Webcam, microphone and lighting combined for video chat all-in-one

Video chats have become an essential substitute for in-person visits during the current pandemic, but you might find that you need more than webcam hardware to make the most of the experience. Once you add a quality microphone and adequate lighting to … Continue reading Webcam, microphone and lighting combined for video chat all-in-one

Nite Ize brightens camp and van life with colorful fiber optic strand

Thanks to options like Mpowerd Luci solar strings and BioLite NanoGrid hanging lanterns, string lighting has started to creep in on the old, reliable lantern as the campsite ambient lighting source of choice. Such hanging lights create as much atmosphe… Continue reading Nite Ize brightens camp and van life with colorful fiber optic strand

“Artificial Sun” Lighting Via Old Satellite Dishes

Real sunlight is a beautiful thing, but due to the vagaries of Earth’s orbit and local weather systems, it’s not available all the time. [Matt] decided this wasn’t good enough, and set about building a rig to replicate the sun’s rays as closely as possible.

The great distance between the …read more

Continue reading “Artificial Sun” Lighting Via Old Satellite Dishes

Oh, Holey Light

We consider ourselves well-versed when it comes to the technical literature plastered on hardware store parts. Acronyms don’t frighten us, and our Google-fu is strong enough to overcome most mysteries. One bit of dark magic we didn’t understand was the gobbledygook on LED lamps. Wattage is easy and color temperature …read more

Continue reading Oh, Holey Light

Reviving a DOA Smart Bulb With Custom Firmware for Its ESP8266

There are some incredibly cheap WiFi smart bulbs on the market these days, but as is often the case, you tend to get what you pay for. When [Viktor] took delivery of his latest bargain basement bulb, the thing didn’t even work. So much for Quality Assurance. On the plus …read more

Continue reading Reviving a DOA Smart Bulb With Custom Firmware for Its ESP8266

NowLight illuminates off-grid darkness with handmade power

Off-grid lighting innovator Deciwatt is back with a new manually powered light to illuminate unwired spaces, ranging from remote villages, to campsites, to backyards. The NowLight drops the weight of Deciwatt’s previous gravity-based design, leaving a … Continue reading NowLight illuminates off-grid darkness with handmade power

It’s An LED Cube, But Maybe Not Quite What You Were Expecting

LED cubes are a pleasing ornament and still something of a talking point, but now they have reached the point of being available as inexpensive kits from China. The simpler ones don’t have quite the cachet they used to. It’s still a project that can deliver a few surprises though, …read more

Continue reading It’s An LED Cube, But Maybe Not Quite What You Were Expecting