How bad could dollar store tech be?

[GabenJr]

The dollar store has a lot more tech than you might think, but how much of it is actually worth buying there, and how much is just cheap trash?

 

 

Buy Cable Zip Ties: https://geni.us/PziG

Buy Duracell Alkaline Batteries: https://geni.us/fOP9zJ

Buy Clear Organizer Boxes: https://geni.us/bX8X

[FakeKGB]

3 minutes ago, GabenJr said:

how much is just cheap trash?

Yes.

[Needfuldoer]

You guys are going to need a brown sofa if you're going to review dollar store tat!

 

That precision screwdriver kit looks an awful lot like one Radio Shack sold back in the day. 

 

Even 15+ years ago, the electronics at the dollar store were less than amazing. I remember they had tons of cheap auto-scan FM radios, single LED flashlights that somehow got 5 minutes out of a CR2032, awful plastic earbuds, and night lights of every description. (And oh so many cheaply made CDs and DVDs of public domain media and independent productions from the 70s nobody's ever heard of...)

 

Can't say I didn't have fun tinkering with that stuff for parts, even if I didn't know what I was doing! Even now, those cheapo little speakers are good if you need a simple little amplifier board for something. Kids, if you want cheap junk to play with, go to your local thrift store. You might have to pay a few extra bucks, but you'll find a wider variety of nicer things, for pennies on the dollar from when it was new.

[HenrySalayne]

@GabenJr

Free (audio) tech tip: If your using listening examples, always make sure to normalize sample A and B to the same LUFS level. Humans tend to "value" differences in volume much more than sound differences. Out of two equal samples people will always choose the louder one to be "better sounding":

It sounded to me like the "dollar store" audio examples were 10 db to 20 dB below the "reference" Sony WH-1000XM4.

 

[HenrySalayne]

 

I'm no expert on NA standards for electronics, but from a European point of view this power strip looks like something to avoid:

- no strain relief

- no extra slack on the PE lead (so it will be probably the first to snap)

- questionable attachment of the leads to the contact bars

Maybe @BrianTheElectrician has some additional insights.

[Jtalk4456]

Anyone buying earbuds for a dollar must not be respecting themselves XD I knew before Anthony said a word that all audio gear there would be garbage. 

[Pencat]

I remember my friend used to have that hardware storage case organiser for Nintendo 3ds games.

[adarw]

2 hours ago, Jtalk4456 said:

Anyone buying earbuds for a dollar must not be respecting themselves XD I knew before Anthony said a word that all audio gear there would be garbage. 

-_- 

 

your right tho, i dont respect myself...

[plurus]

If you want low-cost wired earbuds, you can't really go wrong with $10 Panasonic earbuds...at least until you end up with devices without the 3.5mm port. \

 

Also, sometimes, its just more convenient to use a flashlight than a phone's flash. 

[Bitter]

@GabenJr

Anthony, bringing the practicality! Nice video, solid presentation, no crazy over the top drama. Just straight up no BS information with smooth, even, well focused, and easy to follow presentation.

We need a new video series called APT=Anthony's Practical Tech, where we get more useful common sense content like this. What's junk, what's not junk. How to upgrade a prebuilt system and the pitfalls with whitelisted hardware. What to do when your PC won't boot, a solid diagnosis methodology to get you through the 'pulling hair out' stage and toward a repair. So on and so on. I really appreciate your presentation style, Linus is 'fun' but you're useful and easier to follow because you're not bouncing all over in volume, tone, and cadence. Linus kind of speaks in threes, this this that this this that when he's going off a script. Do you have any prior teaching or lecturing experience?

[Naveen Prashanth]

19 hours ago, GabenJr said:

The dollar store has a lot more tech than you might think, but how much of it is actually worth buying there, and how much is just cheap trash?

 

 

Buy Cable Zip Ties: https://geni.us/PziG

Buy Duracell Alkaline Batteries: https://geni.us/fOP9zJ

Buy Clear Organizer Boxes: https://geni.us/bX8X

How about mouse and keyboard, power bank, 4 in 1 USB hubs, etc techy gadgets?

[whm1974]

On 2/15/2022 at 1:02 PM, HenrySalayne said:

 

I'm no expert on NA standards for electronics, but from a European point of view this power strip looks like something to avoid:

- no strain relief

- no extra slack on the PE lead (so it will be probably the first to snap)

- questionable attachment of the leads to the contact bars

Maybe @BrianTheElectrician has some additional insights.

Is that a Power Strip or a cheap Surge Protector? For some Stupid Reason even Long Term User get confused about them.

[BrianTheElectrician]

On 2/15/2022 at 11:02 AM, HenrySalayne said:

 

I'm no expert on NA standards for electronics, but from a European point of view this power strip looks like something to avoid:

- no strain relief

- no extra slack on the PE lead (so it will be probably the first to snap)

- questionable attachment of the leads to the contact bars

Maybe @BrianTheElectrician has some additional insights.

Well it definitely is just a power strip, I don't see anything that would do any surge suppression. My biggest issue is the lack of strain relief, and I'm not a fan of the terminations either. Nothing wrong with soldering to do joints (I actually prefer soldering) but these are poorly done. If you look at the hot (black), there are loose strands. I mean I guess that is somewhat expected coming from a dollar store but goodness at least have a strain relief.

 

I should note though, as I can't see the bottom half of the case it is possible that with how they join it may clamp on the cord where it exits the case and act as a strain relief.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, BrianTheElectrician said:

Well it definitely is just a power strip, I don't see anything that would do any surge suppression. My biggest issue is the lack of strain relief, and I'm not a fan of the terminations either. Nothing wrong with soldering to do joints (I actually prefer soldering) but these are poorly done. If you look at the hot (black), there are loose strands. I mean I guess that is somewhat expected coming from a dollar store but goodness at least have a strain relief.

 

I should note though, as I can't see the bottom half of the case it is possible that with how they join it may clamp on the cord where it exits the case and act as a strain relief.

Anything is a surge protector if you put enough amps through it fast enough.

[whm1974]

2 hours ago, Bitter said:

Anything is a surge protector if you put enough amps through it fast enough.

I call Bullshite... A Surge Protector prevents Surges coming from the Mains damaging any Devices Plugged in. Granted a UPS will work better and will also filter dirty power coming from the power line itself.

[Beerzerker]

Dollar store says all I need to know about it.

[whm1974]

On 2/15/2022 at 1:02 PM, HenrySalayne said:

 

I'm no expert on NA standards for electronics, but from a European point of view this power strip looks like something to avoid:

- no strain relief

- no extra slack on the PE lead (so it will be probably the first to snap)

- questionable attachment of the leads to the contact bars

Maybe @BrianTheElectrician has some additional insights.

Power Strips are a fire hazzard. Which is why one should always get a Surge Protector instead.

[GeorgeMKane]

The only "tech" I bought at a dollar store was a set of earphones back like 10 or 11 years ago. They lasted maybe two weeks before I went to Best Buy, and bought myself something much better.

[Bitter]

5 hours ago, whm1974 said:

I call Bullshite... A Surge Protector prevents Surges coming from the Mains damaging any Devices Plugged in. Granted a UPS will work better and will also filter dirty power coming from the power line itself.

Please see this article that says I'm right and you're wrong.

[whm1974]

27 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Please see this article that says I'm right and you're wrong.

And does a random Poster tell if it is humor or if you are being serious?

[Needfuldoer]

The version I’ve heard is “anything can be a fuse if you put enough power through it”.

 

See also: “every machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.”

[TimeTrx]

I think the only thing I chronically buy from the dollar store is super glue.

 

The results in the video don't surprise me except for the batteries.... I wonder if they are more likely to corrode than the name brand ones?

[steelo]

No worse than the electronic crap you find at five below. tbh, I wouldn't buy anything that plugs into a wall outlet from either store.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, whm1974 said:

And does a random Poster tell if it is humor or if you are being serious?

Yes

 

 

Yep, I asked them and they're laughing.

[whm1974]

15 hours ago, TimeTrx said:

I think the only thing I chronically buy from the dollar store is super glue.

 

The results in the video don't surprise me except for the batteries.... I wonder if they are more likely to corrode than the name brand ones?

Speaking of Batteries, I rather buy cheap batteries from a Hardware Store then from some random Dollar store... Cheap Screwdrivers I can see for working on PCs when you have to.