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Stuff to buy

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Many 🛒links are from aliexpress (Q2-2025) and may be expired. Search yourself with the keywords.
🗒️ Note: I am not sponsored, I do not affiliate or try to do advertising even if providing links, nor encourage to buy anything. Always try to get official genuine tools and hardware to support the original developers.
Listed are tools/devices/gadgets I find useful and/or think are must-haves:

If you consider buying from aliexpress, see if you can have regional products for a similar price instead.
If you need it cheap, often Action, TEDi and Thomas Philipps are the better and cheaper choice.
When you do buy from aliexpress, apply vouchers/codes and don't buy in the evening (prices rise during the day, at least for me) and use picture search to find lowest prices quickly.

Notebook / PC buying guide

Notebooks are defined by integrated input and output devices. So make these your main priority, next to housing quality. Business line notebooks are more robust and offer longer spare parts.
- Consider buying refurbished business notebooks like Thinkpad, (HP) Elitebook - Do not buy TN-Panel LCDs, but go for IPS, VA or OLED. - Do you really need touch? If yes, consider going for “360°”-hinge (or convertible) with active pen as input (e.g. Thinkpad X1 Yoga)
- Do you want keyboard backlight? Ask yourself if you are fine with half-size up/down arrow keys. Do you want a numpad? It might squeeze layout.
- Touchpads with glas surfaces are awesome (Thinkpad T-series upgrades from X1 possible) (#TODO: add links). Do you want a TrackPoint?
- Do not buy any CPU older than Intel 8th Core i-generation or AMD Zen+ 2nd-Gen for Windows. (8th-gen Intel i5 is 4+cores and offers 2 Hyperthreads per Core, no need for i7 anymore).
- See notebookcheck.com for tests and internal photos.
- See prad.de for Monitors
- See panelook.com for Displays

technical stuff

Show technical suff

- Which Multimeter to buy? Read the tests&reviews on lygte-info.dk
- Do not buy WiFi enabled SmartHome devices with vendor apps. Go for standards like Zigbee, Matter (over Thread / WiFi) or OSS versions.
- get yourself a router for openwrt or alike, see Table of Hardware. No need for piHole; luci-adblocker is awesome. DIY projects with USB-audio,webstreaming,(hw)button executed scripting etc. Good experiences with ipq806x (USB3 and eSATA for NAS).
- get yourself an USB-OBD2 service cable for your car. See if ELM327 does the trick.
- scalpel with removable blades. use the flat blades in various sizes without the “pen” as leveraging tool for opening cases/sockets or removing stuff.
- Pine64 Pinecil / TS100 USB-C soldering iron
- Solder sucker desoldering pump + Litze + Flux-Pen + isopropyl alcohol + Kapton-tape + PCB-wire
- fume extractor ventilation
- hot plate to preheat PCBs for SMD soldering (600W ~6€)
- RL-069 Kolophonium Zerstäuber Stift (~7€)
- 🛒tweezer set (10pcs ~5€)
- 🛒902 ESD SMD double soldering iron Pinzette Clip tip (modify plug for you soldering station) (~15€)
- 30x 40mm Magnifier / Magnifying Glass Lens (sold for Coins Stamps) (~4€)
- Swing Arm 2in1 Desk Lamp and Clamp with 10X Magnifying Glass (~20€)
- 🛒USB microscope with >=500x zoom (~11€)
- 🛒USB endoscope camera fixed (~3.5€)
- iR laser thermal sensor gun (~9€)
- flexible Octopus Arms Welding Table Clamps Bench (~6€+) (some versions have magnifying glass too)
- XY7025 PSU (~20€) / XY6020l with LCD to use with old laptop PSU
||| XY7025 70V/25A/1750W CNC Stabilized Voltage Power Supply Buck Converter CC CV Constant Voltage Constant Current Step-Down Module 🛒https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007980654262.html
- crocodile clamp cables to banana plug (2pcs ~1.5€) or to USB-A (~1.3€) and test pin hooks (~1€)
- 🛒battery spot welder (needs battery with enough juice, e.g. car battery)
- Hantek 6022BL PC USB Oszilloskope 20MHz (~60€)
- 🛒DC-022B 9K-3G PROBE EMC EMI Near Field Probe
- 🛒Multimeter Probe Tweezers for SMD Components Chip Test Clip (~2.5€)
- 🛒MemoryStick uSD-Card adapter (dual) [can be soldered to M2 slot too] (~2-3€)
- Laptop PSU adapter from/to USB-C PD (e.g. Lenovo ~2.5€)
- 🛒Multi-Functional Utility Triange Cross Switch Key for water plumbing, train, electric cabinet (Schaltschrankschlüssel)(~3€)(cut off to use on keychain)
- 50W plastic welding repair gun (~15€)
- diamond cutting blades for dremel rotary tool (aliexpress mix) (~3€)
- mini rotary tool
- get good (ring) light for camera photo shoots
- FDM 3D-printer with PETG filament

development

show electronics for development

- SDR DVB-T USB-stick for frequencies like 433MHz/868MHz RF
- cheap 🛒USB logic analyzer to use with pulseview (~5€): Best bucks ever spent!
- perfboards, various adapter breakout boards for SMD to DIP and for 🛒USB-C socket (also 6P with CC1). various connectors and plugs like QWIC and dupont cables with breadboard
- AMS1117 (3.3V) LDO board and level-shifter breakout boards
- LiPo charger breakout boards like MH-CD42 for IP5306-I2C(see here and heartbeat). TP4056 / TP4057 as 1A standalone module, see IP2312 for 3A with trickle charge.
- 🛒USB Type-C QC AFC PD2.0 PD3.0 adapter with DIP switch (~1.6€)
- CP2102 / CH340 / FTDI232 or similar USB-TTL-Adapter
- 🛒ESP32-C6 mini dev board or 🛒ESP32-C6-DevKitM-1 with CH340 onboard
- 🛒ESP32 Thread Border Router / Zigbee Gateway BLE ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 with ESP32-H2-MINI-1 (~13€ dep. on ram/flash size)
- ESP32-CAM module or various OV2640 camera modules (different angles) (~5€)
- 🛒HDMI expansion board for PiPico (RP2040 / RP235x) (~3€)
- STM32-Nucleo board has ST-LINK/V2-1 programmer (virtual COM port for debugging and mass storage emulation for flashing) and can also be used with openOCD for other MCUs
- universal programming adapter for CH340 or for PICKIT ICD2

PICKit 2/3/3.5/4 differences

🔧 PICKit 2 (around 2005)
    ✅ Good for older 8-bit PICs (e.g., 16F, 18F)
    ❌ No support for newer chips (no support for newer PICs like PIC18F K-series)
    ❌ No support for MPLAB X IDE
    ✅ Has UART tool (basic serial debug)
    💡 Best for legacy/hobby use only
    
⚙️ PICKit 3 (around 2010)
    ✅ Supports most 8/16-bit PICs
    ✅ Works with MPLAB X IDE
    ✅ Faster and more powerful than PICKIT 2
    ✅ Supports newer protocols and higher voltages.
    ❌ Many bad clones are unstable, poor voltage regulation
    ❌ No UART tool
    💡 Okay for budget use—if you get a good clone

🛠️ PICKit 3.5 (enhanced clone)
    ✅ Same support as Pickit 3, but often with better components
    ✅ More stable VDD/VPP, some versions include external power supply option
    ✅ Proper buffering on ICSP lines
    ❌ No UART tool
    💡 Not an official Microchip product, improved clone, often faster than v3
    💡 Best value among clones — reliable for general use

🚀 Pickit 4 (official only)
    ✅ Supports all PICs, dsPICs, and newer MCUs (32-bit, AVR, SAM)
    ✅ Fastest programming, USB-C, SD card support
    ✅ Actively supported by MPLAB X and Microchip
    ❌ More expensive (~$50–$60)
    💡 Best for professional or long-term use

bicycle stuff

stuff for bikes

- Fahrradlader.de v3 to get 5V-USB from dynamo hub (~35€) [might even fit into your steer tube]
- (racing bike) handle bar end caps aluminium with screw (~1.5€) or 🛒rear-view mirror
- anti flat tire protection belt (2pcs ~2.5€)
- 🛒Garmin holder for ahead mount stem adapter (~3€) and its 🛒counterpart (~2€)
- matix leather grips (no ad, but I like them)
- ring bell (stylish) or steer tube mounted bells. Also see mini-bell on racing bike handle bar strips
- straps for regular pedals with hook-and-loop fastener (I also ride the backside with them) Cautious on injuries!
- reflective tubes for spokes

car stuff

stuff for cars

- 3.5mm (AUX) audio cable
- Gravity Car Phone Holder Air Vent Clip Mount phone holder as alternative 🛒from Essager (ali) or 🛒similar from action
- DC to 240VAC 220W converter
- Essager USB-C car quick charger (PD3.0,QC4.0,PPS) buck converter (=12V max!) (🛒105W ~7€) (45W/54W/66W/80W/89W/120W/140W too)
- Universal Sun Visor Clip Sunglasses (magnetic, different shapes): 🛒https://aliexpress.com/item/1005006138684894.html
- Hooks for headrest: 🛒https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005997257255.html (~2€)
- oil smell diffusor from aliexpress (get them which plain sticks and use organic oil): 🛒https://aliexpress.com/item/1005007550184010.html (~3€)
- 🛒ELM327(v1.5) with PIC18f25k80 or Renolink service cable. There are also other bluetooth or wifi OBD-2 CAN adapter with apps to play with (pay caution to security!)
- Android Auto WiFi USB dongle (I still won't get one, pointless to me)
- door floor projector lights with logo:
a) build yourself (and modify/cut door panels) e.g. with 🛒angel wings logo (2pcs ~6€) or 🛒custom logo/text (2pcs ~12€)
b) external, battery powered projectors: 🛒https://aliexpress.com/item/1005008710209021.html
- LED license plate bulbs (check for StVO!) (why change bulbs if not defective? ¿LED might have PWM flicker?)
- electronic parking disc like Parkwächter
- Dashcam | See what's inside a USB-dashcam
- cheap “HUD” projector on plexi for dashboard | Also see modified BMW HUD projector project/hack
- 433MHz RF dublicating remote control (there are also better 🛒280-868MHz versions) e.g. for garage door and remote sockets
- silica gel bag in a box for de-humidification / drying: reuse by baking dry again before it gets soggy.
- Extend your vintage (car) stereo with (bluetooth enabled) FM-transmitter 🛒https://aliexpress.com/item/1005008839803108.html (~3€)

For more, see "Renault R-Link2 section"

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