Repurposing Old Electronics

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by Toker, Jul 4, 2023.

  1. Toker

    Toker Lifetime Supporter

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    I try to keep using my old electronic devices, by repurposing them.

    For instance, I have an old 8 inch HiSense tablet that's probably 9 years old. The tablet and battery still work, but it has very limited ram and storage. So I use it hooked up to a speaker as a dedicated sound machine, with a sleep app running.

    I have a pair of wired apple earphones from a iphone 5. They work great, but the phone is useless to me, so the earphones are dedicated to a music keyboard so I can practice quietly.

    Fortunately, neither item had to be customized or hacked to repurpose.

    How have you repurposed electronics?
     
    Toker, Jul 4, 2023
    #1
  3. M_Ranko

    M_Ranko Straight edge xXx

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    Most every Intel-based computer in my fleet has had its service life extended by way of a small Linux distro called Puppy. This is a low resource Linux version that, among other things, enabled me to use a Windows Millenium Edition desktop from 2001 well into 2012, until the old rig's 256 Mb of RAM just wasn't enough even for Internet anymore. One should note that Windows ME lost all software support roughly around 2009, so Puppy Linux gave this machine 3 additional years of use. 3 years that saved me more money. I'm currently typing this message with a Thinkpad T510 laptop from 2010 that has also been given the Puppy treatment. Turns out 4 Gb of RAM is still plenty for a good number of things.

    I still use old Nokia phones for phone calls and SMS. Aside from the form factor, which is usually always more pocket friendly compared to these current brick-sized smart phones, the old Symbian OS is also invulnerable to Android exploits, an added benefit.

    I put my old Playstation 3 games console to custom firmware, and am now using it as a media player with Movian.
     
    M_Ranko, Jul 4, 2023
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    Toker and ~Zen~ like this.
  5. ~Zen~

    ~Zen~ California Tripper Administrator

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    Wonderful solutions! Thanks for sharing these tips :)

    I remember Windows ME, short lived, but did the job for awhile. I am still using Windows 10, and plan to do so for as long as possible. The 11 version focuses too much on social media and syncing with too many other devices, something that does bother me.
     
    ~Zen~, Jul 4, 2023
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  7. ~Zen~

    ~Zen~ California Tripper Administrator

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    I have an ancient Android cell phone (perhaps 8 to 10 years old) that no longer has a cellular chip in it, I use it exclusively as a sound machine for sleeping at night. It has an actual earphone plug, so I run a stereo cable from it to a nice old clock radio with an MP3 input jack. Using 'Atmospheres' app on the old android platform is about all I can expect from it, but it does the job beautifully, and sounds great.

    I have heard that many are using these old cellphones as single board computers to do many things such running a surveillance camera.

    Anyone else doing this?
     
    ~Zen~, Jul 4, 2023
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  9. Bilby

    Bilby Lifetime Supporter and Freerangertarian Super Moderator

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    1.The electric motor in a bench grinder that had belt sander attachment died. The other end I fitted a pulley driven by a V- belt driven by another pulley fitted to a motor from a tumble drier.

    2. I put together an electric stove from one that was going to the tip and two from the tip.

    3. I made several external FM radio antennas from a discarded VHF TV antenna. I got paid for a magazine article I wrote on the subject.
     
    Bilby, Jul 4, 2023
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  11. ~Zen~

    ~Zen~ California Tripper Administrator

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    Now there is ingenuity!
     
    ~Zen~, Jul 5, 2023
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  13. Twogigahz

    Twogigahz Senior Member

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    Shame I have to send a next to new looking refrigerator to the scrap yard. Conveniently just off of warranty and cost far too much to repair their shitty design of a compressor. I guess the days of Grandma's 50 year old fridge still going strong are long long gone....ooooo, look, we saved four watts.
     
    Twogigahz, Jul 7, 2023
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