Techmoan (the YouTube man)

[peanutbutter]

Technology Connections is one of my favourite youtube channels in a big way, his enthusiasm about the shit is really contagious and he has a real knack for picking obvious but great topics between the more obscure ones.

[beanheadmcginty]

I've just realised why one of the reasons why I like the Technology Connections bloke is that he reminds me of a side character out of Buffy or Angel.

[buzby]

Another big fan of Matt/Techmoan. He'sbased in Standish, not far from where I work in Chorley, so the scenery in his camera reviews often look very familiar. He's been to Liverpool to test them a  few times too.

His recent BT videophone review was slighly sad - if he could find a second one, I could help him set them up on some ISDN lines in  our model exchange in work so he could demonstrate them.

I do wonder where he keeps all his stuff sometimes.

He has an office/studio where a lot of the stuff that isn't in his house is kept.

What are people's thoughts on his puppet shows he sometimes does at the end? Any miserable cunts who don't like them?

I think they are great - I like that he seems to use them as a way of gently ribbing some of the more tedious commenters on his videos. I often find myself saying 'Flipping 'eck!' like his dad puppet.

Also a fan of Big Clive and Mr. Carlson's Lab. I've mentioned Ian McCollum/Forgotten Weapons on here before too, who does a similar thing for old and/or obscure firearms, and AvE, the French-Canadian heavy plant fitter who does teardown reviews of tools (he and Big Clive are friends). There's also also Mustie1, the New Hampshire-based mechanic who repairs old cars, motorbikes and stuff he finds at yard sales.

Not so much a fan of Technology Connections, but it's mostly down to finding his voice grating (he's got that 'snooty American' accent, like the maître d from Ferris Bueller). I can't get on with with RetroManCave for the same reason, too - it sounds like he's trying too hard to do an English Bob Ross thing.

We're all lamenting the possible demise of BBC4 - and fair enough, too - but neither that, nor any other telly channel I can think of, would ever cover this sort of stuff in the level of detail that these lot do.

BBC4 did show two series of James May's The Reassember, where he rebuilds something (a phone, lawnmower, electric guitar, record player etc.) from it's component parts. They were only half an hour long (ideally they should have been an hour), but they were thoroughly enjoyable.  Sadly, they were the last thing he did before he left the BBC for Amazon so there's unlikely to be any more.

[Blumf]

There's Big Car (and sister channel Little Car, for toys) which does short intros to various car brands/models. Lots of mid/late-C20 British stuff, like the Rover SD1, or Austin Maestro. Would like more depth to them, but he seems to be aiming for brief overviews, and in that regard I think they fit the bill.

Not so much a fan of Technology Connections, but it's mostly down to finding his voice grating (he's got that 'snooty American' accent, like the maître d from Ferris Bueller).

Aw, that sucks. But I can see how, if his voice doesn't work for you, it'd really not work. Shame, as he has a really good balance on tech details and explanation.

[earl_sleek]

The prize for worst voice in tech channels is the bloke off of EEVBlog, who is very knowledgable but has the unloveliest Australian accent ever, like a whine coated with sandpaper.

[Blumf]

It's a bit 'how-ya-doin'!

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

BBC4 did show two series of James May's The Reassember, where he rebuilds something (a phone, lawnmower, electric guitar, record player etc.) from it's component parts. They were only half an hour long (ideally they should have been an hour), but they were thoroughly enjoyable.  Sadly, they were the last thing he did before he left the BBC for Amazon so there's unlikely to be any more.

Fair enough, although they lose points for the Top Gear association. Now that I think about it (for more than a second) I've also seen BBC4 documentaries on Victorian automata and the Antikythera Device.

I guess my point (if I even had one) is that this sort of programme can flourish outside of the traditional media avenues. Which is nice.

[beanheadmcginty]

Anybody seen the ludicrous technology restoration videos that are clearly fake, like this one of an old tape deck?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ndGn9QbY8A

Still, with 1.5 million views you've got to say good luck to the fella.

[Hand Solo]

Anybody seen the ludicrous technology restoration videos that are clearly fake, like this one of an old tape deck?

Yeah, Antikythera Mechanism? 2000 year old compooter?! Y'what, pull the other one!

[Dropshadow]

There's Big Clive as well.....

He's all right, but he sounds like a Scottish Kryten. Not in a good way, though.

[beanheadmcginty]

I was watching an old Techmoan last night where he reviews a machine that makes sausage and egg McMuffins. He starts off the video by saying they're his favourite thing from McDonald's, but then after he's finished making his homemade version just casually drops in "I can't tell you how well this has turned out because I completely lost my sense of taste a few years back".
Such a twist ending. He's the M. Night Shyamalan of gadget reviewers.

[MojoJojo]

Yeah, I thought he's knocked the food gadget reviews on the head because of the whole lack of taste thing but he's just done another one.

Technology Connections - I've been trying to get though his CED series, but he doesn't half get bogged down in the internal politics at RCA. To be fair, I don't think he's tried any more long multi-part videos after that.

[Blumf]

Technology Connections - I've been trying to get though his CED series, but he doesn't half get bogged down in the internal politics at RCA.

That's half the fun of that story.

[buzby]

Yeah, I thought he's knocked the food gadget reviews on the head because of the whole lack of taste thing but he's just done another one.

He said at the start that people had been asking him to do more kitchen gadget reviews.

[beanheadmcginty]

Maybe one day he'll do the ultimate rug pull and reveal that he's been deaf all along.

[MojoJojo]

Not so much a fan of Technology Connections, but it's mostly down to finding his voice grating (he's got that 'snooty American' accent, like the maître d from Ferris Bueller).

I really am going back and forth on him a bit. I had an initial dislike because of his voice, but then the content was good enough that I got past that. But then he tries to do too much funny stuff (the Percolators one) and it starts annoying again.

[buzby]

Maybe one day he'll do the ultimate rug pull and reveal that he's been deaf all along.

He was having hearing issues in one ear a few years ago due to sinus problems, which is one of the reasons he became interested in bone-conducting headphones. I think he's also mentioned that he's gradually losing his eyesight too.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The sight thing made me quite sad given he's clearly into av stuff and got into hd/4k.

He's mentioned 'sugar spikes' and has shown screengrabs of a 'freestyle libre' app, which is an app for a continuous glucose monitor, which would point to diabetes.

[buzby]

He's mentioned 'sugar spikes' and has shown screengrabs of a 'freestyle libre' app, which is an app for a continuous glucose monitor, which would point to diabetes.

Ah yes, he's done a couple of videos on glucose monitors- the Accucheck and the FreeStyle Libre where he mentioned he was Type 1, so he's at risk from glaucoma. My niece has the Libre system too - the disposable sensors for the Libre certainly aren't cheap (£50 every 2 weeks). One of the things Theresa May was partially responsible for was her use of them leading to them being made available on perscription (luckily my niece is still under 18).

[Sebastian Cobb]

Yeah the libre isn't actually that good. It's debatable whether it's a true CGM, given it just reads at an interval (possibly 15 minutes) and stores it until you sync the device.

The Chinese company Medtrum have an interesting way of doing it with a modular design, so less parts are disposable. It means the upfront costs are less. They also do this with their glucose pumps too.

Of course unless you're buying the stuff yourself, what you have access to will differ across the country and be up to the health board.

[canadagoose]

Yeah the libre isn't actually that good. It's debatable whether it's a true CGM, given it just reads at an interval (possibly 15 minutes) and stores it until you sync the device.

The Chinese company Medtrum have an interesting way of doing it with a modular design, so less parts are disposable. It means the upfront costs are less. They also do this with their glucose pumps too.

Of course unless you're buying the stuff yourself, what you have access to will differ across the country and be up to the health board.

It definitely reads it more frequently than that - I use one, and it records pretty short spikes and drops in blood sugar. It's not always 100% accurate - sometimes a mmol/l off! - but it's nicer than pricking your finger constantly, especially if your levels have been high (for me, that makes it more painful to prick myself, but I've got chronic pain issues which don't help). There's also a little thing you can attach to the sensors to make it into a true CGM, but this one isn't available on prescription: https://miaomiao.cool/

h yes, he's done a couple of videos on glucose monitors- the Accucheck and the FreeStyle Libre where he mentioned he was Type 1, so he's at risk from glaucoma. My niece has the Libre system too - the disposable sensors for the Libre certainly aren't cheap (£50 every 2 weeks). One of the things Theresa May was partially responsible for was her use of them leading to them being made available on perscription (luckily my niece is still under 18).

Is she T1 too? If so, she should be eligible for free prescriptions when she's an adult, even in England, although she will need one of those exemption certificates.

And to get back to the topic - I'm certainly a Techmoan fan, and I enjoy watching his videos with my flatmate at the weekend. He's clearly enthusiastic about hi-fi and AV equipment and has a good sense of humour with it. Sometimes the commenters don't seem to get his jokes, and get annoyed about things (e.g. him mentioning his "cleaner", who was imaginary), but it's probably inevitable.

[Sebastian Cobb]

It seems there's two versions 'pro' and consumer, I did pull the figure from memory:

Aside from data display (blinded vs. real-time) and reader device ownership (provider-owned vs. patient-owned), the biggest difference between the Pro and "consumer" version of Libre is sampling frequency: the Pro takes a glucose reading every 15 minutes and can store glucose data on the sensor for two weeks; the "consumer" version measures glucose data every minute, but data must be scanned with the reader device at least every eight hours to capture all available information. Read diaTribe's detailed test drive of the FreeStyle Libre "consumer" version here.

I think them being a bit off might be down to them using interstitial fluid and that lagging behind blood slightly. The potential of these devices, which is somewhat untapped is getting data back to doctors so they have it before they see their patient.

[canadagoose]

It seems there's two versions 'pro' and consumer, I did pull the figure from memory:

I think them being a bit off might be down to them using interstitial fluid and that lagging behind blood slightly. The potential of these devices, which is somewhat untapped is getting data back to doctors so they have it before they see their patient.

EDIT: Misread, got the versions a bit arse about face. Yeah, I can understand the misunderstanding, especially since I got them mixed up when I read your excerpt.

[buzby]

Is she T1 too? If so, she should be eligible for free prescriptions when she's an adult, even in England, although she will need one of those exemption certificates.

She is, and she gets them free now. She first started with it as a trial the diabetic clinic at the hospital were running so got the sensors free, but when the trial ended there was a period before they became available on prescription where they were having to buy them. She uses the app on her phone now to read it, and still does the strip test as a backup if the readings don't look right.

The potential of these devices, which is somewhat untapped is getting data back to doctors so they have it before they see their patient.

as well as testing the monitor itself, that was the other goal of the trial she was on with the hospital. The logs of the readings still get sent to the diabetic clinic so they can go through them and discuss any problems or trends at her next appointment.

[MojoJojo]

He's gone an' got 1 million subscribers! Worth a mention at least.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I really enjoyed his latest video. It's about a Technics digital player/recorder that used VHS tapes.

It beat cd's to the market apparently.

[Cloud]

Yep I watch all those guys as well.  Quite like seeing mancave bring some battered old Amiga back to former glory.

[Natnar]

Oddity Archive is another retro channel that sometimes covers old media formats.

https://www.youtube.com/user/OddityArchive

[Dewt]

Technology Connections is the best tech channel on YouTube. So in-depth and well-researched.

Although he did say "you don't need switches on power outlets on US outlets because he can't think of any appliance that doesn't have an on/off switch in the US". WHAT ABOUT THE RICER COOKER. WHAT ABOUT THE GOD DAMNED RICE COOKER.

[Sebastian Cobb]

In lieu of a proper switch, do you still get old/paranoid/tight people in the US who unplug things from the wall?

My grandparents used to do that with their telly despite it being an old piece of shit with a hard power switch.