When we originally started on this arcade road trip I had an idea in my head if what makes the perfect arcade near me. But I have to admit, after the road trip was over I had to change some of my pre-conceived notions. I learned that my tastes and what I found fun were not 100% aligned with my notions! That’s not to say that I had a radical conversion or anything like changing religions. It’s just that I slightly re-aligned my arcade-o-meter!

Planning our Arcade Road Trip to Find the Best Arcades

In order to find the best arcades in Dallas/Fort Worth we first had to make sure we used our time wisely. This of course meant making sure that we didn’t tread over our own footsteps wasting time in the car driving. So we laid out a path that would take us to as many arcades as possible, with as little drive time as possible.

We also wanted to visit the best variety of arcades. The best arcades in DFW near me are all different, each with its own flair and style. These styles are not good or bad, just different! So you have to find what best suites your style and taste in a local arcade.

The Time Rift Arcade – Bedford, TX

Since writing the first iteration of this article way back in 2021 a lot has changed! We already had a thriving business selling arcade parts and plans. After touring all of these amazing arcades, we couldn’t help but go on a journey to start our own! After planning and collecting arcades for almost two years, we opened the Time Rift Arcade in Bedford, TX in October of 2023.

We’ve been asked many times in the comments why it’s missing from our list (most people don’t know we have ownership in it). We don’t think it’s right to rank our own arcade, so we’re leaving it off the list, but we wanted you to know why.

List of the Best Arcades in Dallas/Forth Worth, TX

So without further ado, here’s my definitive list of the best arcades in DFW.

The Electric Starship Arcade – Haltom City TX

The Electric Starship Arcade in Haltom City is my favorite arcade in all of DFW. Hands down. The owner and staff are over the top friendly and helpful. They go out of their way to make sure you’re a happy customer. The attention to detail in the arcade is amazing.

This cool arcade is themed towards the retro genre. With a ton of amazing retro games. They’ve got all of your classics. They also have some more modern games too though, such as Dance Dance. You’ll find Pac-Man, and few rows away you’ll find a Star Wars Battlepod. In addition they have some kick-ass pinball games such as Pulp Fiction, Stranger Things, and Jaws!

You’ll find their adult beverage selection to be quite good, with a nice lineup of beers, ciders, and seltzers. One of my favorite beers Dallas Blonde was on tap!

The Electric Starship Arcade is located just north of 820, on highway 377.

Things we LOVED: The atmosphere and staff were over the top. The owner has definitely spent a lot of time getting the vibe just right. Lots and lots of cool artwork, filled with retro themes. The food and drink items are priced incredibly low for such a venue, and they don’t make that up on the entry fee. The fee is just $10 to get in the door, and you still get low priced food and beer.

We absolutely loved their dedication to making their machines awesome. All of the games have been restored, look amazing, and worked flawlessly. And Mike the owner, even goes out of his way to make sure each arcade is running genuine hardware and if they came with a CRT, they still have one where so many arcades today have switched to emulation and replaced the CRTs with flat panel LCDs.

Things we think could be better: Honestly, not much. Maybe a bigger selection of food would be about it.

If you’re looking for the best arcades near me, this is the one to check out. Hands down.

Cidercade – Fort Worth, TX

Our next favorite arcade in DFW is Cidercade Fort Worth.

Bishop Cider Co. has been making cider for many years. They eventually expanded their bar area to include arcades and the concept took off.

Today’s Cidercade is a mix of retro, modern, ski-ball, pinball, and cider! And speaking of cider, I tried the Lemon Meringue Pie and it was simply to die for. If we weren’t driving all over the metroplex I definitely would have had a second!

Cidercade has a large section of pinball. Many more that we excepted to find, though we noticed they were mostly unplayed, rather the large format car games like Cruise’n Blast seemed to be the big hits.

If you love cider and you love arcade games, this is definitely the place for you!

Things we LOVED: We loved the selection of cider. Delicious! We loved the big mix of retro and modern games, along with some ski-ball and other cool large games. We loved that they had four of the big racing games all networked together for some awesome team fun.

Things we think could be better: The parking. They need a lot more parking.

Round One – Arlington, TX

Next up on our list of the best arcades near me is Round One. And it is is just ridiculous. Seriously. It’s just plain ridiculous. The place is so big it is a maze. They have so much room it’s almost like they just started making things up to do with the space!

Round One is your typical modern scene arcade, and if you like that style of arcade it is definitely one of the best arcades in Dallas/Fort Worth. Round one has almost no retro-games though. So if you’re looking for Pac-Man you’re only going to find the modern re-makes on big flat panel screens. But hey those games are ridiculously fun too, just different.

Round One also has a huge (and I do mean huge) selection of crane and prize machines. Of course, these all work on the ticket redemption model. You have to buy credits at a kiosk and then swipe each game to play. Definitely not my preferred arcade style, but we had to put Round One at 3rd on this list just due to its shear volume of games, massive footprint, etc. Kids will love this place.

Things we LOVED: The size. Holy smokes its so big (queue Michael Scott jokes)! They have numerous party rooms, several Karaoke rooms, a Japanese game sections, crane sections, coin pushers, and more. There’s something for almost everyone at this place. I don’t think you could an arcade road trip without visiting this place!

Things we think could be better: Let’s be honest, their pricing model is designed to stick a vacuum in your wallet and empty it clean. If you go here, you best take out a loan or line of credit. There are no free play options available here. We also hope they’ll add some more retro games to their lineup.

Free Play – Richardson/Arlington/Fort Worth, TX

Next up our arcade road trip took us to Free Play. There is so much to love (and hate) about Free Play! Free Play’s name sums up the concept. You pay $12 to get in and you can play every game in the house “for free” after that. Wouldn’t the more correct name for the place be “Fee Play”? Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself! All in jest!

Free Play to us felt like a bar. A bar that happens to have video games. But a bar first and foremost. We visited both the Fort Worth and the Arlington locations (though we’ve been to Richardson in the past). You enter the venue into the bar area, and then you sort of make your way over to the arcade. I don’t like that disconnected feeling. And the arcade area of Fort Worth just feels like a dungeon. It’s just a big dark box with rows of arcades with a floor so out of level that you feel like you might fall just walking around in there. The feel of the Arlington location is much better. In fact, Arlington is almost too bright and airy for an arcade.

The Fort Worth location almost makes up for the arcade section with a bad ass roof top and tiki hut. You can go up top and see for miles while drinking your favorite cocktail. But again, its just a bar up there. There’s no arcade games on the roof, and not really any arcade décor either.

Free Play has a great selection of arcades and games. All mostly retro-style.

Things we LOVED: The “Free Play” concept of all games being free after the entry fee. Good selection of food and drinks.

Things we think could be better: We with they didn’t break up the bar and arcade area and rather had seating mixed in with the arcade games.

The Best Arcades in Dallas/Fort Worth – Honorable Mentions

On our quest to visit all of the best arcades in DFW, our arcade road trip took us to a few that just don’t make our list but we wanted to share them with you anyway. Just some quick blurbs to tell you what it’s like.,

Main Event

This place bills itself as the being in the best DFW arcades and has basically tried to be the Six Flags of arcade machines. Every game in this place is so big I image it being shipped in on a train and assemble by a team of rocket engineers. And the sad part is, they games aren’t even that fun! The prices are ridiculously expensive, and everything is designed as a “ticket munching” redemption model. So many better options!

Tornado Terry’s – Keller, TX

Tornado Terry’s is different. It’s in an old metal building in the north part of Keller. They have a small selection on their menu that only includes snacks (think bagged chips and candy bars), a canned sodas. They don’t serve any real food, and no bar of any kind. They found a model that worked for them and don’t seem to have changed it much.

They are the most expensive arcade on our list of “free play” style arcades, charging $15 for free play, however, about 1/3rd of their games (such as pinball) require additional payment. It’s not a bad place overall. Just need to keep the cost difference in mind!

What do you think is the Best DFW Arcade?

We’d love to hear what your pics are for the best arcades in Dallas/Forth! Leave us a comment below!

We plan to keep updating this list. If you have an arcade you’d like us to visit let us know! Note: We only rank arcades we’ve actually been to. So we won’t add it until we’ve been there. We’ll visit it on our next arcade road trip!

The post The Best Arcades in (DFW) Dallas/Fort Worth 2025 appeared first on The Geek Pub.

Arcade Stool Basics

A good arcade stool should have several features and you shouldn’t’ buy one without first understanding these features, and then making sure you know what you’re getting when you buy!

If you go on to Amazon, Wal-Mart, or some of the other marketplaces and search for arcade stools, you’ll be shown a ton of stools. Most of them having nothing to do with arcades or gaming in general. Simply some product manager added the tag arcade to the keywords of the listing. Look at the top three results on Wal-Mart. Shame on them!

Arcade Stools Should be Arcade Themed

First things first. An arcade stool isn’t an arcade stool if it doesn’t have some graphics or general arcade theming to it! It should look the part! This means being decorated with gaming logos, arcade game characters, or other graphics to make it look the part. It shouldn’t look like it goes in grandpa’s woodshed!

We prefer artwork that uses logos and characters and bring you back to the nostalgic era of classic retro arcade games! But if you’re not into that, you should still look to get a stool that has “the look”.

“The Look”

Arcade stools should have the look of a classic arcade. This means a nice round padded top. It should have the classic chrome legs and chrome foot rest that remind you of the era that arcade games came to us from. It shouldn’t have the look that it goes in your doctor’s office or local IT department’s repair depot!

Creature Comforts

The next thing to look for in your ultimate arcade stool: creature comforts! That’s right! You’re going to be sitting on this thing for hours on end playing your awesome retro games! You don’t want to have to stop playing after just 10 minutes because your rump is tired do you?

We recommend you look for a stool padded with memory foam, or some other high quality padding. Something that will last for a long time and return to form after continuous use.

Although not purely necessary, if you are very short or big and tall, you may want to look for a stool that has a screw top so that you can raise or lower it.

The Best Arcade Stools Ranked

Let’s rank our top arcade stools!

#1 – The Arcade1Up Stools

Arcade 1Up makes some decent products for the arcade gaming enthusiasts and they make a fantastic arcade stool!

• Arcade 1Up claims these are the perfect compliment to your game cabinet, this officially licensed arcade stool comes with title, logo and artwork from the original game!
• Adjustable sturdy chrome legs for 2 different heights:21.5″, or 29.5″
• Thick comfortable foam padding for those long gaming sessions!

These meet all of our top qualifications! They’ve got the graphics and logos! They have “the look” of a retro arcade. They have the thick foam padding that’s comfortable and long lasting. And as a bonus they are height adjustable for the shorter or taller gamers who need it! Get them on Amazon here!

#2 – The Game Room Guys Stool

The Game Room Guys make a good stool if you’d like to spend a little less money. It meets some of our qualifications, but drops the price point considerably for those looking to save some cash on your arcade stool.

• It’s sturdy. It even comes with an extra ring towards the top of the stool that really stiffens things up. You’ll never have to worry about this one being wobbly. They nailed this!
• The padding isn’t quite as good as our #1 choice. You can definitely feel the difference. But it’s still far and above some of the other junk you’ll see sellers offering.
• Unfortunately it’s not height adjustable. These are permanently 29.5″ tall.

The Game Room Guys sell this stool in several variations with different graphics and logos. You can check them out here.

We’d love to hear your comments below on which arcade stool you chose and why! We try to reply to every comment and it helps us improve our recommendations!

The post The Best Arcade Stool appeared first on The Geek Pub.

WHAT ARE THE BEST SOLDERING STATIONS?

If you want to skip all the rest and just get right to it? Our pick of the best soldering stations for most home hobbyists is the Weller WE1010NA. It hits the sweet spot of price and performance for most users.

Let’s take just a second to review why a soldering station is an important tool for your workshop and why selecting a quality one will make your projects easier and more reliable.

A standard soldering iron is generally powered by 120V to 220V AC mains power. The iron has a set temperature range that it holds within and has basically no other features. Depending on the quality of the iron, that temperature range can vary significantly. Some super cheap soldering irons do not even offer replaceable tips!  When tip fails you have to toss the whole iron.

A soldering station should have several features to make your solder joints more reliable and the process of soldering smoother.

They should offer at least the following features:

VARIABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROLS

The best soldering stations will have a very accurate temperature control for adjusting the tip’s temperature. It should also have a temperature stability rating of ±4⁰f  (±2⁰c), if not better. While a typical stand-alone soldering iron might take three to five minutes to come up to temperature, a quality soldering station should come up to temperature in just about 30 seconds.

REPLACEABLE IRONS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE TIPS

If you’re going spend your hard earned money on a soldering station, make sure it has replaceable irons and interchangeable soldering tips. Things fail, mistakes happen. If you accidentally burn the cord on your iron (or it gets chewed up by your pet!), you’ll want to be able to replace it without buying the main body of the station all over again.

A big plus is if the heating element of the station can be replace independently of the iron.

You’ll also want interchangeable tips on your iron. Different sizes and shapes of tips can really speed up certain types of soldering joints and connections. Being able to size the tip up or down for the size of the soldering pads on your circuit board is also a huge advantage! 

A CRADLE FOR THE HOT IRON WITH A CLEANING SPONGE

The last thing you’ll want from the best soldering stations is a good cradle to hold your hot iron.  Irons get hot. Really hot. It needs a safe place to rest when you are between soldering operations. A good cradle will also include a spot to keep a sponge. This sponge is for cleaning excess solder from your iron from time to time. You’ll want to make sure its heavy enough to stay stable and not tip over. 

THE BEST SOLDERING STATIONS

Now let’s list off our top three soldering stations.  After the reading our list, you can read on below where we will step through what is important when buying a soldering station and why we made the choices we did!

#1 – WELLER WE1010NA SOLDERING STATION

Our first choice for the best soldering station in 2022 is still the Weller WE1010NA. It’s still not perfect, but it fits that price performance range we look for our #1 spot. Perfect costs significantly more! It’s got all the right features and specifications and won’t break the bank.

The Weller WE1010NA is a fantastic soldering station. I’ve been using the previous generation of this station for going on three years and it’s served me very well.  This new version has some pretty serious upgrades. It’s got a much larger backlit LCD screen, and the overall form factor of the case has been significantly reduced in size.

The station has a powerful 70 watt specification to make keeping up with heat demand more than acceptable.  It has an intelligent stand-by mode to save you some electricity when your solder joints take a little longer than you’d want but not long enough to turn the iron off. The iron is affordable, well built and highly reliable.

In fact there’s only one thing we don’t like about this soldering station. It doesn’t have a replaceable fuse, or a fuse at all as far as we can tell.  So if any shorts or power spikes come along, there is nothing to protect the boards from damage.

#2 – X-TRONIX 5040-XR3 Soldering System

Our second choice for the best soldering station is the X-Tronic 5040-XR3! Let’s be clear. If you’re just looking for good, reliable, featured soldering station, go back to our #1 choice. The 5040-XR-3 is a beast of a station that offers some amazing features, but it might also break your bank account tipping in at just under $250.

The 5040-XR3 is just a standard soldering station, but also an all-in-one hot air rework station for working with SMD (surface mount) components:

• 70W Soldering Iron
• 500W Hot Air Gun
• 700W Preheating Station

If you’re looking for the station that can do it all, this is the one!

#3 – HAKKO FX888D Soldering Station

We really like the Hakko FX888D. It’s a super solid soldering station, even if it looks like it belongs on the Fisher Price section of your local big box store. Looks aside, it has all of the great features you’d want in a soldering station at an affordable price.

Unlike the Weller, this unit does have a fuse. However, unlike the Weller, it has a clunky system for setting the temperature. We much preferred the temperature knob. Thankfully, they included 5 presets to make it simper when switching between common soldering temperatures.

We did very much appreciate the inclusion of a separate wire sponge in addition to the foam sponge on the iron holder.

#4 – WELLER WLC100 Soldering Station

Our 4th and final choice as usual is the budget choice. If you just need a solid soldering station to get you buy and you need to save some cash, this is the unit.  It’s not packed with features, but it does the job. It’s the Weller WLC100.

This Weller WLC100 is a no frills soldering station, but the price is right at the sub $30 mark! While the iron doesn’t have a temperature display or even any sort of feedback, it does have a variable temperature know that moves the iron between its lowest setting of 5 watts to its high setting at 40 watts. 

Unlike most irons in the price range, there are a few things to love. One of them is that the heating element is interchangeable, meaning you can replace it without replacing the entire iron in a failure. That’s solid.  The iron is also compatible with ST style tips, a plus on its own.

THE GEEK PUB SOLDERING STATION FAQ

Let’s quickly cover some of the most common questions about soldering stations:

Q: Are the irons interchangeable between stations?
A: No. Irons have different specifications, connectors, and wattage. You can only use the iron designed for your station.

Q: Is it really necessary to have a temperature read out?
A: Necessary? No. Desirable. Absolutely. If you need to set your iron to specific temperature for an operation without a feedback display you’ll mostly be guessing.  Too cold and you might get a bad joint. Too hot and you might melt a nearby component or plastics.

Q: I head the Weller WE1010NA’s lack of fuse makes it a fire hazard.
A: We agree that the lack of user replaceable fuses on the Weller 1010NA is a big miss. In fact, it almost lost them the top slot on our list. However, it is important to note that all three major international testing agencies approved this unit without a fuse. It has passed the test of UL, CE, and VDE approvals. The main issue here is that if the iron is plugged into a 220v outlet it could catch fire. This is only a real problem if you move from the US to another country and forget to use a step down transformer. I suspect the testing agencies and Weller expect that to be an incredibly tiny chance and unnecessary cost. That said, if we were Weller, we’d have put in a 10 cent fuse.

Q: Do any of these stations offer de-soldering?
A: No, if you’re looking for a de-soldering iron we absolutely recommend the Hakko de-soldering gun. We use it every day and you can’t go wrong.

The post The Best Soldering Stations (Updated for 2022) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

Updated: We update this article quarterly to make sure the latest and greatest hardware is reflected!

What is the Best pfSense Box?

We’re going to assume for the purposes of this article that we’re talking about home networking. If you’re interested in a business pfSense box check out our article on enterprise pfSense boxes.

NOTE: We actually use these boxes in our home, our families’ homes, and production small business environments. We have detailed hands on experience with them.

Mike Murray – Founder, The Geek Pub

Understanding AES-NI

A quick technical detail we need to cover.  There are a lot of boxes out there that claim to be pfSense compatible (and they technically are). Any x86 device or PC is generally compatible with the pfSense firewall software.  And though they are compatible, they may not be the best pfSense box if they lack support for AES-NI.  Simply put AES-NI is encryption service that are included in the die of most new processors.  This functionality drastically speeds up cryptography processes for SSL and VPN services. 

Indeed, pfSense has considered at least once requiring AES-NI for pfSense compatibility, and then reversed course at the last minute. If future proofing your box is important, this is another reason to look for boxes that have AES-NI support.

In this rundown we will only included boxes that support AES-NI.

THE BEST PFSENSE BOX WITHOUT AES-NI SUPPORT

So… you don’t care.  You just want a box without AES-NI support?  Then we’d definitely recommend the Protectli.   It’s not going to run lots of VPNs or do SSL decryption/encryption for squid proxy or anything else.  But if you just want a solid little firewall to protect your family this one should check most people’s boxes… minus AES-NI.

This box does have some nice features even without AES-NI! First, it is super affordable at less than $200. Second it packs a dual-core Celeron J1800 running at 2.4Ghz. Plenty of horsepower for fiber connections such as ATT Fiber or Verizon FiOS.

OK. Now let’s move on to our recommendations for the best pfSense Box that does support AES-NI.

Additional Import Features to Consider

In addition to our notes above, there are some other features you should consider when selecting the best pfSense box for your home.

VIDEO OUTPUT
This is a feature that is often overlooked. Many pfSense boxes don’t even have a video output, instead coming with only a serial port. This can be very frustrating when installing and troubleshooting the box! Some boxes included VGA, HDMI, or both. We highly recommend that you get a pfSense box that has a video output, and HDMI if possible as many modern monitors are no longer shipping with VGA ports. You can disconnect the monitor for normal use.

NUMBER NETWORK PORTS
You can get pfSense appliances with just two ports, or as many as 10 or 12. Most people will only ever need two ports. A WAN port and a LAN port. The WAN port connects to your ISP’s MODEM (or ethernet handoff from the fiber gateway). The LAN port connects to a switch in your home that all of your devices connect to.

More experienced users may want additional ports to support a DMZ for a server, or for VLANs to support guest networks or other private networks.

COOLING AND POWER SUPPLY
Cooling may not sound all that important, but if your firewall is in your bedroom or where you watch your favorite movies, a fanless appliance could be a must. All of our recommendations for the best pfSense box are fanless.

Additionally, some units have internal power supplies, while others have a external power bricks. This could be important depending on how you plan to mount the box or otherwise store it while in use.

HARD DISK TYPE AND CAPACITY
For most people the hard disk type and capacity are going to be somewhat irrelevant. However, if you prefer a silent box and one that is less likely to fail, the solid state is the way to go.

For size, unless you plan to use your pfSense box for caching or serving data then the smallest size mSATA drive should be plenty. Generally the smallest capacity is 32GB. However, some boxes still ship with 16GB. Either (or more) should work fine.

pfSense Minimum Requirements

Of course, if you’re on the lookout for the best pfSense box, it is also important to understand the minimum requirements for running pfSense in the first place. If you don’t meet those it is likely pfSense will still run, but it will be very slow and likely unstable. The following reflect the pfSense developer’s minimum requirements:

• A CPU speed of at least 600 MHz
• Memory capacity of at lease 512 MB
• Minimum of 4GB hard drive
• A network card with two ports, or two separate network cards.
• A USB port that supports booting from the BIOS/EFI or a CD/DVD ROM drive.

You’ll want to keep in mind that these are the minimum requirements and will not perform well. For example, the minimum requirements only support a 100Mb connection. If you want to support higher bandwidth such as fiber connections the minimum won’t work.

#1 – The Protectli Vault FW4B Firewall Appliance

We’ve deployed many of these little boxes for friends and family and they work excellent. It’s got all the specs where it counts. It is ideal for Gigabit and Fiber ISPs because it packs the horsepower to route and filter on the fastest networks, along with full support for AES-NI. Something every pfSense box should have.

For 2022 we feel this is the best little pfSense box you can get for the money. Hands down. These boxes work great. They are highly reliable, and they are silent.  We’ve deployed at least 30 of these over the last two years and they have worked flawlessly.  And the Amazon reviews show the same, over 90% positive feedback.  You can’t go wrong with this box.

They include the following specifications:

• Intel Quad Core Celeron Celeron J3160, 64 bit, 2.2GHz, 2MB L2 Cache
• Full AES-NI hardware support
• 4x Intel Gigabit Ethernet NIC ports
• 4GB DDR3L RAM
• 32GB mSATA SSD
• 1x USB 2.0
• 1x USB 3.0
• 1x RJ-45 COM (serial)
• 1x HDMI

Our favorite thing about this little box is that it is 100% solid state… No fans!!! It doesn’t make even a tiniest noise during operations.  It’s perfect for home use and very affordable.

#2 – The Qotom ITX Appliance

The Qotom ITX appliance is slightly larger than some of our other pics. But that’s because it’s based on an actual ITX board. This is the box Mike recently chose for an AirBNB and supplies gigabit internet for guests of the property It’s connected to a Ubiquity NanoBeam for getting WiFi down to the boat dock. In addition a managed VPN between this property and his commercial building for managing the home remotely. This box is snappy, quiet (fanless), and has all the futures most people will need.

• Intel Core I3-4005U @ 1.7GHz
• 8GB of RAM
• 16GB SSD
• AES-NI support
• 4 Gigabit ports (1x WAN, 3x LAN)
• 2x USB 2.0 ports
• 2x USB 3.0 ports
• 1x HDMI

#3 – The Zotac ZBOX (Mini-PC w/dual Ethernet)

This box is an outlier for a best pfSense box rundown. However, it’s really fantastic! Rather than being a network appliance, the Zotac ZBOX actually just a mini-PC built for running Windows or Linux in a tiny form factor. However, the fact that it has dual Ethernet ports makes it a perfect small pfSense firewall appliance too!

In addition to being super small, it has the ability to mount to any VESA mount. This means it can be mounted virtually anywhere. And of course, it is fanless and silent!

• Quad-core Intel N4100 Processor @ 1.1GHz (up to 2.4GHz turbo)
• VGA, HDMI, and Display Port video
• 4 x USB 3.0 (1 x Type-C)
• 1 x USB 2.0

#4 – The Firewall Appliance

Next on our picks for the best pfSense box is the Firewall Appliance is a beast of a little firewall for home users. Its a little more expensive than our first choice, but it comes with a quad-core Celeron processor. Additionally it drops the VGA port in favor of two HDMI ports.  Additionally, it has a barrel lock connector to keep unauthorized access out of the box, protecting the hard drive from access. Here’s the spec rundown for this little guy:

• Intel Quad Core Celeron J3160, 64 bit, up to 2.2GHz
• Full support for AES-NI
• 8GB DDR3L RAM
• 128GB mSATA SSD
• 4x Intel i210 Gigabit Ethernet ports
• 2x USB 3.0
• 1x RJ-45 COM
• 2x HDMI
• Solid State, Fanless Silent Operation

This device combines the power of pfSense in a small fully consumer friendly device.  It will also route and filter at close to Gigabit speeds for even the fastest ISPs.

Runner Up – The Netgate SG-3100

Some of you are going to want to stick to Netgate products since we know they will most likely remain 100% compatible through their usable life. There are examples of course where manufacturers dropped support for their own products before they were truly end-of-life (we are looking at you Apple!), the chances are pretty low.  The Netgate box while overpriced and under spec’ed is a solid box that should perform reliably enough.  It’s specs include:

• ARM v7 Cortex-A9 @ 1.6 GHz Dual Core
• 2X 1GB LAN/WAN ports
• 4X 1GB Switched only ports
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB Storage
• 1X USB

So that wraps up my pics for the best pfSense box for ordinary home users!  Happy pfSensing!

The post The Best pfSense Box (Updated for 2022) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

Understanding GPU Mining Power Supply Needs

It’s very common to think that a GPU miner needs massive amounts of electricity to operate. And it is true that it needs a lot. It’s also true that there is more than meets the eye when thinking about power supply wattage numbers. Indeed the power supply might be one of the most critical components for a mining machine, right next to the GPU itself. Here’s the good news: This is mostly a simple math equation that anyone can do.

Mining Power Supplies and Total Wattage

The first thing you need to do is understand the total wattage that your mining computer will draw. Add up the wattage of all of the components in your rig and see where that final number lands.  The main concerns will be your processor, motherboard, and GPU cards. This however is where things can get really confusing. The wattage number on your processor is likely to read something as high has 95 watts, while the number on a card such as the NVIDIA GTX 1060 is likely to read as high as 200 watts when looking at the manufacturer specifications.  With six GPUs you’re looking at 1295 watts!

Here’s where much of the confusion comes in. These are the maximum theoretical wattage numbers, under a perfect condition and full load. In your mining operation there is almost zero chance you will ever hit those numbers.  As shown in the tour of my mining PC build, I run six GTX 1060 cards, each pulling about 95 watts at maximum load.

Let’s understand those two main factors:

Mining doesn’t use the Full Capacity of the GPU

Mining doesn’t use the full capacity of the card or even many of its components. Think about it. There are many components on the GPU designed to deliver video to a monitor. None of these components are even connected in mining operations. Much of the data bus of the card is idle most of the time. It’s the CUDA cores that are busy calculating hashes for the coin you are mining.

Over and Under-clocking Plays a Bigger Role than Many Think

While we overclock the memory core of the GPU, we under-clock just about every other component on the card. The core GPU clock can be under-clocked as much as -200 Mhz depending on the card. The power levels can be set as low as -65% on some cards. Other cards can be under-volted with literally no impact on performance.

These factors result in a GPU rated at consuming 200 watts at maximum theoretical load actually consuming only 95 watts during a mining operation! This is great news because your six GPU mining rig that calculated at 1295 watts, in actuality is only pulling about 520 watts in a mining operation.  This same thing applies to almost every component on the board. That 95 watt CPU is likely only consuming 15 to 20 watts at idle (or mostly idle).

Understanding Over-Subscription

The world is over-subscribed. This is something many people miss completely and one of the reasons there is so much bad advice going around on the internet. It makes it really hard for the uneducated newbie to pick the best power supply for mining cryptocurrency. You will literally see people in the forums say “But your mining rig ‘might’ surge and you’ll burn out your power supply.” This is utter hogwash.

Walk out to your garage or go in your basement and look at your breaker panel. It probably says something on it like “200 amp panel”. A 200 amp is the most common panel installed in residential homes. The main breaker at the top of the panel will be a 200 amp breaker. This feeds the entire panel. Now take just a minute to add up all of the breakers in the panel. What?  They add up to more than 200 amps don’t they?  That’s nuts!  Actually its called over-subscription.  Your power company does this. Your Internet company does this too. I can assure you AT&T doesn’t have a terabit uplink to cover the 1000 gigibit connected homes in a a Gigapower neighborhood.

That’s because they know the odds of everyone doing something at once is infinitesimally small. The same thing is happening inside your mining rig! One card may surge for a second, the CPU may surge for a second, etc. But not all at once.

Over-sizing your Power Supply for Efficiency

There is a good reason to over-size your mining power supply though! And that comes in the terms of efficiency. A power supply performs most efficiently when running at about 80% load.  This allows the fans to spin down, and the the power supply will generate less overall waste heat.  Slightly over-sizing your mining power supply can save you some cash on your electric bill resulting in a more profitable miner, assuming you don’t spend so much on the supply as to eat those savings. If your rig tops out at 520 watts, spring for 850 watt supply to keep things efficient and give some wiggle room.

A Smart Power Supply is Great for Mining

Another thing to consider is getting a smart power supply.  This is two fold.  Mining rigs usually operate unattended without a keyboard, mouse, or monitor attached.  Being able to remotely monitor the power supply wattage and temperature levels is a great feature to have.  Additionally, as you add components to the rig over time or upgrade older components you can make sure you are still within the limits of your supply.  Some manufacturers report this data through a protocol called LINK. Smart power supplies will add a little cost your ROI equation, but in my opinion not enough to outweigh the benefits.

Modular Mining Power Supplies Rule

Another great feature to look for in a power supply is modularity. A fully modular power supply means that the cables are not permanently attached to the power supply. This allows you to use different cables for different components. If you don’t have a certain component on your rig there is no cable hanging loose and unused that needs to be dealt with. Simply leave that cable in the box for future use.

Modular power supplies generally come with multiple cables for different types of devices. This means you can select exactly the modular cable (and number of cables) you need to build out your rig.  I always recommend a modular power supply when you can afford one.

Best Power Supply for Mining Cryptocurrency

So let’s list my top 4 picks for the best power supplies for mining! These power supplies should work in 99% of mining rigs being built today. If you are planning to use a super power hungry card like a Titan V, then more planning is likely required.  Check out my article on selecting the right mining GPU for help.  Also, understand you have the option of using two smaller power supplies in a dual power supply mining rig.

#1 – The Corsair RM1000x

The Corsair RM1000x is a 1000 watt power supply that’s incredibly quiet, super efficient, and has plenty of modular ports for running PCIe risers, GPUs, and just about anything else you need it to.

This is the power supply chosen for the The Geek Pub Ethereum mining rig.

• 80 Plus Gold certified for lower power consumption, less noise and cooler temperatures
• Zero RPM fan mode for near silent operation at low to medium loads
• Continuous output rated temperature: 50°C
• 100 percent industrial grade, 105°C rated Japanese capacitors ensure unwavering power and reliability
• Fully modular cables, so you only connect the cables your system needs
• Fan size-5.3 inches.

#2 – EVGA Supernova 1000 GT

Rocking in at number two on our list of the best power supplies for mining is the EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 GT. This power supply is fully modular, gold certified, and comes in at 1000 watts. What brings it to number two on our list is that it costs slightly more than the RM1000x.

• 80 PLUS Gold certified, with 90% (115VAC) / 92% (220VAC~240VAC) efficiency or higher under typical loads
• Fully Modular
• 100% Japanese Capacitors + OVP, UVP, OCP, OPP, SCP, and Dual OTP Protections
• Fluid Dynamic Bearing Fan and EVGA ECO Mode for ultra-quiet operation and increased lifespan

#3 – The Cooler Master V850 (SFX)

The Cooler Master V850 (SFX) comes in at number 3 on our list. It’s a great compromise between these other supplies. It’s fully modular, gold certified, and clocks in at great value price! Its only downside is that it is not a smart power supply and only 850 watts.

• SFX Form Factor: High-quality PSU that’s compatible with all SFX cases and suitable for mini-ITX system builds.
• SFX-to-ATX Bracket: With the included bracket, you can install the VSFX Gold securely to an ATX case.
• Full-Modular Cabling: Modular cables reduce clutter, increase airflow, and improve overall efficiency and thermal performance.

#4 – The Rosewill Gaming Power Supply

The Rosewill Gaming Power supply is a bronze certified power supply clocking in at the lowest price on the scale. It’s perfect for the budget conscious miner. It’s 850 watts and meets the requirements of most mining rigs. It however, isn’t fully modular.  You’ll have to deal with a giant octopus of cables hanging out the back. Additionally it is not a smart power supply.

However, if clean power and keeping a low budget are all you need, the Rosewill is the way to go.

The post Best Power Supply for Mining Cryptocurrency (updated for 2022) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

WHAT IS THE BEST BENCHTOP POWER SUPPLY?

Answering that question first takes some understanding of what benchtop power supplies are, why you might want one in the first place, and ultimate what purpose(s) you are planning to use it for!  If you want to skip right to point, our pick for the best benchtop power supply in 2022 is the KORAD KD3005D 30V 5A lab grade supply.

Benchtop power supplies are power supplies you can sit on your workbench and adjust its voltage and current capacity with dials and buttons on its control panel. This allows you to create a temporary power source that is customized to the project you are working on and lets you focus on the fundamentals of it immediately.

This is handy for numerous reasons:

1. You might find that your power requirements change during the build of your circuit or device. If you spec the power supply up front, you’ll likely need to change it later or limit the functionality of your project.
2. Sometimes you just need to get started on a prototype and the power source is just something that gets in your way. With a variable benchtop power supply you can start immediately.
3. You may have a project or electronic device that is failing to operate as expected. If you suspect it is a power supply issue you can quickly configure a benchtop power supply to replace and test it. Either proving or disproving a power source problem.

Benchtop power supplies are just like any other electronics testing tool. They come in a wide range of specifications, options, and features to suit many different budgets. You should take the time to think about what will suit your budget and needs.

THE BEST BENCHTOP POWER SUPPLIES FOR HOBBYISTS IN 2021

Let’s list off our top three benchtop power supplies.  After the reading our list, you can read on below where we will step through what is important when buying a benchtop power supply and why we made the choices we did!

#1 – KORAD KD3005D – ADJUSTABLE 30V, 5A LAB GRADE

Our first choice for the best benchtop power supply is the KORAD KD3005D 30V, 5A lab grade power supply. This supply hits what feel is the sweet spot for price and performance and can easily handle the demands of most home electronics enthusiasts. You can see this power supply in many of my videos.  I truly love it!

This power supply is robust, the specs are right for most everyone, and the price is almost perfect. It has the right mix of everything to land our #1 spot. The KORAD KD3005D is variable from 0 to 30V DC, and can support up to 5 amp loads!

This unit has built in overload protection for current, short circuit, and even temperature. These are handy protections to have in the prototyping environment where the unexpected happens!

It 4-digit LED display that is super easy to read, and displays the voltage and current values in real time. From our testing is is low ripple and noise, high reliability and high accuracy. Something just about anyone in our hobby will appreciate!  It also has a great 1 year warranty, as many low cost supplies are limited 90 days.

#2 – SIGLENT TECHNOLOGIES SPD3303X-E TRIPLE OUTPUT

Our second choice for the best benchtop power supply is the Siglent Technologies SPD3303X-E triple output! Let’s be clear: This supply is a lot more expensive than our first choice!  However, it is packed with features that you’ll love and includes triple outputs for hardcore hobbyists. If you’ve got the budget, this is most definitely the one to buy.

When searching for the best benchtop power supply, if you’re looking for the Rolls-Royce and you’ve got plenty of budget… look no further! The Siglent Technologies SPD3303X-E is a beast of a supply that will have you stopped in your tracks.  We would love to rank this benchtop as our #1, but we just couldn’t justify it at the price point of almost $400 USD.

However, this benchtop supply is an absolute dream to behold.  With a support of 32V @ 3.2, supporting simultaneous triple outputs, over current protection, and output isolation, this unit has all the right specs. Add on top of that a huge (and gorgeous) 4.3 LCD display, USB, and Ethernet… you’ve got a winning combination.  But Siglent also throws a 3 year warrant on their power supplies!

#3 – IPSXP KPS3005D

Our 3rd and final choice as usual is the budget choice: The IPSXP KP3005D. If you just need a solid power supply to get you buy and you need to save some cash, this is the unit.  It’s not packed with features, but it does the job.

This very unit will get the job done for most low budget hobbyists. It’s not glamorous like our #2 option and its half the price of our #1 option.

The IPSXP KPS3005D will get it done on a budget!  This benchtop supply supports 0-30V @ 10 amps.  That’s pretty capable for a unit in this price range.

THE GEEK PUB BENCHTOP POWER SUPPLY FAQ

We get asked a lot of questions about benchtop power supplies.  Let’s quickly cover some of the most common ones:

Q. Are cables interchangeable between supplies?
A. Most likely yes. But it really depends on the rating of your supply.  The best benchtop power supplies will come with cables rated at 10 amps.  However, some will only come with 5 amp cables.  You don’t want to be caught using underrated cables on your supply as you could quickly cause a fire or other damage.

Q. What does it mean to be a variable output?
A. This simply means you can adjust the output of the supply to any voltage (or current) rating you need by turning a knob. Think of it like the volume control on your radio.  You can adjust most benchtop supplies from 0 to 30 volts.  More expensive supplies can go even higher.

The post The Best Benchtop Power Supplies for Hobbyists (Updated for 2022) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

Deciding Which Multimeter to Buy?

In today’s marketplace, multimeters are literally everywhere. You can get even buy one at the Dollar Store! But as you might have guessed, it will be total junk with terrible specs. Even if you can’t afford to buy one of the best multimeters, you should be able to buy a good multimeter!

Features to Look for in Multimeters

When deciding which multimeter to buy, you’re going want at least these basic features in any multimeter you buy: Voltage, Resistance, Continuity.  We will discuss what each of those do later in the article. I’d personally recommend getting a meter that supports capacitance and temperatures if you can spend a couple of extra dollars. Those features come in pretty handy and the best multimeters will have those features.

Next up, take a look at the accuracy of the meter. Most meters are somewhere around +/- 2%.  I wouldn’t get anything less than that. Again, if you can afford a meter with better accuracy I would do so, but +/- 2% is going to be good enough for most things the home hobbyist will run into.

The next thing to look for is a good display. You’d be surprised how much difference a large, easy to read, high contrast display makes when working on electronics. Many times you’ll be looking at the screen out of the corner of your eye while working on small circuit boards and a small fuzzy screen is going to frustrate you to no end.  Don’t cheap out on the screen!

Lastly, look for automatic ranging. The last thing you want to do is mess around with having to set the range of your meter before every measurement. The good news, I haven’t seen a meter in a while that doesn’t have auto-ranging that fits our previous criteria and features.

The Best Multimeters to Buy for the General Hobbyist

To make things simple, we’ve picked a multimeter for you that meets all of our criteria and features. It’s cost effect and will service you well. Of course, cost effective is different for different people.  There are many multimeters available for $10, but they will have terrible accuracy, a fuzzy tiny screen (they are even digital at all), and will cause you all kinds of grief down the road.  To get a decent multimeter you’ll need to spend between $45-$65 dollars. Of course, there are multi-hundred dollar meters for those who have special needs.  Again, we’re looking fo the best multimeter for the hobbyist and average buyer.

Our choice is the Greenlee Autoranging DM-45. It meets all of our requirements at the lowest price of our three recommendations. It will likely last you a lifetime and keep up with anything you throw its way.

Other good choices include the Klein Tools MM600 Autoranging (another staff favorite, we own two), and the Triplett 9007-A Multimeter. They’re both solid meters and meet all of our requirements, albeit at a slightly higher cost point.

Now if you want our pick the for absolute best multimeters? It would be the Fluke 117 True RMS Multimeter. This is our go to multimeter for every project we do at The Geek Pub!

Let’s break down our picks for the best multimeters! Remember, these picks are best for the normal consumer. There are of course multimeters into thousands of dollars that are beyond the scope of this article.

#1 – Greenlee Autoranging DM-45 (Best Price/Performance Ratio)

As we mentioned earlier, we feel like the Greenlee DM-45 autoranging multimeter is the best bang for the buck. It’s price is right. Its specs are right. In addition to all of those great things, Greenlee is an American company, with American factories and workforce if that matters to you.

#2 – Fluke 117 (Best Specifications)

As we mentioned earlier, we use the Fluke 117 in almost every electronics project we do at The Geek Pub. It’s True RMS multimeter and the specifications are very tight. This is one of the most accurate meters you can get your hands on without going crazy expensive. Though at around the $200 mark, the Flue 117 is definitely an expensive meter!

#3 – Klein Tools MM600 (Good Price/Performance)

Most of The Geek Pub staff has an Klein Tools MM600 multimeter somewhere in their electronics tools arsenal. Some keep one in their vehicle for on the road needs (or vehicle breakdowns), while others use it as their primary multimeter. It’s a really good second option to the Greenlee DM-45 and its available at all of the big box stores if you need a multimeter on short notice. It sits at a decent price point and still has a really good set of specifications.

#4 – Triplett 9007-A (Best Price)

Last on our list of the best multimeters is the Triplett 9007-A digital multimeter. This is the price winner. If your budget is tight and you still need to buy a multimeter that is not going to let you down, then this is the meter for you. It’s not going to win any spec awards, but none of the specs are terrible. It will however win you over with its price tag! It’s the least expensive meter on our list and we’ve seen it on sale as low as $55 around the holidays!

The Basics of Using a Multimeter

So before we go to much further into deciding which multimeter to buy, let’s start our exploration of multimeter basics with measuring voltages.  Next to checking continuity, measuring voltage will be the most common task you do with your multimeter.

Measuring DC Voltage

Before you can measure voltage, you need to make sure your meter is configured properly. Starting with the cables, make sure the black lead is in the jack labeled COM or COMMON.  Next, place the red probe in the jack labeled voltage.  Make certain it is not in the plug labeled AMPS or AMPERES. You run the high risk of damaging your meter, or at the least blowing a fuse in your meter if you use the wrong jack..

Next, set the dial to measure DC voltage. The DC voltage icon is usually a V, followed by a solid line over a dashed line.

To get a voltage reading, set touch the black probe to the GND (or -) terminal of a battery. Touch the red probe to the positive (or +) terminal the same battery. You should get a voltage reading of the battery.  If its a 9V battery and fully charged you’ll see approximately 9 volts on the display.

Now, reverse the wires.  Instead touch the black probe against positive terminal and the red probe against the negative terminal.  You should get a negative reading on your multimeter! Reversing the meter probes is safe to do and will never cause damage to your meter or the device you’re checking. In fact, its great way to figure out polarity when you the terminals are not marked on a board!

Measuring AC Voltage

Set the dial to the AC voltage setting. The AC voltage icon on a multimeter is usually represented by a V~.  Just like in measuring DC voltage, connect the red lead to the jack labeled Voltage. Touch the probes to the AC voltage source that you want to measure. You can insert the leads into a common AC all socket in your home. As long as you don’t touch metal parts of the probe or short them out this is perfectly safe to do. In North America you should get a reading of approximately 120 volts.

Measuring Resistance

Most multimeters share the same jack for voltage and resistance. Make sure the red lead in the jack labeled ohms for resistance if your meter has a separate jack, and then set the dial to the resistance setting. The resistance setting will look the like Ohm symbol.

There is no polarity involved in resistance so you can touch either lead to either end of the circuit, component, or resistor you want to measure. The resistance value in ohms will be shown on the screen.

Checking Continuity

Continuity means that there is a good connection between any two points in the circuit. As with voltage and resistance above, most meters use the same voltage/resistance jack for continuity. Place the red lead in the jack for continuity and then select the continuity setting on your multimeter. The continuity symbol will look like a diode symbol.

The best way to test the continuity function is by touching the probes together. This will cause the multimeter to beep, indicating continuity is good. You can use the continuity function to check if for breaks in cables, or breaks in traces on circuit boards. This is a fantastic troubleshooting tool and is probably the most common use of the multimeter by most home hobbyist.

Measuring Current

Most multimeters are going to require you to move your red lead to the AMPS connection for measuring current.  Many multimeters have two. The first jack is for currents up to 10 amps and the second is for currents up to 400 milliamps. You’ll most likely start with 10 amps jack. If you find your measuring something below 400ma and need more accuracy, you can simply move the lead to the other jack.  Some meters also require you to move the setting dial to a mA setting.

Once you’ve set the dial to the amps or milliamps setting its time to measure current! Measuring current is a little trickier than the rest of things. I can’t just touch the probes to a terminal or component and get a reading. The multimeter bust be place in series in the circuit so that the circuit flows through the multimeter. This may mean cutting a wire and splicing the multimeter in-line.

Additional Thoughts on Buying your First Multimeter

So as you work through which multimeter to buy for your needs, I hope this gives you some insight and helps you make the right decision.  Just remember not to cheap out on this purchase.  A $10 meter will not serve you well and you’ll always regret it.  A good multimeter will be something that you’ll keep for a lifetime and I guarantee you’ll find many uses for, whether in your hobbyist projects, or in your day to day life as your fix things around your home or auto!

Be sure to leave a comment below with your tips on multimeters and your favorite meter!

The post The Best Multimeters (Updated for 2022) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

There are probably a few reasons you might be shopping for arcade controls.

• You want to build your own arcade.
• You have a kit arcade that either came with terrible controls or they just need to be replaced.
• You have an original arcade that are you are restoring.

The Different Types of Arcade Controls

Before we cover the best arcade joystick and buttons you can buy, we feel it is important for you to understand the different types of arcade controls on the market. They’re not all created equal. Understanding this will help you make a more informed decision.

Sanwa vs. Happ

There are two major manufacturers of arcade controls: Sanwa and Happ. Sanwa is a Japanese company, while Happ is an American company. In fact, this alone may make your decision. If you’re restoring an original arcade machine, then you’re going to want to use original parts. If you’re restoring a Pac-Man arcade, you’ll definitely want Sanwa (or at least Sanwa style) controls to go back into it.

But the differences don’t just top with the brand name! Indeed these brands design their arcade controls completely different.

While we much prefer the round ball of the Sanwa joysticks, many believe the bat style of the Happ makes for the best arcade joysticks and buttons! The Happ style sort of resembles and upside down bowling pin!

We prefer the Sanwa style round ball. You can firmly grip the joystick and it is none to easy to let go accidentally. With the Happ style controls it just feels less substantial.

That being said, this is mostly a pure preference thing and you should pick the one you prefer.

Some additional considerations for Sanwa vs Happ

On your quest for the best arcade controls you should also understand some additional things than separate these two brands (or styles when considering 3rd party remakes):

Sanwa controls generally have something called a restrictor gate on the bottom of the joystick. This gate makes finding the correct position of the joystick easier. It creates a pattern and and only allows the joystick to move in to certain positions. This generally makes the diagonal positions simpler to engage.

Restrictor gates can also change the game dynamics by only allowing the joystick to move into certain positions. Shown below are four of the most common types of Sanwa Restrictor Gates.

Types of Sanwa Restrictor Gates

While there are many types of Sanwa restrictor gates, these are the most common.

Round

Octagonal

Square

2-Way

Sanwa controls are considered to be “looser” than Happ controls. This is somewhat subjective as well, but this mostly comes down to the spring stiffness of the joystick. Something you can change or adjust with aftermarket springs.

Buttons Choices Can Be Important

When looking at these different arcade kits, another very import thing to understand is the differences in the buttons. The buttons are not the same between vendors and should be fully vetted.

The Best Arcade Joysticks and Buttons have LED Lighting!

This might surprise you , but not all buttons have LED lights embedded in them! In fact, this is true going back to even the original arcade machines. LED lit buttons took a while to catch on. If you are restoring an original arcade machine you’ll have to decide if you want to use lit buttons. Especially if the original machine did not have lit buttons!

If you chose to go with LED lit buttons, you’ll of course need to power them. If its a retrofit to an original arcade, this will likely mean adding or finding an existing 5V power source inside the arcade. For a custom built arcade, most controller kits come with a USB controller board that will offer a couple of 5V pins for powering your LEDs!

Button Cap Shape

Another thing to consider between different kits is the button’s cap shape. Sanwa tends to be rounded over, while the Happ tends to be sunken in. This difference in shape can really bug some people from a tactile and sense perspective. However, at the end of the day this is just a personal preference as either button will perform equally regardless of cap shape.

Removable Button Caps

Another key feature in these buttons is the ability to remove the button caps. This may not sound like a big deal, but it really is. Unless your arcade control panel has the button labels silkscreened on it, you’ll want to be able to remove the button caps so that you can place labels or artwork inside them. This is especially beneficial for LED backlit buttons.

With removable button caps you can add all kinds of information, such as Player 1/2 select, coin, and fire!

So now that you know what to look for, let’s break down our picks for the best arcade joystick and buttons!

Pick #1: Geek Pub Arcade Controller Kits

Of course, we believe the best pick for arcade controls are our own kits. We wouldn’t sell them if we didn’t believe in them. We’re not some invisible foreign seller on Amazon! When combined with our awesome arcade plans, you’ve got an end to end solution for building your new arcade.

• High quality components and craftsmanship
• Removable button caps w/LED backlighting
• Geek Pub Zero-Delay USB encoder boards with dual 5V LED connections
• Geek Pub PRO STIX arcade joysticks

You won’t find a higher quality set. We promise you that.

LINK: The Geek Pub Arcade Joysticks and Buttons

Pick #2: EasyGet Arcade Kits from Amy Happy Mall

We understand that sometimes money can be a deciding factor in purchasing something. If you’re looking for decent quality from “brown box” seller, we’ve bought several of these over the years and they seem to be good quality.

LINK: Amy Kits on Amazon

Pick #4: Happ-like Kit from EG Starts

If you’re looking for a Happ style kit, they’re a little more difficult to find. Fortunately there is company selling a good quality reproduction on the web called EG Starts. These kits are adjustable from 4-way to 8-way controls for different games and come with good quality encoders. About the only things we find disappointing with these: The bats are not replaceable when they wear out and the button caps are not removeable.

LINK: EG Starts Happ-like Kit

Leave a comment below if you have any questions about the best arcade joysticks and buttons and we’ll do our best to give you an answer!

The post The Best Arcade Joystick and Buttons appeared first on The Geek Pub.

What is the Best Oscilloscope?

Answering this question takes some basic understanding of oscilloscopes and making sure you buy one that is best fit for how you work and what you plan to do with it. If you want to skip to the chase, our pick for the best all around hobbyist oscilloscope is the Siglent Technologies SDS1202X-E.

Oscilloscopes (sometimes called O-Scopes) are test bench instruments designed to help troubleshoot and measure waveforms in electronics.  This could be for projects you are building, or it could be for troubleshooting a broken consumer electronics device such as a computer, radio, or television.

Oscilloscopes have a screen that display various feedback to the operator. The most used feature is to understand the waveform of the voltage being created by a circuit.  Since these events happen very fast it is very difficult to capture them on devices like multimeters. All oscilloscopes display a waveform on the screen that humans can understand.  More advanced and modern oscilloscopes will also capture and store this data over a period of time allowing the operator to playback the data and zoom in to check a specific point in time. We highly recommend this feature if you have a little extra budget.

RELATED: Picking the Best Multimeter

The Best Oscilloscope for Hobbyists and Home Users

Let’s list off our top three oscilloscopes.  After the reveal you can read on below where we will step through what is important when buying an oscilloscope and why we made the choices we did.  We’ will discuss topics such as bandwidth, rise time, channels, and much more!

1. The Siglent Technologies SDS1202X-E 200Mhz 2 Channel

Our first choice for the best oscilloscope remains the Siglent Technologies SDS1202X-E 200Mhz 2 channel! This oscilloscope is in the sweet spot of price and performance and can handle the demands of most hobbyists. It’s also the primary oscilloscope used in all of our videos, including our oscilloscope tutorial video.

This 2 channel oscilloscope is really a first class unit. It’s quite capable in most of the ways that count, and fits in a budget that most hobbyists can afford (we list a lower cost option below though). 

The 7-inch display looks great and and has a nice contrast which is good, as this unit does not support HDMI for using a larger screen.

The device weighs in at only 7.2 lbs. Not too bad, but probably not suitable for people who need a portable oscilloscope. Thought to be fair, its not advertised as such either.

Lastly, Siglent has unlocked all features on this device. No licenses or firmware hacks needed to use all of the features on this device. That’s a big plus!

What We Loved

• All functions unlocked
• Very fast refresh rates
• Big 7 inch display (18 cm)
• 14 million point accuracy
• Capable history system

What Could Be Better

• No HDMI port for bigger screen
• No Wi-Fi
• Menu is slightly confusing

2. The Siglent SDS1104X-E 100Mhz 4 Channel

Our second choice for the best oscilloscope is the Siglent SDS1104X 4 channel! This oscilloscope is slightly more expensive, but moves up to four channels.  Something many home hobbyists will appreciate.

This 4 channel oscilloscope is also a first class unit, although at a higher price than our first selection.  The 7-inch display looks amazing! (Warning, the HDMI connector on the front is for SBUS logic analyzers rather than video output).

At 8.3 pound its a pretty hefty unit for its size, but portability again is not its design.

Even with all the great features included in this scope, Siglent has chose to lock some of them out (in order to offer them on a higher priced scope).  That means that the scope is capable of 200Mhz but will only operate at 100Mhz. There are some ways to unlock these with a little bit of work.

What We Loved

• SBUS support
• Very fast refresh rates
• Big 7 inch display (18 cm)
• Includes four quality probes
• 14 million point accuracy
• Capable history system

What Could Be Better

• Not all features unlocked
• Supports Wi-Fi, but only via USB
• Menu is slightly confusing

3. The Hantek DSO5072P 70Mhz 2 Channel

Our third choice for the best oscilloscope is the Hantek DSO5072P 70 Mhz 2 channel! This oscilloscope is the budget friendly version that will still work well for most hobbyists and home users, albeit with some lower specifications.

This very affordable 2 channel oscilloscope is a decent unit. The price point makes it perfect for beginners on a small budget, but still want a decent set of features for their lab. 

At 4.19 pounds it is incredibly light and easy to transport.

Our main complaint with this unit boils down to the build quality. It’s simply not as clean from a fit and finish perspective as our first two choices.  The unit also lacks in the bandwidth department. It’s only capable of 70 Mhz, something more advanced users may become irritated by.

While it doesn’t support Ethernet or Wi-Fi network connections, its saving grace is that it does support USB connections for external operations using a Windows 10 PC.

What We Loved

• Very affordable
• Light weight
• Decent set of features for price

What Could Be Better

• Only 70 Mhz
• Only 2 channels
• Fit and finish not great
• No Ethernet or Wi-Fi

The Geek Pub Oscilloscope FAQ

We get asked a lot of questions about oscilloscopes.  Let’s quickly cover some of the most common ones:

Q. Are oscilloscope probes interchangeable?
A. Most likely yes. However, you should check the specifications and make sure the probes are compatible and electrically the same between both scopes.  They are occasionally different.

Q. What is the difference between frequency and bandwidth in oscilloscopes?
A. Frequency is a measurement of oscillations in a circuit.  Bandwidth is the amount of data transferred.

Q. What is a trigger when talking about oscilloscopes?
A. Sometimes there is a one shot event that happens in a circuit you are testing. The trigger function allows youto stabilize repetitive waveforms or one shot waveforms by repeatedly displaying similar portion of the signal.  This makes repetitive waveform appear to be static (even though they are not).

Understanding Oscilloscope Bandwidth

The next thing you should understand is that some oscilloscopes are capable of measuring larger bandwidth circuits that others.  This best oscilloscope for hobbyist and home users probably doesn’t need to be all that capable, but its still something you should at least consider and understand.

Bandwidth is an indication of the “size” of an analog signal that an oscilloscope can accurately read.  If you’re reading the output of a serial transmission circuit operating at 20Mhz, you’ll want an oscilloscope capable of at least 100Mhz to accurately read this waveform and record it.  The rule of thumb is five times the bandwidth you need to measure.  There are several reasons for this, but the main one is accuracy.  Generally higher bandwidth oscilloscopes measure lower bandwidth applications more accurately.

Understanding Oscilloscope Rise Time

While bandwidth is import, so is rise time. Many oscilloscope users are focused on measuring the time it takes a signal to rise and fall.

Oscilloscopes that are cheaper may miss glitches in your circuits completely, or present them as something expected when it is not.  Look for oscilloscopes with more capable specifications.

Remote Software and Network Connections

The best oscilloscopes will support PC, Mac, iOS, and/or Android applications for controlling and managing the scope. This is important for many users!  Scopes with remote management are able to download and then do in-depth analysis of of a circuit that my be difficult to do on the scope itself.  Adding mouse and keyboard support for example is much more user friendly than pressing buttons on the scope.

Additionally, having Ethernet or Wi-Fi support on your scope allows for placing the scope somewhere convenient, which may not be near a computer! You might be surprised how much this helps.  Some scopes do not support any remote connectivity, while some only accept USB.

Some Final Thoughts

As mentioned before, my choice for the best all around scope is the Siglent SDS1202X-E for hobbyists and home users. It supports most of the functions you’d expect at a price point you can’t really beat.  The Amazon reviews reflect this rating as well.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to answer in short order!

The post Best Oscilloscope for Hobbyists and Home Users (Updated for 2021) appeared first on The Geek Pub.

The UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply is a fantastic appliance to add to your home. They provide power to your computer, television, or other devices when the power is out. They can even be used to charge your cell phone, tablet, or laptop in the same event. By selecting the best UPS for home use, you’ll be able to safely power and protect many of your home electronics when the power grid is not behaving.

Unfortunately, selecting a quality UPS for home use is a difficult process because there are just so many terrible products in the UPS marketplace these days.  It is very common for the batteries to fail, the components to just stop working when you need them most, and to be unable to get warranty replacement from the hardware vendor due to all kinds of disclaimers and limitations in their standard warranty. 

The Best UPS for Home Use

So let’s talk about what makes a quality UPS for home users. It’s important to choose wisely when considering products in this category.  There are several ratings and categories that UPS systems fall into, and many ways that manufacturers manipulate those numbers to make them look better on paper.

• Line Interactive Conditioning – Some UPS systems are line interactive, while others are backup power only.  Line interactive is a technology that allows the UPS to correct many spikes, under-voltage, and over-voltage situations without switching to battery power. This is a much cleaner way of handling these types of problems, helps preserve battery life, and is quieter in operation.  Backup only style UPS systems must switch to battery power under all of these conditions.
• Runtime – Runtime is the length of time you can expect a given UPS to operate on battery power. This is a number you should pay close attention to, as manufacturers can be sneaky here. Look for a load number attached to runtime calculations.  A UPS with a runtime of 10 minutes at 50% load is basically the same as a UPS that runs 5 minutes at a 90% load. If no load is specified, you should probably avoid that product.  (We’re going to focus on two classes of UPS systems in this review.  UPS with runtimes around the 10 minute mark, and those int he 30 minute mark.)
• Sine wave – The type of waveform for power coming from your household electrical socket is in the form of a sine wave.  Some equipment is very sensitive to this waveform being correctly generated.  Since UPS systems convert DC power from a battery into AC, they are not always good at creating a proper sine wave. Some cheap UPS systems attempt to substitute a square wave that may not work with all devices. Look for sine wave or simulated sine wave when selecting the best UPS for home use!

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The Best UPS for Home Use (~10 Minute Runtime)

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First, let’s cover the best UPS for home use that have a runtime of roughly 10 minutes.  A UPS in this category will be less expensive, have fewer options and features, but should be great for backing up small computers, TVs, radios, or other small appliances.

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#1 – CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD

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This CyperPower CP1500AVRLCD is an intelligent UPS System capable of 1500VA (900W).  It has a total of 12 Outlets and is in the mini-tower form factor making it capable, but also easy to find a place for next to your desk.  The CP1500AVRLCD is also a fantastic choice for protecting theater room equipment such as projectors and A/V receivers. 

Complete Specs for this UPS:

• 1500VA/900 Watts
• 4ms transfer time
• 12 Minute runtime on fully charged batteries
• 12 outlets: 6 on battery, 6 surge only
• Line interactive (AVR)
• 8 hour recharge time
• Simulated Sinewave Waveform
• Phone/Network surge ports
• LCD status screen
• USB for remote control and PC safe shutdown

The CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD is the cutting edge of technology in this price point and runtime level.  It is super quiet, can condition power without switching to battery. Provides simulated sine waves to make most equipment happy, and provides plenty of outlets for all the devices in a busy home office.  Finally, it has a very respectable 3 year warranty that CyperPower is know for honoring should any problems arise.

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Runner Up – The APC BX1500M

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The Runner Up on your best UPS for home use in the ~10 minute category is the APC BX1500M. This unit provides most of the features we like to see in a UPS in this category. It also comes with APC’s PowerChute software which is actually decent (unlike many software add-ons of this nature). PowerChute of course is APC’s proprietary UPS control and monitoring software. 

When installed on your PC, it allows you to monitor all of vitals on your power, battery performance, etc. It even offers the ability to shutdown your PC when safely and cleanly when the battery has drained to critically low levels.

Specs for the APC BX1500M:

• 1500VA/900 Watts
• 8-10ms transfer time
• 12 Minute runtime on fully charged batteries
• 10 outlets: 5 on battery, 5 surge only
• Line interactive 
• Simulated Sine wave Waveform
• Phone/Network surge ports
• 16 hour re-charge (rather slow)
• LCD status screen
• USB for remote control and PC safe shutdown

The main reasons that APC comes in at second place come down to three main gaps: Higher price, slower transfer time, and much slower recharge time.

A UPS needs to be zippy when it comes to recharge time. That’s because power tends to fail during events like thunderstorms. This can result in numerous power outages back to back.  You’d like your UPS to be back up to charge and ready to take on the next event as quickly as possible.

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The Best UPS for Home Use (~30 Minute Runtime)

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Now let’s cover the next category: UPS systems that can sustain your PC for around 30 minutes. That’s about three times the length of the two UPS systems listed above.  These are typically used when you have equipment you need to keep running for longer periods of times, or you have multiple devices you want to backup for shorter periods of time.

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#1 – CyberPower PR1500LCDRTXL2U

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This CyberPower PR1500LCDRTXL2U is an intelligent UPS System running 1500VA with a capacity of 1500 watts!  It has a total of 8 Outlets and is in the mini-tower or rack form factor making it very capable.  The PR1500LCDRTXL2U is also a ultimate choice for protecting theater room equipment as it support rack mounting in a 2U form factor!

• 1500VA/1500 Watts
• 4ms transfer time
• 30 Minute runtime on fully charged batteries
• 8 outlets
• Line interactive (AVR)
• Less than 6 hours recharge time
• Sinewave Waveform
• Support for SNMP Webcard
• LCD status screen
• USB for remote control and PC safe shutdown

The CyberPower PR1500LCDRTXL2U is the cutting edge of technology in this price point and runtime level!  Having the choice between tower/stand mounting and 2U rack mounting makes it super diverse.  Perfect for running your home PC during an extended power outage, or for running your home theater rack when it needs it the most.

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Runner Up – The APC Smart UPS SMT1500C

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The Runner Up on your best UPS for home use in the ~30 minute category is the APC SMT1500 Smart UPS. The desktop form factor makes it nice and compact, and mostly silent, albeit somewhat bulky when using in something like a theater room closet, so we’ve selected it for our runner up position.  The price is good, and the specs and performance match up for about what you’d expect.

Specs for the APC SMT1500:

• 1500VA/1000 Watts
• 5ms transfer time
• 22 Minute runtime on fully charged batteries
• 8 outlets
• Line interactive 
• Sine wave Waveform
• Phone/Network surge ports
• 4-5 hour re-charge
• LCD status screen
• USB for remote control and PC safe shutdown

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So that wraps up my pics for the best pfSense hardware for business users.  If you have any questions or need anymore help, just let us know in the comments and we will try to answer them for you!

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The post The Best UPS for Home Use (Updated for 2021) appeared first on The Geek Pub.