BigCatStuff (u/BigCatStuff)

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: How do I learn practical electronic repair? · Posted by u/juanse

ryandrake · 3 months ago

YouTube videos are great -if- the problem you're having is exactly the same as the problem the YouTuber is solving. For example, I was able to replace the HDMI capacitors on my A/V receiver because I lucked upon a YT video where the problem I was having was identical to the problem the YouTuber was solving. So it was basically, buy these capacitors, replace them, and off you go. Repair usually just requires basic soldering skills and the ability to put things back together you took apart.

When the problem is not exactly the same, I'm just lost. There is not a lot of diagnosis videos on YouTube. All the videos are: "1. I observed this problem. 2. [???] 3. I'll walk you through soldering on the new components." skipping the most important step 2.

Same for car repair videos: "I see Problem X happening. Problem X usually means component Y has failed. Here's how to replace component Y. The end." If that doesn't work, you wasted money on the part and your time ripping apart your car and putting it back together.

BigCatStuff · 3 months ago

I agree that the diagnosis and visual inspection is the most important skill in fixing random items.

In the channels that I suggested, all of them go into the repair not knowing what the fault actually is. They take the viewer through the whole diagnosis, and they (with the exception of Electronics Repair School) are not electronics technicians.

Once a person has seen enough different ways of diagnosing items (by watching videos or hands on trying), then faults in other items become easier to find.

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: How do I learn practical electronic repair? · Posted by u/juanse

BigCatStuff · 3 months ago

I believe Youtube videos are a great resource for learning this! I picked up electronics and computer/gpu repair as a hobby over the pandemic lockdowns.

A cheap multimeter and a cheap soldering iron/hot air station combo will get you very far in the hobby. I enjoy these channels:

MyMateVince (a guy who fixes many useful household items): https://www.youtube.com/user/mymatevince

StezStixFix: https://www.youtube.com/@StezStixFix

Electronics Repair School (more advanced, he fixes laptops, tvs, and sometimes gpus): https://www.youtube.com/@electronicsrepairschool

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: Has your view of Silicon Valley changed in the last 72 hours? · Posted by u/koolko

gkoberger · 2 years ago

Most other banks didn't see the incredible growth SVB did, either.

BigCatStuff · 2 years ago

I understand that they needed to put the money to work somewhere, but they really chose a bad way to do it. Hence the 'poorly controlled risk' that I mentioned.

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: Has your view of Silicon Valley changed in the last 72 hours? · Posted by u/koolko

tsunamifury · 2 years ago

Go back to 2021 before rates go up and tell me what you’d do. Kinda damned either way. The bank had to make profit to survive btw. They dont pay for their services on good will.

BigCatStuff · 2 years ago

Most other banks found ways to survive the environment in 2021. So clearly there are ways to do it without locking money up for 10 years in MBS.

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: Has your view of Silicon Valley changed in the last 72 hours? · Posted by u/koolko

gkoberger · 2 years ago

We're talking about a 40 year old bank that bankrupted itself with a 1.5% 10-year mortgage backed security. I don't think "moving fast and breaking stuff" is what got us here.

BigCatStuff · 2 years ago

I feel like the 10 year MBS investment might actually have been a case of excess risk. In a world of zero interest rates (which I presume is when they invested in the MBS), 1.5%-2% yield makes SVB quite a bit of extra profit.

Their investment may have been a case of greed and poorly controlled risk.

BigCatStuff commented on Joint statement by the Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve, and FDIC home.treasury.gov/news/pr... · Posted by u/FormerBandmate

Aperocky · 2 years ago

The banks are still gone though, once they get taken over, their equity zeroes out.

All owners of the bank will end up with nothing, I think that's a good enough deterrence against bad things.

BigCatStuff · 2 years ago

Do you really think the owners and senior management of SVB ended up with nothing? What about the stock sales they made right before the FDIC took over, or the bonuses given out, or even their compensation during the years in which this high-risk interest rate scheme was going on?

They have orders of magnitude more money than most people, and will get away with no liability.

BigCatStuff commented on Ask HN: What game do you wish existed? · Posted by u/jharohit

BigCatStuff · 3 years ago

I would love some kind of game where spoilers on the internet don't affect the feeling of discovery within the game. It seems too easy to just look up game secrets on the internet now, and it's almost necessary to do so in order to 'keep up' with other players (mainly in an MMO type game). I don't know if something like this exists now, or how it might be done.

One idea I've been kicking around is to have some sort of disincentive to posting in-game discoveries online. For example, the usefulness or power of an item is inversely proportional to how many instances of the item have been found. Not sure if this is really feasible in practice though.

BigCatStuff commented on The Mayron Cole Piano Method is now free freepianomethod.com/... · Posted by u/jacquesm

gjulianm · 5 years ago

Out of curiosity, how does the app make you enjoy the process? I took a quick look and it seems to have the same basic progression that most classes have, I assume the paid courses are different and better but I can't see them.

BigCatStuff · 5 years ago

My 6 year old son played with SimplyPiano for several months this year, and I tried it out a bit as well. For me, SimplyPiano brings the excitement of being able to play popular music that you recognize and enjoy in a matter of weeks. The app has easy arrangements of everything from Adele to Beethoven that it takes you through as it 'teaches' you. There is also a gamification aspect that gives you more stars for hitting the right notes at the right time.

When I had piano lessons as a child, playing classical music for years became boring and uninteresting to me. I believe apps with a wide range of music help keep interest levels up. The app seems like a great way to dip your toes into playing piano without committing to finding a teacher.