New Black Marketplace Lights Up!

[GOAT]

If you buy cheap CFLs you will get an ugly bluish colour and Gannon's vision "vibrations". Buy "daylight" or "soft" CFL's and they are exactly like the bulbs of old.

[NickCharles]

Color temperature is but one measure of the properties of artificial light.

The continuity of the spectrum, the width of the spectrum, and the relative levels or intensity of the three primary visible colors also matter...also the flicker rate over time.

If I had a photospecroradiometer handy, I could blow up this discussion.

I'd measure the Sun, a candle, and the various bulbs...all reflecting off a standard white and gray photographic test card to prove my assertions that not all is well in bulbtown.

No cheers about this...

Well, hell.
Despite having conducted a feverish search of my garage, basement, and Felix the Cat's Bag of Tricks, it seems that I, as well, do not have a photospec[[t)roradiometer, so I'm going to have to either take your word for all of this stuff, and buy candles by the gross, or just buy whatever bulbs are conveniently available and not wring my hands over this mostly non-essential issue.

[Jimaz]

Unfortunately not...it is much more likely to be the flyback transformer...or something else in the high-voltage circuitry being driven beyond its comfortable limits. With all fresh parts, they usually only scream loudly when overdriven...which was usually always the case before calibration, since the manufacturers have been on the quest to be the "brightest on the wall" ever since Sony developed their Trinitron tube....

In your case, Jimaz...it is best to turn that contrast down until the screaming abates...then adjust the brightness until shadows are not too dense or too grey...just like Goldilocks, it's gotta be 'just right'. You'll know when that is the case.

If the set is about to break...the above adjustments may never make that annoying squealing sound stop. If you've over fifteen to twenty years watching it a few hours per day or more...that might be the case. Sorry.

Some technology sucks really, really badly.

We had to get a new "Comcast Digital Transport Adapter Universal Remote" for a different TV and I noticed it's identical to the remote I use for that old squealer TV.

The new remote came with instructions and after reading them I discovered that the squealer's remote had never been fully programmed. It had been useable but could be improved if I "taught" it the make & model of the TV with which it was to be used.

As Murphy would have it, the easy instructions didn't work so I had to "search" for the TV's code. This involves putting the remote into search mode and then repeatedly pressing CH+ until the TV turns off then saving that 5-digit code. They say "You may need to press CH+ numerous times" but they never warn about how many times might be necessary.

I've had experience writing software for infrared remote controllers so I know how convoluted that train wreck of a codespace has become. There are 100,000 unique 5-digit codes.

I lost count at 70 presses but would estimate that it took about 300 CH+ presses before the TV turned off! I had to switch fingers during the hunt just from fatigue.

It reminded me of the episode of The Jetsons where Jane developed a disease called "Pushbuttonitus."

Aye, the future has arrived!

[Gannon]

Some technology sucks really, really badly.

We had to get a new "Comcast Digital Transport Adapter Universal Remote" for a different TV and I noticed it's identical to the remote I use for that old squealer TV.

The new remote came with instructions and after reading them I discovered that the squealer's remote had never been fully programmed. It had been useable but could be improved if I "taught" it the make & model of the TV with which it was to be used.

As Murphy would have it, the easy instructions didn't work so I had to "search" for the TV's code. This involves putting the remote into search mode and then repeatedly pressing CH+ until the TV turns off then saving that 5-digit code. They say "You may need to press CH+ numerous times" but they never warn about how many times might be necessary.

I've had experience writing software for infrared remote controllers so I know how convoluted that train wreck of a codespace has become. There are 100,000 unique 5-digit codes.

I lost count at 70 presses but would estimate that it took about 300 CH+ presses before the TV turned off! I had to switch fingers during the hunt just from fatigue.

It reminded me of the episode of The Jetsons where Jane developed a disease called "Pushbuttonitus."

Aye, the future has arrived!

I apologize for my entire industry of lunkheaded egotists. They were pitched on a common control set, with universal IR codes that would work with anything, but Sony wanted everyone to buy all Sony...and B&O wanted to beat everyone with less-aiming remotes [[at a different frequency altogether)...and so on. They created the mess we all live with today.

Somehow, I used to try to automate it all, with Universal Remote Control [[URC), Niles Audio, Philips/Marantz, and Logitech 'learning' remotes. People wonder why I took a six year sabbatical.

Although it took the idiocy of the HDCP-protected HDMI connector to finally send me to the edge. Three-f'in'-D put me over it.


I was going to add one thing to this lighting issue. These new bulbs age radically within a VERY short time, too. My prime example is at One Woodward Avenue. They renovated the floors 3-5 and 7-9 first...with those tacky cacophonous street-grid fixtures...then six after Gilbert chased out a longtime tenant in June. Look at how floor 6 is brighter white than the other floors, and those lights haven't even been installed for 7 months yet!

They claim long life...I claim bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.

Gotta get to bed, I'm cranky tonight.

[EastsideAl]

who in their right mind still uses incandescent bulbs? I haven't changed more than two bulbs in the last 5 years

I do!! Like Gannon, my eyes are quite light sensitive. So, overly bright lights and even bright sunshine actually hurt. I have pretty much all of the lights in my place on dimmers, so that I can adjust them as I need and I don't have to be sitting in harshly bright lights at all time.

I'm all for energy-saving and environmentalism as a concept, but forcing us all to bear with the slatey-grey, overly harsh, inconsistent, and undimmable light received from those poisonous tubes [[to say nothing of that infernal sound!) just seems like a step waaay too far. The stupid tubes hurt my eyes and give me a headache, and even the so-called "good" ones age into casting an unbearable light within a few months. I refuse to use them!

With all of the other environmental horrors that are allowed to continue unabated, I do have to wonder why this this issue caught so much attention and occasioned such a draconian response enforced on every store and household in the country.

Why not at least wait until the damned fluorescent things can be made to work a little better [[or the LED technology catches up)? Since they are undeniably more durable, if they worked better then more people would buy them anyway, no matter the regulation. Like so many others, I have been made to wonder just who pushed so hard for this bizarre change and who stands to make the big bucks off of it.

I stocked up on dozens of the old bulbs many months ago, when you could still find them on sale. Hopefully, they will last me until the products that replaced them improve to the point of realistic usability.

[NickCharles]

I apologize for my entire industry of lunkheaded egotists. They were pitched on a common control set, with universal IR codes that would work with anything, but Sony wanted everyone to buy all Sony...and B&O wanted to beat everyone with less-aiming remotes [[at a different frequency altogether)...and so on. They created the mess we all live with today.

Somehow, I used to try to automate it all, with Universal Remote Control [[URC), Niles Audio, Philips/Marantz, and Logitech 'learning' remotes. People wonder why I took a six year sabbatical.

Although it took the idiocy of the HDCP-protected HDMI connector to finally send me to the edge. Three-f'in'-D put me over it.


I was going to add one thing to this lighting issue. These new bulbs age radically within a VERY short time, too. My prime example is at One Woodward Avenue. They renovated the floors 3-5 and 7-9 first...with those tacky cacophonous street-grid fixtures...then six after Gilbert chased out a longtime tenant in June. Look at how floor 6 is brighter white than the other floors, and those lights haven't even been installed for 7 months yet!

They claim long life...I claim bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.

Gotta get to bed, I'm cranky tonight.

Great Caesar's Ghost!!

If this is what happens to a thread about lightbulbs, I'm going to need to be careful about which threads I do, or do not, open up.

[Gannon]

Great Caesar's Ghost!!

If this is what happens to a thread about lightbulbs, I'm going to need to be careful about which threads I do, or do not, open up.

If you are going to provide commentary over my verbosity, I request that you find at least three more exclamations. This one is already quite tired.

You always have ample opportunity to ignore my posts, you would be in great company.

Cheers!

[EastsideAl]

If you buy cheap CFLs you will get an ugly bluish colour and Gannon's vision "vibrations". Buy "daylight" or "soft" CFL's and they are exactly like the bulbs of old.

I guess some other people have eyes that are very different from mine. Because to me this is not even close to true. The difference is just a matter of degree. The more expensive ones seem made to mimic the color of incandescent light. But it still is far from the same thing, and they all, at whatever price, actually give off the same awful-looking eye-hurting harsh flat light. Particularly so after they've been installed for a few months.

[NickCharles]

If you are going to provide commentary over my verbosity, I request that you find at least three more exclamations. This one is already quite tired.

You always have ample opportunity to ignore my posts, you would be in great company.

Cheers!

That's true.
My effort to avoid offensive language has caused me to over-use a Perry Whitism; sorry.

[Jimaz]

I apologize for my entire industry of lunkheaded egotists. They were pitched on a common control set, with universal IR codes....

Well, the good news is that the TV for which we bought that remote didn't require any reprogramming at all. The remote worked right out of the box.

The even better news is that I was able to use the enclosed instructions to easily fix a remote for yet another TV that is shared by a certain group of impaired people. These people don't need or deserve any more difficulties in their life. So in the end the whole experience was a net positive.

Note to self: Instructions are your friend. Yea!

[Gannon]

That's true.
My effort to avoid offensive language has caused me to over-use a Perry Whitism; sorry.

No apologies necessary, especially if I've driven you towards offensive language.

Geez, you youngsters have tiny attention spans. Curious why you felt compelled to copy the entire wall-o'-text again, if it was such trouble for you to peruse the first time?!

If so, you only doubled the pain for others.

Cheers!

[Gannon]

Note to self: Instructions are your friend. Yea!

It used to be one of our continual jokes with the magazine, if we had to resort to the owner's manual during setup, they lost points.

Then again, I can set most stove, microwave, and VCR clocks without looking at instructions...

[NickCharles]

No apologies necessary, especially if I've driven you towards offensive language.

Geez, you youngsters have tiny attention spans. Curious why you felt compelled to copy the entire wall-o'-text again, if it was such trouble for you to peruse the first time?!

If so, you only doubled the pain for others.

Cheers!

I copied it to clarify to which post I was reacting.
As for your other remarks... you infer, and presume, much, but I shall withdraw.

[Gannon]

I copied it to clarify to which post I was reacting.
As for your other remarks... you infer, and presume, much, but I shall withdraw.

Let me introduce you to the ellipsis.

You are right, with your excessive commas and confrontational attitude of superiority, you sound much older than you appear.

Welcome back!

Cheers!

[NickCharles]

Let me introduce you to the ellipsis.

You are right, with your excessive commas and confrontational attitude of superiority, you sound much older than you appear.

Welcome back!

Cheers!

Now you have completely confused me. Maybe my teasing triggered an Ebenezer Scrooge moment, or something.

[Gannon]

Now you have completely confused me. Maybe my teasing triggered an Ebenezer Scrooge moment, or something.

Glad to be of service!

I'm really not into ghosts, but your language style does remind of a relatively active poster from a while ago.

You seemed to take umbrage with my calling you a young'un, which was more a description of your post frequency, but that seems to be something you're working to catch up on.

Either way, glad to confound ya.

Cheers!

[NickCharles]

Oh, don't do me any favors.
But I'm the one with the "confrontational attitude of superiority?" After the pompous explorations-- of your own obvious sense of self-importance-- that you posted?

[Gannon]

Oh, don't do me any favors.
But I'm the one with the "confrontational attitude of superiority?" After the pompous explorations-- of your own obvious sense of self-importance-- that you posted?

Heh, you DO sound just like the Old Ditch...

[NickCharles]

Heh, you DO sound just like the Old Ditch...

K.........

[Gannon]

Here come the unintended consequences...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...hope-1.2492890

[Jimaz]

Here come the unintended consequences...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...hope-1.2492890

I heard Hasbro had to redesign their iconic Easy-Bake Oven to circumvent the incandescent ban. The horrors! LOL!

[rb336]

Here come the unintended consequences...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...hope-1.2492890

there are things called terrarium or reptile heaters that are more efficient, easier to control and longer lasting than incandescent bulbs. there are even some that screw in to light bulb sockets

[Gannon]

there are things called terrarium or reptile heaters that are more efficient, easier to control and longer lasting than incandescent bulbs. there are even some that screw in to light bulb sockets

Great! I wonder how much those'll alter the baking times?!


heh


JimAz, brought up the EasyBake to my gal this morning after posting this story...took her a moment, but she couldn't stop laughing. I love starting her day with a smile...

[Jimaz]

... JimAz, brought up the EasyBake to my gal this morning after posting this story...took her a moment, but she couldn't stop laughing. I love starting her day with a smile...

Great! The funniest thing about it is that it's true!

I wonder how many engineers it took to change that light bulb?

[noise]

Has the revolution started yet? I've heard about it my entire life from the Gannons and other conspiracy theorist types of the world, but I haven't seen anything yet.