mean that the cable will always be bent and stressed at the plug, unless angular plugs are used.
If you don't like purple, you could always send it down to some girl in Poland-not-Portland :)

Interesting probe stand - and a well made one too! All metal just like I like them, none of that icky plasticky rubbish.

19:37 ghost spotted - call the Ghostbusters!
That Cisco / Linksys switch may be manageable through serial only, but it'd be a nice repair or teardown project. I'd love to see you troubleshoot it.

[stevenbliss]

The probe is a great, BUT, it needs to have a soft part at the screw end (if you love your probes!)!

[kevincozens]

What I saw of the manual for that Bluetooth serial device you would type a command followed by ? to get the help information for the command.