Cigman CM-S05 12 Line Laser Level Review

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Cigman CM-S05 12 Line Laser Level Review

I recently was contacted by Cigman to review their 16 Line Laser Level (CM-S04). Following that review they asked me to test and review their new Cigman CM-S05.

The principal difference between the two are the number of projected line and the fact that the CM-S05 can be gesture controlled. Conversely, that means once it is setup it doesn’t require touching to operate.

The line lights can be dimmed and turned on or off just by using hand gestures. Also, this keeps the CM-S05 from being touched by dirty or greasy hands and touching the machine to push a button could shake or move your alignment slightly.

My video below demonstrates the function of the gesture controls. Additionally, I show the components of the CM-S05 kit.

This is an interesting development in the world of laser levels.

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Newer Isn’t Always Better – Vintage Gear

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Newer Isn’t Always Better – Vintage Gear

Vintage Gear

Tech is always moving forward. But there are times when they just plain got it right. Some items become somewhat timeless, or at the very least become nostalgic. Having some solid vintage gear can stop from having constant upgrade-itis. We always chase the newest, and latest, and greatest thing.

The Sony Alpha a5000 is one of those pieces of tech that can still give new gear a run for its money. The a5000 went on sale in March 2014 making it 16 years old.

There is no doubt that I’m an old school guy. I prefer vacuum tube audio compared to the harsh sound of transistors. For me there was a golden age of most devices. Vacuum tubes ruled the audio world in the 50’s, 60’s, and into the 70’s. Conversely, I think the golden age or cameras was 15 -20 years ago. Heck, to be honest I actually prefer film cameras to digital cameras. But I never got into film.

The world famous landscape photographer, Ansel Adams once said this, “It is the photographer, not the camera that is the instrument.”

And that leads me to this statement: I am NOT a professional photographer. I’ve been a camera nerd for over 20 years. I don’t make a living with my cameras. So anything I say should be taken with a grain of salt. These are MY opinions. And I can guarantee that if I posted this on a camera forum I’d get raked across the coals. And that’s okay. This is my blog.

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Offline Computing – Preparing For Uncertain Times

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Offline Computing – Preparing For Uncertain Times

Offline Computing

This is an article I write every couple of years. The more this world descends into chaos, the more I think to it wise to update the content. I’m not a Doomsday guy but it is easy to imagine a scenario where we are without things like electricity, cellular networks, and internet for extended periods of time. Having a computer capable of offline computing and receiving communications could be life saving or at the least life enhancing.

The time to prepare this computer is now because if you wake up to massive outages it will be too late. And you should make a habit of keeping it up to date and adding content to it as required.

I’m not going full prepper on you here. But I am trying to help you get past a catastrophic event such as a hurricane, or other massive weather event that could cut you off for an extended period of time. It could be as simple as the power lines are down, or as extensive as someone popped an EMP off over the Untied States.

Additionally, while I tell you I am not a hardcore prepper, I am a believer in Bible Prophecy. If you aren’t, that is cool. I am. And bits and pieces of it are unfolding now as we speak. Here is an example ripped from recent headlines. The US and Iran are tangled up. One key sticking point is that Israel withdraw all troops from Lebanon. In Genesis God promised Abram land and defined its boundaries. It is much larger than the current state of Israel. One border is the Euphrates River and you certainly have to work your way through Lebanon to get there. Currently Israel is about 30 km into Lebanon at the Litani River and wanting to move deeper north to expand their buffer zone.

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Coospo TR70 Smart Radar Tail Light Review

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Coospo TR70 Smart Radar Tail Light Review

Coospo TR70 Smart Radar

I recently purchased a Coospo CS600 bicycle computer which I reviewed here. Additionally I blogged about creating custom maps and took that discussion over to Reddit. Somewhere along the line Coospo contacted me and asked me if I would review their Coospo TR70 Smart Radar Tail Light. Yes. Please.

Before I received it I did all the requisite homework such as reading the manual, reviewing the FCC ID Reports and by reading and watching tons of reviews.

While there are certainly much better bicycle reviewers than me that doesn’t necessarily mean there are riders with a better understanding of active and passive radar systems than me.

In fact I was a little bit (a lot bit) disturbed by some of the reviews which really had not much technical merit to them at all.

Some reviewers seem to think that because the Coospo TR70 is inexpensive that surely it is inferior to more expensive offerings. That’s not how you review a safety item.

I think I should first boldly state that:

“Having a bicycle radar should never stop you, not even once, from looking over your shoulder.“

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GhostBSD – A Linux Alternative

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GhostBSD – A Linux Alternative

I’ve always loved trying various operating systems. So it is with GhostBSD. Most of the time I put these OS’s on a virtual machine which is fun, but you can’t take a virtual machine with you.

I have a whole bunch of laptops around here and one that I routinely try with various Linux distributions. Once upon a time I had installed FreeBSD on something and was proud as punch when it worked. Not too long ago I tried it again and borked the Desktop GUI installation somehow or another and then bounced directly to KDE Neon. Ultimately, I decided to do another BSD variant and GhostBSD comes with a Desktop Environment. In fact just like Linux you can configure a bunch of different environments for it. I got the version with MATE Desktop.

GhostBSD describes themselves are being “Unix like”. While being based on FreeBSD, you seldom see the word Unix pop up. FreeBSD is an open source derivative of AT&T’s Unix which was not open source. A bit confusing, but let’s just call it an operating system and move on.

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CIGMAN Laser Level CM-S04 – Keeping Things Straight

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CIGMAN Laser Level CM-S04 – Keeping Things Straight

CIGMAN Laser Level

Have you ever put extra holes in the wall from hanging pictures until you got them level? Additionally, have you ever hung a crooked shelf? Have you failed miserably at trimming the bushes in an uneven manner? There is a cure for all that and more. It is the CIGMAN Laser Level CM-S04.

Hint: This is a tool. Dad loves tools. Father’s Day is coming up. You’re welcome.

Here is the Amazon link ($199 currently).

Seriously, Dad needs a tool like this for general household and yard maintenance. I can level our camper to perfection in literally seconds.

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Foxwell RT280 Thermal Camera

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Foxwell RT280 Thermal Camera

You might not know it yet, but you need a Thermal Imaging Camera. This provides you a quick and easy diagnostic tool to see if something is running above its published temperature specifications. Conversely, it can tell you if something is too cold possibly indicating it isn’t working at all. Enter the Foxwell RT280 Thermal Camera. Below is a quick promo video I made just showing its form factor.

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Onnais RV Lock Review – Guard Smart Max

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Onnais RV Lock Review – Guard Smart Max

RV Lock Onnais

I bought a camper a few years back when my daughter left the roost and I found myself alone. On my first outing I got up to use the bath house in the middle of the night. Somewhere along the line I dropped my key. It was pitch black, the key was black, and there were tons of leaves covering the ground. It became apparent very quickly that I needed a good lock for my camper.

Enter the Onnais Guard Smart Max RV Lock ($199). I don’t believe there is any better lock out there after having used this for a bit. There are so many methods of locking and unlocking that it isn’t funny.

Here is a quick list of ways this lock will work for you:

  • Keypad Entry – The Keypad is lit
  • Key Entry – Under the center seal where it says “ONNAIS” is a standard lock
  • FOB – Just like for your car. Lock and unlock
  • Bluetooth – Via an app you install on your phone
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Coospo CS600 Maps – Building A Custom Map

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Coospo CS600 Maps – Building A Custom Map

Coospo CS600 Maps

Boy this is one blog that I hope becomes irrelevant quickly. I’ve recently purchased a Coospo CS600 Bicycle Computer which I believe is breaking new ground in cycling computers. And by that, I mostly mean it is high quality hardware at a super affordable price. That being said, the Coospo CS600 Maps leave something to be desired.

Making a custom map for a Coospo CS600 really leaves something to be desired.

I should add that the steps I use here may or may not even work for you. I did this on a Mac M1 Laptop with 16GB of RAM.

Map crunching takes a lot of horsepower and if the horsepower isn’t there then you have to finesse the commands to get it to crunch.

MOSTLY I AM DOCUMENTING THIS FOR MYSELF, BUT IF IT HELPS YOU, AWESOME.

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Coospo CS600 Bicycle Computer Review

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Coospo CS600 Bicycle Computer Review

Coospo CS600 Bicycle Computer

Well, I did it. I picked up the Coospo CS600 Bicycle Computer from Amazon. Allow me to get straight to it. It is very capable in the hardware department but the eco-system just isn’t quite there yet.

If they can develop that Garmin Connect or Fitbit type experience this will be a real contender for Gear Of The Year.

This actually has better hardware specs (mostly) than any Garmin I own. But Garmin has the long established and highly polished eco-system for their GPS and Bicycle Computers. Better hardware doesn’t always mean a better experience.

And I have discovered a quirk or two with the Coospo CS600 that, while not really affecting the overall experience, makes me scratch my head a little.

Quirk 1

One example: You can’t view a map on the CS600 unless you have a course uploaded to the device. Oh it is there but you can’t see it unless your course is loaded or the map options are turned on. Go to Settings > Ride Mode > Outdoor > Fields. Scroll to the bottom to find the Map option and turn it on.

Like I said, just a head scratcher.

Quirk 2

You simply cannot delete a single course you have uploaded to the device. Oddly though, “Delete All” is an option. I uploaded my regular route to the device and it uploaded as a date:time name. I wanted it to say “Ride To Pollocksville”. I couldn’t even figure out how to delete it from the app since it wasn’t showing in the app. I had to hook the CS600 to a computer via USB and then delete it from the Courses folder.

Again, just a head scratcher.

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