Kit BashirMar 22

#ToolOfTheDay USB ammeters (especially for USB type C) are super handy, but a number of models ONLY work when USB power delivery protocol is being used (so they appear to be broken when only plugged in at one end, when plugged into a charge-only cable, or prior to completing PD negotiation). This¹ ² one is not so cheap as many but works with all kinds of power sources.

¹ Affiliate link that will earn me $1.15 https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4C6aJQF
² Direct link for ad-blocker users https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008653105296.html

(attn @voltagex)

KWS-X1 4V-30V 12A Typ C Tester Voltmeter Amperemeter TYPE-C Schnelle Ladung Erkennung Trigger Kapazität Messung Welligkeit Messung - AliExpress 1420

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

aliexpress.
Show threadisolMar 22

@Unixbigot @voltagex

$1.15 to you, out of $1.42 🤯

Show threadKit Bashir
@isol normal price is $18. If you're seeing $1.42 that's probably a first-purchase-discount offered by AliExpress.
Mar 22 at 2:39amWeb
Show threadHolgerPietaMar 22
@Unixbigot @isol I just noticed that this is, in a weird way, advertisement for open source software (and also hardware).
Even for 20 to 30 units of $hard_currency, it seems impossible to develop such a tool, if you start from scratch. Which you have to, as a western company, because everything is patented and copyrighted.
Chinese companies just happily copy everything from everywhere, add a feature or two, maybe fix a bug or two, usually add a bug or two, produce a couple thousand units and sell them under a hundred different "brand names".
And they even have the same warranty conditions like open source: If it breaks, you get to keep the pieces.