Observations on using the Apple Studio Display with Zoom.
The camera needs more light during daylight hours, currently supplied by the ring-light part of the old webcam. It has three touch selectable levels of illumination. It has an array of three microphones, together they don't sound as good as the Audio-Technica USB condenser mic I used to use so that's my go-to audio input device. The speakers are excellent, totally replacing a 2008 Logitech 15W USB subwoofer 2.1 stereo speaker setup. Now I have to find a use for that speaker setup, it's still very effective. The webcam in Centre Stage mode is inadequate; I prefer it in "normal" mode. If necessary I can use the iPhone's rear camera as a webcam via Continuity Camera. In Zoom, once you get more that about 5 participants, their effective webcam resolution drops to around 720p levels anyway.
It integrates so well with my other Apple gear, I can accept the high price because it has the promise of working fine for a decade or more as well as replacing other stand-alone peripherals.
@variablepulserate You really shouldn’t equte screen resolution to photo resolution, they are different concepts.
(At Hadrian's Wall)
Roman soldier: "Centurion, there's a problem."
Centurion: "What is it?"
Roman soldier: "It's these painted guys keep showing up, they draw a cock on the wall and run back off north."
Centurion: "Urgh, unsolicited Pict dicks."
Well, it turns out the Studio Display will not arrive tomorrow as originally scheduled.
Why? Because it arrived today at 11:30 am. I have it set up now. I have been able to retire a few peripherals, one being a still very effective 2008 Logitech 2.1 stereo soundbar incorporating a 3-port powered USB 2.0 hub. The other retiree (other than the cheap display) is a 4-port Thunderbolt 4 hub/dock. I had only used one of its ports with Thunderbolt, the other three had various USB-C cables used to connect external drives or my iPad Air5.
The Studio Display has three downstream USB-C ports connected to the Mac Mini via the included Thunderbolt cable. If I were to use the display with the MacBook Air, that Thunderbolt connection would also charge the laptop at up to 96W.
Sick of this shit. Cheap 28-in 4k display used with the Mac Mini lost its DisplayPort connection and the HDMI to USB-C cable isn’t working either.
Plus I’d noticed interference on the screen from the USB webcam on Zoom calls, somewhat counterproductive.
Solution: lash out and buy an Apple Studio Display. Built-in webcam and Thunderbolt connection should fix those issues. Also, it has speakers that nay be better than the 11-year-old soundbar I currently use.
Display has shipped, delivery is expected on Tuesday. I could have bought one today and collected it if I wanted the tilting mount but I need the VESA mount option.
I have been let down by my lithium jump-starter too often. I go to use it and the battery pack doesn't have enough charge, it is around four years old now and the battery pack swelled a bit, meaning the seams of the two halves of the rubberised plastic shell have separated. It's all held together with PVC tape now.
About nine hours ago I placed an order for a supercapacitor version instead.
There's no need to have this thing charged at all. As long as the recalcitrant vehicle battery has more than 3 volts, there's enough energy contained within to charge the. capacitor pack. The one I've chosen has 750 amps capacity, capable of cranking an 8-litre petrol engine of a 5-litre diesel.
@matigo We do not have Tylenol in this country, but it's just acetaminophen or paracetamol as we know it.
I use two forms of the drug, two x 500 mg tablets spaced 6 hours apart during daylight and four x 665 mg sustained-release ones between 7am and 10 pm.
This come in just under the 4000 mg daily maximum.
Other pain control is from various NSAID creams/lotions or menthol/camphor ointments like Tiger Balm or Golden Cup Balm. The latter has in excess of 11% menthol, at such levels menthol has an analgesic effect in its own right.