A Geek Goes Flying

Back in January I sent off a Schiit Hel 2E to be repaired. It had just stopped supplying a signal to the headphones (was still being recognized by the computer when connected via USB). In February, I got it back, with a swapped board and a new serial number sticker - it’s now a Hel+ . According to the support person I swapped emails with, all their repairs have a one (1) year warranty – good thing, since it just started doing exactly the same thing as before . I can hear the relay inside clicking, so it’s getting power. I can see it on the computer when USB connected. But no audio. Meh. Just sent it back today, this time to Corpus Christi, Texas. I guess the move is complete, or nearly so. (They used to be just over the hill from me, in Valencia, California.) Sigh. So now I’m limping along with my Fulla E, which has never given me any issues (but is very lightly used; after I got the Hel for the office I moved the Fulla E to my “kitchen table workstation,” which has since been disman...

For some reason the VIA app and https://usevia.app don’t work to remap the keys on a Keychron Q60 Max (usevia.app sees the keyboard but never moves past the Authorize device screen, even after a firmware update). usevia.app sees the board but is stuck However, Keychron’s own web software does:  https://launcher.keychron.com/#/keymap  Unfortunately, though there appears to be some JSON support buried in Settings, it doesn’t appear you can export or import a configuration. Here’s my refined-over-time mapping of Layers 0 and 2 (Layer 1 is the “Win” layer on this board, which has a Win/Mac hardware switch on the back). I remapped this board back in June but there were a few keys I hadn’t tweaked; I’ve fixed that and am posting this for my own recollection if nothing else: Layer 0 keymap Layer 2 keymap Also, the keyboard seems somewhat finicky as to the USB-C cable that will work with it. A 10' (whoops?) Anker cable that works fine to power the laptop didn’t register the keyboa...

Today was too hot to sit inside, and I was too fried to bike to the office, so I setup on the balcony. Balcony workstation: MacBook Pro, MOFT Z stand, Q60 keyboard, etc. The setup: MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro resting atop a MOFT Z Invisible Thin Sit-Stand Desk to bring it up to eye level. Keychron Q60 Max keyboard (the only wireless HHKB layout board I have); Gateron Jupiter Banana switches ( 59±10 gf tactile switches with 2.0±0.6 mm pretravel, 3.4 mm max total travel, with a “crisp bump, tactile bump at top” feel; they’re not my endgame switch, but I quite like them, especially in this keyboard). Logitech M585 Wireless Mouse, Graphite . Desk pad . Sukadar Portable Clip on Fan, 10000mAh Rechargeable Battery Operated (really like this fan!). Zendure SuperTank Pro (which appears to be discontinued; not a fan of how Zendure handled a warranty claim , so, whatever...) Sport-Brella Versa-Brella SPF 50+ Adjustable Umbrella with Universal Clamp . The combination makes for a very cozy, co...