Unboxing #6: Unboxing of K-CEVE AM-KVM401-K and KC-KVM401A 4-port HDMI KVM switches | In The Lab

This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video on this show’s homepage which is here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Current Commander

Today: another unboxing video! I do these, not because I think that my regular viewers are going to be particularly interested, but because you really only get the opportunity to do these on the day that new equipment arrives, and I figure it might be helpful for people who search for unboxing videos for a particular product, so they can see what’s in the box before they make a purchasing decision.

This video is an unboxing of two different 4-port HDMI KVM switches. I would give you affiliate links but these don’t seem to be available in the USA, so here are the non-affiliated Amazon Australia links:

For the record I paid AU$64.56 for the AM-KVM401-K (US$40) and AU$84.14 for the KC-KVM401A (US$55). I don’t know what algorithm is in charge of pricing at Amazon but the prices seem to have gone way up since I purchased these things two days ago, now the AM-KVM401-K is AU$75.96 and the KC-KVM401A is AU$98.99, so not sure what’s up with that (but I do NOT like the idea that Amazon has a pricing system that isn’t offering all shoppers the same price all the time, which this smells like).

I reckon the K-CEVE marketing department is going to bit pretty upset with engineering or manufacturing about this, but when I was unboxing the AM-KVM401-K the front panel push button switch just dead set fell out! That’s gotta be embarrassing for someone.

Having done the unboxing I’ve decided I’m gonna try the larger KC-KVM401A unit first. Its larger size is a disadvantage but I like the fact that it has USB-A instead of USB-C inputs and I’m also happy that it has a dedicated 5V power rail, the AM-KVM401-K is powered off the USB bus which is less desirable.

I will post another article later to let you know how I went when I actually plug these things in, which I haven’t actually done yet.

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe!


Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Yum Cha TE-801 Third HandThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Electronics Project #1: ALKOY Capacitor Discharge Pen Teardown | In The Lab With Jay Jay

This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video on this show’s homepage which is here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Electron Herder

This video is a teardown of the ALKOY Capacitor Discharge Pen which I did for YouTube user t1d100 who asked me about it over here: Demo of the ALKOY Capacitor Discharge Pen | In The Lab With Jay Jay.

I made a bunch of mistakes while making this video, so please bear with me. I tried to add some captions to explain things when I went wrong.

The discharge pen that I have was purchased from Amazon Australia here: 1000V Portable Capacitor Discharge Pen High Voltage Quick Discharging Tool Constant Discharge Pen Electronic Repairs Discharge Pen ALKOY.

There seems to be a similar product available from Amazon USA here: YEKMLCO Capacitor Discharge Pen Fast Discharging High Voltage 1000V Repair Tool Discharger for Electronic Safety Intelligent (affiliate link).

In the video you can watch me break this thing open. I didn’t exactly know how to do it, and I permanently damaged the device while opening it. In the end I wasn’t 100% sure what the safe and proper way to open these things really is. Giving it a mighty pull might work, otherwise you will need to leverage off some friction locks.

Before I broke the device open I tried to measure the resistance across its probes, but all three measurement devices reported open circuit. The device doesn’t seem to engage the resistor until it detects a voltage.

Eventually I got the device open, you can see some photos of the circuit board below, and I make some attempt to identify the components.

The MB10F on the top is a bridge rectifier, the M7F in the middle is a rectifying diode, and the resistor at the bottom is 2MΩ. In the video I say that the resistor is a “two ohm resistor”, but it is actually a “two MEGA ohm resistor” (I knew that, I just misspoke).

I’m not 100% sure what the CS01N100 A3R is, but it seems than an CS01N100 A4R is a silicon N-Channel Power MOSFET, so I think that’s probably what that is.

As I broke this device during the teardown I have purchased myself a replacement device for AU$23.02.

In the video I use the following equipment (affiliate links where possible):

Mini Digital Tweezers Miniware DT71 Mini Digital Tweezers Smart SMD LCRDVF Tester Multimeter Signal Generator for Measuring Components
SMD Digital Tweezers UNI-T UT116A Digital Tweezers Smart SMD Tester Electrical Multimeter Resistance Capacitance Continuity Diode Test Meter
Component Tester FNIRSI DSO-TC3 Digital Oscilloscope Transistor Tester 10MS/s Sampling Rate 500kHz Bandwidth Support Diode LCR Detect Signal Generator
Soldering Station Horusdy 2in1 Soldering Station Solder Iron Rework Hot Air Blower Digital SMD Display + 11 Tips, 4 Nozzles & Tweezer Set
Mini Screwdriver Set Legion Tools Precision Mini Screwdriver Set 11pc Jeweller Laptop Phone Watch Repair Tool
Repair Mat Kaisi Heat Insulation Silicone Repair Mat with Scale Ruler and Screw Position for Soldering Iron, Phone and Computer Repair Size: 13.7 x 9.8 Inches
Desoldering Pump Kaisi Professional Solder Auxiliary Tool 6 piece double-sided repair tool with Desoldering Wick & Desoldering Pump
Craft Knife Precision Craft Knife Set 52pcs Professional Razor Sharp Knives for Art, Hobby

In the video I have trouble with the connections into the DSO-TC3, the connections are documented here: FNIRSI DSO-TC3.

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe!


Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Yum Cha 52 in 1 Tiger WrenchThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Channel News #1: Stetmann Cosplay Costume Reveal | Learning Electronics In The Lab With Jay Jay

This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video on this show’s homepage which is here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Craig Entertainer

Here it is! As planned, my new costume! Just for fun when I record electronics videos in my lab I’m gonna dress myself up like Egon Stetmann the scientist from StarCraft II:

The cosplay costume reveal is in this video. Also some news and discussion about the goals for the channel over the longer term.

As mentioned in this video I will have a new job title for my ID card for each video. The inaugural job title is Craig Entertainer, for my only regular reader, Craig. :)

Here are some affiliate links to the bits and pieces I got for the costume:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe!


Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

aToolTour Extra Long Magnetic Drill Bit ExtensionThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Johann Hari

Johann Hari is definitely a crank. I like him already! He wrote a book about drugs and addiction called Chasing the Scream, and there was a famous TED talk he did about that. I haven’t read Chasing the Scream, but this evening I am going to read Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again.

Note: the links to Amazon above are affiliate links. I recently signed up for an affiliate account with Amazon. Is that cool? Is that not cool at all? What sort of disclosures are appropriate when you use affiliate links? I have never used them before and am not expecting to make any significant amount of money with them, so maybe I should just not use affiliate links at all? I dunno. Would be happy to hear from you if you have an opinion.

Hardware debugging

Read a bunch of stuff about hardware debugging. Learned a thing or two, but I have much further to go!

Books by Kevin Kelly

Here is a list of books from Kevin Kelly, the founding editor of Wired. This is just notes for Future John. I’m planning to read the first two, and maybe the last one; the others are old and hard to find in ebook or audible forms.

AliExpress sale

There is a sale on at AliExpress today. I picked up the following AU$881.75 worth of stuff for AU$225.03 (inc. tax and shipping).

Paid Price Item
$3.20 $18.51 100pcs 50pairs 6.3mm 16 14AWG Female Male Electrical Wiring Connector Insulated Crimp Terminal Spade Blue
$3.20 $18.67 100pcs Waterproof Solder Seal Heat Connector Shrink Butt Connectors Lug Terminals Electrical Wire Car Insulated Terminal
$3.20 $9.80 10pcs LED Male Female Adapter DC Connector 12V DC Power Plug 5.5X2.1mm For 5050 3528 LED Strip Light
$3.20 $16.42 2 Pin Connector Waterproof Connector Male and Female Way 20AWG Wire Suitable for Car Truck Boat Other Wire Connection 5 Pairs
$3.20 $10.79 230 Pcs XH2.54 2p 3p 4p 5pin 2.54mm Pitch Terminal Male And Female Housing Kit Pin Connector Terminal Connector Kit
$3.20 $15.63 120PIN Cable Dupont Line 10cm Male to Male Female to Female Male to FeMale Jumper Dupont Wire Cable For PCB DIY KIT
$3.20 $11.37 2.54mm JST Connector with 22AWG Pre-Crimped Wire, 2/3/4/5/6 Pin Housing JST Adapter Cable Connector 20cm Wire
$3.20 $17.35 50pcs 100pcs 200pcs Docking Terminal U Type Terminal Tab 0.3 To 1.5mm2 Terminal Block Connector Double Connector Terminal
$4.81 $15.55 Box Insulated Male Female Wire Connector 2.8/4.8/6.3mm Electrical Crimp Terminals Termin Spade Connectors Assorted Kit 270PCS
$3.20 $14.75 Glasses Screw Set Nose Support Lens Leg Nut Frameless Glasses Spacer Cap Accessories 18 Specification Screw Set Box
$3.20 $14.39 Aokin1PC 170 Universal Pliers DIY Electronic Diagonal Side Cutting Nippers Wire Cable Cutter 3D Printer Parts Hand Tools
$3.20 $13.14 Cable Heat-Shrinkable Tube High Temperature And Pressure-Resistant Insulation 2 Sets Of 5 Meters Wire Heat-Shrinkable Tube Black
$3.20 $14.36 10/5/1Pcs TYPE C USB 3.1 Type C Connector 16 Pin Test PCB Board Plate Adapter Socket For Data Line Wire Cable Transfer
$3.20 $17.22 1PC Digital Depth Gauge Caliper Tread Depth Gauge LCD Tire Tread Gauge For Car Tire 0-25mm Measurer Tool Caliper Repair Tools
$3.20 $22.36 4PCS 3D Printer Cooling Fan,4010 Blower 40X40 X 10mm Hydraulic Bearing Brushless DC 12v 24v Cooling Fans for 3D Printer
$3.20 $12.78 10Pcs DC Connectors 5.5×2.1mm 3.5×1.3mm DC Power Plug Male Female Jack Socket Nut Panel Mount DC Power Adapter Connector 5.5*2.1
$3.20 $13.68 Solder Suction Wire with Strong Suction and Strong Return Force for Repair Solder 2.5mm Width 1.5m Length Set
$3.20 $15.90 8pcs KCD1 On/Off 3-Pin 2-Position Snap 10A/125V, 6A/250V Red LED Round Boat Rocker Switch with LED For Househeld DIY Replacement
$3.20 $13.91 5pairs Female And Male DC Connectors 2.1×5.5mm Power Plug Adapter Jacks Sockets Connector For Signal Color LED Strip CCTV Camera
$3.20 $10.19 1m 41 Sealing Waterproofing AntiCorrosion Protection And Heat Shrink Tubing For WearResistant And Leak Proof MultiStrand Harness
$3.20 $13.73 30m Long Gold Finger High Temperature Resistant Tape Polyimide Tape Multi Size Pet Anti Static Lithium Battery Insulation Tape
$3.20 $17.29 10-50pcs 2 Pin Way Plug Waterproof Electrical Connector Car Wire Cable Automotive Electrical Connector Strip Terminal Connection
$3.20 $16.07 5 Pcs Add-a-Circuit Adapter APM Tap Mini Blade Micro 12V Car Fuse Box Holder Auto Motri Insurance ATM Adapter
$3.20 $14.84 2pcs 4010 Fan 3D Printer Fan DC 12V Mini Brushless Cooling Fan 40x40x10mm Hydraulic Bearing Fan with 2 Pin Terminal
$3.20 $13.04 10 Pairs 22 AWG JST Plug Connector 2 Pin Male Female Plug Connector Cable Wire for LED Lamp Strip RC Toys Battery Adapter 10cm
$3.20 $16.56 6Pcs Mini Rocker Switch 12 Volt ON Off Toggle Switch with Pre-Wired 6A/250V 10A/125V AC 12V DC Electrical Switches for DIY Apply
$5.63 $16.32 Hand Trimming Knife Deburring Scraper NB1100 Chamfer Trimming Removal Aluminum Alloy Plastic Waste Edge Tool Handle With Blade
$3.20 $17.61 300°C Heat-resistant Adhesive Tape PTFE Heat-resistant Insulation Tape, Thermal Insulation Adhesive Tape, Thickness 0.13mm,10M
$3.20 $12.04 2pc Ultra Thin Transparent Red Film Double Sided Tape With HighTemperature Resistance No Marks Waterproof Adhesion Strong Adhes
$3.20 $12.91 10Pcs SPST Snap-in ON-Off 2 Pin Round Snap Rocker Boat Switch Black AC 250V 6A 125V 10A for Household Appliances Replacement
$3.20 $13.15 Digital Voltmeter Ammeter DC 100V 10A Amp Voltage Current Meter Tester 0.28 Inch Dual LED Display Panel with Connect Wires
$3.20 $11.38 50pcs 25set T Type Terminal Blocks Wire and Cable Connection Clamps Quick and Non Stripping Plugs Cable Connectors Home
$3.20 $15.23 Copper Adhesive Tape,conductive Protective Tape,Copper Foil Tape,The Tape Heat-resistant,width:5mm,6mm,10mm,length:20M
$11.23 $33.64 240/480Sets Metal Double Cap Rivet Stud Round Nail Spike With Tool Kits For Leathercraft DIY Shoes Bag Belt Clothing Accessories
$6.41 $23.64 28pcs Pyrography Kit Copper Welding Soldering Tips Wood Pyrography Tool Set Woodburing Pen Nozzle Tool
$8.02 $25.38 10pcs Carbide Burr Set, Hard Alloy Tungsten Steel Double Cut Rotary File Milling Cutter Head, Woodworking Grinding Carvin
$6.41 $25.18 6pcs M3M10 Screw Tap Drill Bits Hss Tap Counter Sink Deburr Metric High Speed Steel 1/4 IN Quick Change Hex Tool For Woodworking
$4.81 $20.12 AIRAJ Multifunctional Universal Wire Stripping Pliers Professional Electrician Anti Slip Maintenance Durable Hardware Tool
$3.20 $13.13 Digital Voltmeter Ammeter DC 100V 10A Amp Voltage Current Meter Tester 0.28 Inch Dual LED Display Panel with Connect Wires
$4.81 $20.12 AIRAJ Wire Stripper Tools Multitool Plier Crimper Cable Cutter Multifunctional Stripping Tool Crimping Pliers Terminal
$3.20 $12.76 10Pcs DC Connectors 5.5×2.1mm 3.5×1.3mm DC Power Plug Male Female Jack Socket Nut Panel Mount DC Power Adapter Connector 5.5*2.1
$4.81 $20.01 Computer Desktop Switch 2m Colorful LED Lights PC Motherboard External Start Power On/Off Button Extension Cable for Home Office
$4.81 $20.94 Copper Washer Gasket Nut and Bolt Set Flat Ring Seal Assortment Kit with Box //M8/M10/M12/M14 for Sump Plugs
$3.20 $14.34 10/5/1Pcs TYPE C USB 3.1 Type C Connector 16 Pin Test PCB Board Plate Adapter Socket For Data Line Wire Cable Transfer
$6.41 $16.47 5pcs Type C PD2.0 PD3.0 Fast Charge Trigger Polling Detector USB Boost Power Supply Change Module Charger Board
$3.20 $12.76 10Pcs DC Connectors 5.5×2.1mm 3.5×1.3mm DC Power Plug Male Female Jack Socket Nut Panel Mount DC Power Adapter Connector 5.5*2.1
$3.20 $15.61 120PIN Cable Dupont Line 10cm Male to Male Female to Female Male to FeMale Jumper Dupont Wire Cable For PCB DIY KIT
$3.20 $9.79 10pcs LED Male Female Adapter DC Connector 12V DC Power Plug 5.5X2.1mm For 5050 3528 LED Strip Light
$3.20 $13.13 Digital Voltmeter Ammeter DC 100V 10A Amp Voltage Current Meter Tester 0.28 Inch Dual LED Display Panel with Connect Wires
$11.23 $42.43 Digital Display Inclination Box Precision Measurement with Backlight Magnetic Suction Protractor Inclinometer Angle Meter 1PC
$3.20 $13.89 5pairs Female And Male DC Connectors 2.1×5.5mm Power Plug Adapter Jacks Sockets Connector For Signal Color LED Strip CCTV Camera
$6.41 $12.35 WeAct ESP32 ESP-32 ESP32C3 ESP32-C3FH4 Development Board Wireless WiFi Bluetooth-compatible Module Micropython
$8.02 $16.77 WeAct STM32G431CBU6 STM32G431 STM32G4 STM32 Core Board Learning Board Development
$6.41 $12.35 WeAct ESP32 ESP-32 ESP32C3 ESP32-C3FH4 Development Board Wireless WiFi Bluetooth-compatible Module Micropython