Tips-A2Z: The best tips on (Computer hardware) Technology

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware > Virtual machines
Improve the speed of virtual machines:

Increase the amount of RAM you have on your computer. If you are able to make a lot of RAM available to the virtual machine, you can turn off its disk cache, providing even further speed improvements.
Multiple CPU cores will help.
Storing your virtual machine files on a separate hard drive to your main hard drive will help.
Keep your drives defragmented.
Hardware Assisted Virtualization helps. You may have to enable it in BIOS as well as turn it on in software.
The faster the hard drive the better

^{thesource (378)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Security
Basic security measures:

Antivirus software. (Common free antivirus programs include Avast Free edition, AVG free edition, and Avira free edition.
A firewall (A common free firewall is Comodo).
Scanners for adware and spyware (eg, Spybot Search and Destroy and Adaware).
If you share your computer environment with other people you will probably want to password protect your computer login account.
Software is readily available for encrypting sensitive files and wiping files from the disk so that they cannot be recovered after they have been deleted [ link ].

^{thesource (378)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Laptops > Performance & maintenance
To maximise speed of your laptop do these things:

1) Increase the RAM to the maximum allowable (usually 2-3GB, rarely 1GB). That is, buy more RAM chips but ensure they are compatible with your model by inserting them in the unit at the hardware vendor if they allow swapping parts without penalty.
2) Set your Virtual Memory to twice your physical memory (System Properties[Windows Flag Key+Pause/Break]->Advanced->Performance Settings->Advanced->Virtual Memory). Set initial and maximum in XP to the same value.
3) Defragment your hard drive, or better still use an SSD.
4) Ensure at least 15GB free space on your hard drive. If not, get a larger hard drive.
5) Check in Task Manager that you aren't running byte-hungry applications you don't need. Check your Startup folder for them also.
6) Replace drives older than three years if they have had steady use. Or newer drives with heavy use. Seek times decrease over time with drive wear. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Laptops > Performance & maintenance
Startup problems: Sometimes laptops don't start up at all. Try to take out the RAM chips (usually one at the back and one behind the keyboard at the front) and the hard drive. That often solves the problem. Also try another hard drive if you have one, if the previous steps have no effect. If it's a battery problem, discharge any residual power in the unit by removing the battery and unplugging the AC adapter, then holding in the power button for 7 seconds. Then try to start it with AC power only. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Internet > Browsing
Spelling checker: You can check the spelling of what you write in your web browser, such as when you are submitting tips to this site, by using browser add-on tools such as IESpell ( link ) or the Google toolbar. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Internet > Browsing
Open links in a new tab or window: This is something I do all the time so that I don't lose the page I already have on the screen. Also, by loading several different links concurrently in this way you are able to load the pages more quickly than if you loaded them one at a time. This is particularly useful when you want to view several different pages from a slow-loading site. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers
Drivers: Keep a copy of all the drivers you need for your computer on your hard drive. This way, when you need to reload a driver, you don't need to go hunting for an elusive driver disc. Make a folder on your hard drive called "Drivers". Inside this folder, create subfolders like "Video" and "Sound", and copy your driver files into the appropriate folder for when you need them. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers
System Restore: If your sound suddenly starts going jittery, videos won't play or an application doesn't work the way it used to, including programs within web pages, just restore the PC to an earlier time through System Restore. Keep going back until it works if it doesn't the first time. None of your data or programs will be affected. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware > Video Cards
If your video is still too dark, it's due to the age of your monitor. Older monitors get darker. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers
Standby Mode S3 Suspend: This is an incredible mode because it uses only 1 watt more than when you turn the whole PC off but leave it plugged in (soft power), but at the touch of a button you have your session back totally unchanged. The main benefits are quick resumption of what you were doing, huge power saving and a quieter room. It's an unbeatable feature everyone should use, but remember you may have to set the Standby or Suspend Mode to S3 in your BIOS. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware
Sound cards: Onboard sound is definitely inferior to a PCI Sound Card. It also means more processing work is done off the motherboard. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Html
Use percentages as widths in order to influence the layout in a manner compatible with variable screen sizes. For example, set a table to a width of 90%, rather than a width of, say, 600 (pixels). ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a battery backup unit which can supply power to your computer for a period of time when your mains power is unavailable. The battery power kicks-in the instant the mains power fails, and gives you a chance to save your work or finish-up whatever it is you are doing. These units are now cheap enough for the home computer user. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Repair & maintenance
A spare computer: It can be very worthwhile to keep a spare old computer that is not too dissimilar to your main machine. That way, if your main machine starts malfunctioning, you can either revert to your spare computer, or you can swap parts from your older computer into your main computer, to help you discover which part is failing. For example, if you suspect you might be having video card problem then it helps to have a spare working video card to be able to test your theory. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Brazing & soldering > Brazing (Oxy-acetylene)
FOOF: Fuel - Oxygen - Oxygen - Fuel. This is the safety procedure for starting and finishing:

ON: Turn the Fuel knob on first, a small amount. Then turn on Oxygen, a smaller amount. Light the fuel. Add fuel and oxygen to get a very acute-angle blue flame, and hardly any yellow flame. The longer the tip, the hotter the point.

OFF: Turn down the Oxygen to create a yellow fuel-only flame. Turn off the Fuel. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Brazing & soldering > Brazing (Oxy-acetylene)
Safety: If the lit fuel suddenly cuts out, you'll hear a pop, where only oxygen is emitted from the gas-axe. Cut the gases immediately: O-F. If your regulators are poor, and the flame reverses up, you may blow yourself up. Remember, never turn the fuel off before the oxygen! ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Jigs
Some useful items to create jigs: strong metal magnets, metal clamps, high-melting point metal-wire. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Metals
Melting-points: See this table to compare various metals' strengths: link ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Brazing & soldering
Technique: For efficiency, heat along the metal pieces and filler rod, to the same temperature, such that the filler runs like lava up the join. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Forgeweld
Blacksmithing: A good forge has a continuous supply of oxygen, heat-retaining properties, and is situated very close to the anvil. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Forgeweld
Tempering: To keep metal in a 'good temper', the molecular structure needs to be uniformly soft. After beating and hardening at the anvil, heat it uniformly at the forge-fire, then quench in a water bath nearby. Repeat while working the metal. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Forgeweld
Strength: For a uniform molecular structure, resistant to warping and stress-fractures, make sure the final product is uniformly heated and then quenched. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Forgeweld
DIY backyard forge: There must be good ventilation. Saw off one-quarter (a corner) from 20-30 gallon drum, and fill the drum with ordinary blue-metal gravel. Clamp a gas-axe to point into the centre of the gravel bed. Use a railway sleeper as an anvil and a flat-head metal mallet as hammer. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Welding & brazing > Brazing & soldering > Brazing (Oxy-acetylene)
Pre-brazing: Clean the areas to be joined until the original metal shines, using files and wire brush. Lightly apply flux to reduce oxidation, and let dry. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Useful things > Drills
Tap and die set: This is very handy, to repair threads on bolts and screws, or to make new ones. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming
Virtual machines: Modern computers are now fast enough, and have enough memory, to do your programming inside a virtual machine on your computer. This helps to isolate your programming environment from anything else you are doing on your computer, which can make your life easier. A bug in an experimental program on the virtual machine will not be able to wreak havoc on the rest of your files. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Algorithms
Shell sort: An efficient way to sort up to a couple of hundred items.

Procedure ShellSort(var a: array of Word);


var


  bis, i, j, k: LongInt;


  h: Word;


begin


  bis := High(a);


  k := bis shr 1;// div 2


  while k > 0 do


  begin


    for i := 0 to bis - k do


    begin


      j := i;


      while (j >= 0) and (a[j] > a[j + k]) do


      begin


        h := a[j];


        a[j] := a[j + k];


        a[j + k] := h;


        if j > k then


          Dec(j, k)


        else


          j := 0;


      end; // {end while]


    end; // { end for}


    k := k shr 1; // div 2


  end;  // {end while}





end;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Algorithms
Quick sort: Efficient sorting of large numbers of items.

procedure QuickSort(var A: array of Integer; 


                        iLo, iHi: Integer) ;


var


  Lo, Hi, Pivot, T: Integer;


begin


  Lo := iLo;


  Hi := iHi;


  Pivot := A[(Lo + Hi) div 2];


  repeat


    while A[Lo] < Pivot do Inc(Lo) ;


    while A[Hi] > Pivot do Dec(Hi) ;


    if Lo <= Hi then


     begin


       T := A[Lo];


       A[Lo] := A[Hi];


       A[Hi] := T;


       Inc(Lo) ;


       Dec(Hi) ;


     end;


  until Lo > Hi;


  if Hi > iLo then QuickSort(A, iLo, Hi) ;


  if Lo < iHi then QuickSort(A, Lo, iHi) ;


end;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > CSS
General CSS tips:

Keep it Simple: complex code will cause you a lot of trouble in the long-run. Concentrate on usability rather than fancy colors.

Margins and padding: take care with these on all elements that you use, as different browsers will use different default amounts of margin and padding.

Don't use "divs" for everything when a HTML element will do (eg, e.g. p, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, ul, ol, dl etc...)

Validate your CSS code: link ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > CSS
Useful snippets:

Fancy table borders: <table style=”border: 2px blue”> ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Delphi Code snippets
Converting strings to and from Pchars:
Use"StrPCopy" to convert a string into a pchar.

function StrPCopy(Dest: PChar; 


                  const Source: string): PChar;

Use "StrPas" to convert a pchar into a string.

function StrPas(Str: PChar): string;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux
For help using Linux, check internet forums. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux
To test Linux, try it 'live'. This means it is not installed onto your computer. You can trial-run a downloaded package from within Windows or straight from a CD (e.g. Knoppix). ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux
Take a test to find a distribution to suit you: link ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Internet > Downloading
Use a download manager. It reduces the risk of losing files if there are server problems, because the manager can resume from where it left off.

Some managers also check file integrity, by using a checksum matching process. E.g.:

Using Free Download Manager, right-click on the downloaded software in the list of downloads, select 'Check file integrity', and enter in the box the md5sum provided on the download website.

It will be something like: 512c8346b0f8eb35f28c4eb96454d391 ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Internet > Searching
Google: To narrow your search results:

Group words within quotation marks to keep the words together; for example, a search for "south africa" will find more specific results than searching for the words without the quotation marks.

If you are searching for a site within your own country, you can restrict your search to sites that have the appropriate domain name, for example, to search only sites that have the Australian ".au" extension, you can specify in your search: site:.au ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi
Some keyboard shortcuts:

<ctrl><shift><i> : indent selected rows

<ctrl><shift><u> : unindent selected rows

<ctrl><shift><0..9> : set or remove the bookmark 0..9.

<ctrl><0..9> : jump to bookmark 0..9 in the currently opened file.

<ctrl><shift><g> : create a new GUID.

<ctrl>t : delete word

hold <shift> key down : then use arrows, home and end keys, to select text.

<ctrl><home> : jump to start of file

<ctrl><end> : jump to end of file

F12 : switch between form and code ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Delphi Code snippets
Some one-liners:

Display last system error message:

ShowMessage(SysErrorMessage(GetLastError()));

Convert a number to currency:

FloatToStrF(Value, ffCurrency, 15, CurrencyDecimals); // "15" is the precision, where "Value" is a "Double"

File name of application:

ExtractFileName(Application.ExeName);

Path of application:

ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName);

Let other applications use the CPU when you're in a loop:

Application.ProcessMessages;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Delphi Code snippets
Running on Vista?

function IsWindowsVista: Boolean;   


var VerInfo: TOSVersioninfo;


begin


  VerInfo.dwOSVersionInfoSize := SizeOf(TOSVersionInfo);


  GetVersionEx(VerInfo);        


  Result := VerInfo.dwMajorVersion >= 6;


end;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware > Optical drives > DVD
Making a bootable DVDROM:

Choose an ISO file suitable for your computer. This file contains the operating system. It is either for: PowerPC (Mac), or 32bit (x86, pre-2004), or for 62bit (x86_64, new computers).

Choose a burning program that can burn ISO images. Follow steps like these:

- Erase the DVDROM disk you wish to burn the file to, or see that it is empty.

- In Nero 8, choose: Burning ROM, DVDROM(boot). Settings: Image file, no emulation, loaded sectors: 4, no relaxation of restrictions. Select 'New (compilation)'. In the main menu, select: Disc / Set ISO labels (e.g. 'OPENSUSE11X86_64'). Then: Recorder/Burn image.

- In CDBurnerXP v4, choose: Burn ISO image. Settings: Select ISO image, Disk at Once, Write speed: 4x (5540KBps).

Test the DVD works. First enter the BIOS/setup to change the boot sequence to begin with CD/DVD. To enter BIOS, press your computer's BIOS key before the POST (e.g. F2). ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux > SuSE
For a free and excellent operating system, try the new openSUSE 11. Installation is easy. But you will need to install DVD-playing codecs separately from here: link (as the usual codecs are proprietary software) ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux > SuSE
Security: Like all Linux distributions, internet-security is not the issue it is in Windows because Linux installs all system files in a separate "root" partition inaccessible in the normal runlevel. It can only be accessed by a "root" password. However, SuSE ships with the AppArmor firewall should you think it necessary. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux > SuSE
Desktop environment: This presents a range of the typical user's applications, with variations. The options in SuSE are: Gnome, KDE 3.5, or KDE 4.0. Gnome is the simplest, and most stable; KDE 4.0 has less stability but most development.

Multiple desktops: A single desktop is basically the graphic user environment, that sits "under" all the programs/windows that are opened. It usually holds shortcuts to the user's favourite applications. To have multiple desktops, e.g. one for file management, one for internet and email, one for entering commands in the console, and so forth, do this:

Right-click on the toolbar panel, 'add widget' and choose KPager for as many desktops as you like. Give desktops short memorable names like 'fs' for filesystem, 'mu' for music, and these will display in the tiny KPager icon on the toolbar panel.

Attach applications to particular desktops by right-clicking on an application's titlebar and choosing either 'To Desktop: mu' or 'Advanced/Special Application Settings/Desktop/Apply Initially/mu'.

A short-cut: Alt+Tab or Alt+Shift+Tab cycles forwards or backwards through desktops. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Operating systems > Linux > SuSE
Short-cuts: Find shortcuts and tips in KTip.
- Use the command-line to run KTip (or any application or command).
- Type Alt+F2 to run the command-line.
- Type KTip in the command-line to run KTip.
- You can also browse URLs by typing them in the command-line.

Some useful shortcuts:
- Double-click on title bar of application to reduce it to titlebar only.
- Hold Alt key and left-click on window to drag and move it with the mouse. Hold Alt key and right-click and drag window to resize it.
- Middle-click pastes text after copying with left-click selection.

- Within Konqueror which is a file manager, web browser, and server file manager:

fish://username@hostname -this accesses server files you have ssh access to, when typed into the location bar in Konqueror;

gg:----- -fill the blank with a search term to search in Google;

help:/------ -fill the blank with application name to open the help handbook for that application;

F4 -open a terminal console at the current location to avoid having to change directories manually.

- Within Konsole, the terminal console, which is similar to Window's command-line program:

kmail --composer - typing this into the console has the email program open up only the composing window to send an email. ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Algorithms
Rounding: The built-in round function might not always return the result you want. For example: Round(25.5) = 26, but Round(26.5) = 26.

It is called a "banker's round", and rounds to the nearest even number. For a large number of operations, there is no bias.

The following function will round-up if the fractional part >= 0.5:

function RoundN(x: Extended): LongInt;


begin


  Result := Int(X) + Int(Frac(X) * 2);


end;

The following function will round (as per RoundN), but to a certain number of decimal places:

function RoundD(x: Extended; d: Integer): Extended;


// RoundD(123.456, 0) = 123.00


// RoundD(123.456, 2) = 123.46


// RoundD(123456, -3) = 123000


var n: Extended;


begin


  n := IntPower(10, d);


  x := x * n;


  Result := (Int(x) + Int(Frac(x) * 2)) / n;


end;

^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi
Moving and sizing a component precisely:

To move a component to an exact spot, select the component, then press and hold the CONTROL key, then use the cursor keys to move the component in 1 dot increments.

To resize a component precisely, select the component, then press and hold the SHIFT key, then use the cursor keys to resize the component in 1 pixel increments. ^{Kevin Solway (173)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Video tutorials
The best free video tutorial series for Delphi beginners is by Nick Hodges: link . It is far shorter and clearer, being more principle-driven, than the 3DBuzz series link . ^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Programming > Delphi > Delphi Code snippets
2 ways to do 'if and, then':

if (SentenceAge >= '18') then


      if (SentenceAge <= '20') then


Result := IntToStr(TrQi4) + ' - ' + IntToStr(TrB);

if (SentenceAge >= '18') and (SentenceAge <= '20') then


Result := IntToStr(TrQi4) + ' - ' + IntToStr(TrB);

^{kellyjones00 (593)}

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Main > Technology > Computers > Computer hardware > Peripherals
Headphones: Some brands like Sennheiser make a range of models with detachable cables. Each ear has a cable with a 3.5mm jack that plugs right into the ear. If the headphone fails in one ear, its almost always the cable, which costs less than a third of the price of a new set of headphones. Cables are the most common failure point of headphones but over 95% of headphones do not make them as detachable, replaceable genuine accessories. ^{myxlfidian (150)}

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