Zebra LP 2844 Label Printer

Zebra TL 2844 desktop printer When you go to a Tech blog you expect to read about cutting edge technology that is fresh and exciting. You don’t really expect to read about an appliance that was first manufactured in 2003. And yet, here we are. I’ll speak to the viability of using the venerable Zebra LP 2844 as your default label printer.

Seems crazy, I know, but most of the Zebra LP 2844’s out there are still working and may very well be the most economical solution out there for creating your shipping labels.

Why An LP 2844 in 2023?

Cost. It is always about cost. A working printer should not really cost you more than $50. If you are diligent and patient you can actually get them for less than that.
Consumables. These old printers can use generic labels. Most label makers these days only work with proprietary labels that are read via RFID tags placed in the rolls. Generic 4×6 labels are abundant and a lot cheaper than proprietary label rolls.
These printers also work with fanfold labels. You don’t have to have a roll installed internally. You can feed them from behind the printer from a folded stack of labels.

To recap: Your printer should cost less than $50, and can use cheap shipping labels.
Continue reading →

Sling.com Roku FAIL!

1 Reply

Sling.com Roku (Piece of Shit)

I have Sling.com and Roku and am trying to decide if the combination is a piece of shit or not. Usually when you say the words “piece of shit” you are alluding to one item. However, sometimes two companies unite forces to mesh together to form one gigantic, combined piece of shit.

That’s what we have here.

I had Sling for ages and then all of the sudden it quit working with Roku devices. But not all of them. At one time I had a Roku (Hisense) TV and two TV’s with Roku Ultra’s. Some of them worked, some of them didn’t. Spin, spin, spin goes the circle but Sling never loads.

Fuck Sling. I ditched it and started using Philo. Fuck Roku. I ditched them and bought Fire TV’s and a Fire Stick. Then I was able to get Sling back and watch it successfully.

All was well at Casa John’s Tech Blog until my wife threw an outdoor Ooni Pizza Oven Pizza Party. I took an old TV out of the attic and put one of those dust collector Roku Ultra’s on it to watch a football game.

Before the party my wife said, “Can I watch the Food Channel on it?”. “Fuck no”, sez I, “because Sling and Roku”.
Continue reading →

NIIMBOT B1 Review

1 Reply

NIIMBOT B1 Review

NIIMBOT Label Printers

This will be my review of the NIIMBOT B1 thermal label printer.

I love NIIMBOT printers. And to put that statement in perspective I have owned and reviewed a LOT of label printers. Most of them you would call industrial printers.

A few months ago NIIMBOT contacted me and asked me to review their B21 Label Printer. Since that time I have reviewed their B3S, the D110, and now their excellent B1 label maker. I have enjoyed them all. The concept of a small, portable, bluetooth label maker makes a heck of a lot of sense. Most of my industrial printers are large, come in huge carrying cases, and are hooked to a computer via USB. Most of them use speciality labels as well such as shrink tubing. Having all that capability is great but sometimes you just need to put a small and simple label on something. Actually MOST OF THE TIME, you just need to put a small and simple label on something.

This is where NIIMBOT printers shine.

Having a label maker that sits on your desk that you don’t need to actually have your hands on is awesome. Holding a printer with a tiny keyboard on it is no fun. Bluetooth connections are a welcome addition. Making a label from a phone app instead of needing a full blown laptop is cool too.
Continue reading →

USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode With Dymo

Leave a reply

USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode With Dymo

Many years ago I lived at a military base in Japan and used to use Stamps.com with a Dymo LabelWriter. At that time you could add a USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) to your shipping label in the Dymo software. In theory your mail will travel faster because it gets sorted faster with the barcode on it.

Then one day Dymo just dropped the IMB capability from their software. And it remained gone for years. However, with the latest version of Dymo Connect Software, it has returned.

DYMO IMB Returns!

Dymo has this to say in their online manual about IMB:

Intelligent mail barcode (US only)
Starting with DYMO Connect 1.4.4 you now have the ability to create Intelligent Mail barcodes.

The Intelligent Mail barcode is USPS barcode technology used to sort and track letters and flats. Intelligent Mail barcode technology combines the capabilities of the POSTNET barcode and the PLANET Code barcode into one unique barcode. DYMO Connect allows you to add the Intelligent Mail barcodes in address fields or as a separate barcode IMail.

Also, the Address Fixer is back, although I think it returned in a previous version. FINALLY Dymo software is viable again in my opinion.

Continue reading →

xTool F1 Jig For Wine Corks

Leave a reply

xTool F1 Jig For Wine Corks

I saw on the xTool F1 forum where someone had been engraving these cool wine stoppers made of cork. I ordered a boat load of them and then manufactured a jig that fits in the removable bottom plate area of the xTool F1 laser.

Wine Stopper Jig

While I made this on a CNC machine it could just as easily be made with either a 3D printer (if you possess those skills) or with a laser. I have included (later in the post) a Vectric CRV file for making the jig. (Vectric is a CNC file). Also included in the zip file is an SVG vector image with the proper dimensions for cutting out with a laser, and finally an XCS file for engraving the tops.

Bear in mind that if you use the XCS file you MUST manufacture the jig from either the Vectric CRV file or the SVG image file.

The downloadable SVG file which contains the perimeter is a 109mm x 109mm rectangle with a 6 degree radius in the corners.

The 9 pockets are 19.3mm in diameter and are spaced 36mm apart. (All designed in Lightburn).

The wood thickness I had was 3/4″ pine and the pocket depths are 12mm deep. This fits the wine stoppers perfectly.

Continue reading →

Monport Fiber Laser Update

Leave a reply

Monport Fiber Laser Update

A couple of months ago I received a Monport Fiber Laser (30 watt Raycus). I just wanted to add a little non-technical discussion regarding this machine to my blog.

Probably about 20 years ago i bought a vinyl sign machine and intended to get rich using it. It never happened. Then came 3D printers. No fame and fortune here either. Then I bought my first laser, a Chinese K40. Didn’t make any money here either. I’ve always run a side hustle and occasionally made some lunch money but never really lit my financial world on fire.
Continue reading →

Algolaser Deeper Dive

Leave a reply

Algolaser, A Deeper Dive

I’ve had my Algolaser Alpha for a few weeks now. I was provided the Alpha prior to the official USA release of this very intriguing laser. I did an initial impressions review here. Since that time I’ve gained some more experience with the machine.

Since my review the Algolaser Alpha has been officially released in the US and is available to purchase for $799. My readers can purchase the Algolaser Alpha here. This is an affiliate link and helps support my blog.

I feel really fortunate to have been among the first to have gotten my hands on one and my initial impressions were very positive. This laser has a lot of features, not to mention a lot of power.

Algolaser?

The founder of Algolaser is also the original founder of Ortur. That person has left the Ortur board, and is moving in a different direction. I personally like the direction.

It should be noted that I am not a fan of the Ortur Laser Master 3. Not at all. It should also be noted that I loved the Laser Maser 2 and the Ortur Aufero 2.

Finally, it should be for sure noted that I LOVE the Alpha. Let’s get into why.
Continue reading →

GL.iNet Beryl AX Review

3 Replies

GL.iNet Beryl AX Review

GL.iNet Beryl AX

I’ve just gotten my hands on a GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) travel router. Cost was approximately $100.

I’m rapidly becoming a fan of GL.iNet offerings and the Beryl AX is no exception. I also own and have blogged about the Mango V2 and the Slate Plus. I love both of them.

The major claim to fame with this router is that it does WiFi 6 and the WAN port is a whopping 2.5 GB ethernet port. That is really pushing the limits of a device that can fit in your pocket. Additionally, it barely takes up any space in a laptop bag or backpack.

The router is based on OpenWRT 21.02 firmware. After taking mine out of the box I discovered that mine did need a firmware update from version 4.2.2 to 4.4.5. OpenWRT is an Open Source router firmware that is extremely powerful, and has greatly improved security over OEM router firmware.

Firmware Update

Continue reading →

GL.iNet Mango Travel Router Review

1 Reply

GL.iNet Mango (GL-MT300N-V2) Travel Router Review

GL-MT300N-V2

I just recently got my first GL.iNet travel router, the GL-A1300 Slate Plus. It’s a wonderful device and I blogged about it here. On a whim I purchased its little brother the GL.iNet Mango (GL-MT300N-V2), $30.

On their page they refer to it as the N300, with the 300 standing for the max wifi speed of the router of 300 Mbps.

In this day and age of Wifi 6 you might be wondering why anyone would get something that ran at 300 Mbps.

The answer to that is FORM FACTOR. It is a super tiny, and lightweight device that could easily slip into a pocket. The mission of this device is mostly to connect to free wifi hotspots and then automatically connect to an OpenVPN or WireGuard VPN connection. This makes that very unsecured wifi portal safe to use. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that creates an encrypted tunnel between your devices and the VPN service. No one can see what you are doing. After I blogged about the other GL.iNet travel router a friend of mine sent me this:

“Staying at a hotel right now that touts each login has their own VPN, because “your privacy is important to us.”I open Spotify and it asks if I want to join a random persons listening group that is listening to music on their Xbox. Sure.“

That about sums it up. Even when they claim security, you cannot trust that there is security.

Continue reading →

VPN DNS And Privacy

Leave a reply

VPN, DNS And Privacy

In our current world scenario we are being spied on at almost every turn. Home Networks are just not very secure for most people. Solutions to harden those networks require some technical skill and usually involve additional costs. Additionally, most people think they are too boring to be spied on. But the reality is that we all need a VPN, and encrypted DNS.

Increasingly it seems that 1st Amendment laws regarding Free Speech are being tossed aside and so called “Hate Speech” is a crime. Some things you read about on the internet can be cataloged and factor into your Social Credit Score. It is darn near a crime to be a White, Christian, Veteran, and a monogamous person. Refusal to use bizarre pronouns can get you in a world of hurt in some circles.

We’re not quite there yet but things are easing towards that direction. Additionally, your searches, your lifestyle and your opinions may well matter greatly one day.
Continue reading →