Nightcoder's blog

I spent quite a while figuring out how to disable or unbind the NVidia's Statistics Overlay that appears when you press Alt + R by default. It's really frustrating that NVIDIA has taken over the Alt + R combination. Not only is it easy to trigger Alt + R by accident, but this hotkey is commonly used for other purposes as well. Here’s how you can rebind it to something else: 1) Open the NVIDIA app and click the “triangle” icon in the top right corner: 2) In the just appeared overlay click the Settings icon: 3) Then select Shortcuts: 4) And finally change "Toggle statistics overlay on/off" hotkey to something else:

AutoHotkey 2.0 enables sophisticated automation workflows by binding custom scripts to hardware inputs. Among countless other things, this can create seamless integration between peripheral devices and web-based AI interfaces through keystroke interception and URL automation. The approach described in this article leverages the script's hotkey system to map mouse button events to chat AI queries.  Explanation of the workflow AutoHotkey v2 scripts can execute chat AI queries through URL automation and web browser integration, enabling rapid access to specific AI assistance workflows. The core implementation involves creating hotkey functions that open browser tabs with pre-constructed query parameters—for example, " grok.com?q=ask something " launches Grok with the prompt "ask something". AutoHotKey scripts can leverage clipboard control to capture selected text and append contextual prompts before submitting to AI services.   I personally like mice with many pro...

(PSA EV18-NEO) I often get questions about adding subwoofers to a sound system. Having recent experience with this, I decided to write an article on choosing and calibrating them. One common question is whether you can achieve quality sound by adding a subwoofer to an existing system without replacing everything. The answer is: with a good subwoofer and proper calibration—absolutely. I don’t have experience with ultra-expensive high-end subwoofers, but in the mid-range ($500–$3,000 per sub), the top five manufacturers are: Rythmik PSA (Power Sound Audio, owned by Tom Vodhanel, a former SVS founder) SVS HSU Monoprice (Monolith line) JTR Subwoofers have great reviews, but they are considered hi-end and are pricey compared to the previous manufacturers. For example their 18" sealed sub (Captivator RS1) is currently $3700 You can’t go wrong with any of these. SVS is the most popular, and though they’re a bit pricey, their advantage is accessibility. You can order them easily and retu...

I already own the perfect open-back headphones within a $2,000 budget—the HIFIMAN HE1000 v2—but I decided to pursue the best closed-back headphones available. Life is short, and I spend several hours daily listening to music through headphones, whether working or walking. Music is a constant in my life. Now I wanted closed-back headphones for better isolation from external noise. I share my office room with two parrots, and while I adore them, their songs and screeches often disrupt my ability to fully immerse myself in music. To find the best closed-back headphones, I began by reading dozens of reviews from reputable sources like audiophile-heaven.com and head-fi.org . After compiling a list of top contenders, I visited several large stores in the Greater New York City area, such as B&H , to test them. For models unavailable in stores, I ordered “used, like new” options from Amazon and Walmart to save money and ensure returns wouldn’t be an issue, as the headphones had already be...

For many years, I wanted to get a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device to share files between the PCs and other devices on my home network. However, the high prices of good NAS models always stopped me. A decent model with reliable hardware and software could easily cost $700 or more. So I set up what you might call a "poor man's NAS" by connecting an external USB drive to my router and sharing it across my home network. However, I constantly ran into problems with this setup (I use Windows on my PCs). For some reason, my PCs would frequently lose access to the shared drives, and it often took a frustratingly long time to reattach the network drive. For instance, one PC on my network might still have access to the shared drive, while another PC wouldn’t be able to access it at all. This issue persisted for years and was a constant headache. It’s not just me, either—my friend, who is also an advanced PC user, experienced the same problems with external USB drives connec...