The Traveling Tech Stack

We have hit double digits on #100DaysToOffload. We have the new space. I am heading to Vegas for Black Hat and DefCon. I foresee an endless amount of time spend between the house and "The Compound" (name is still a work in progress). There is a lot of work to be done at "The Compound"; as progress we do have the fence installed now! There is also a never ending list of stuff to do at the house.

With that, portablility and parity are key when it comes to the technology I use on a daily basis. I have fully migrated away from using a desktop, yes, even for gaming. I do not need to have heavy - well super heavy - processing power on me when I have an internet connection. Even if I don't have an internet connection, it can most likely wait.

The late night theatre and gaming setup.

The Goods

These have been accumulated over the years. They have also been an evolving of learning and pivoiting. One of the biggest factors was buying a GPD G1 external graphics cards, after trying the Razer Chroma X with an Nvidia 760. Trial, error and sticking with what works has brought me to these pieces of technology:

Framework 13 - yes, basically maxed out.
Win4 - yes, also maxed out.
Fiio X5 (Gen 2)
Jackery 1000w with 2 100w solar panels
Dewalt DCR010 Bluetooth Speaker
Viewsonic VG1655 Portable Monitor
ViewSonic M1 Mini Portable LED Projector
Logitech M510
Foldable Bluetooth keyboard from AliExpress
2 x-mini II speakers
Miscellaneous chargers and cables

The Possibilities

The power that this setup packs is quite impressive. The space this all takes up (though I don't really take it all at once) is very, very minimal. You have to keep in mind is that this is also excessive depending on the purpose of the trip.

Off Grid Everything!

All the devices have batteries. A constant power source is not required. What if you did have a constant power source? Like the sun? I guess that means you could use these devices everywhere.

Outdoor movies, firepit musics, portable gaming, and the list goes on. Everything, everywhere.

Doggie Radio

The x-minis and the Fiio X5 now have a semi permanent place as the doggie radio. I have had different versions of this with a Raspberry Pi, where I have programmed a basic php site to use mpd to play playlists of music.

This is the offline version. It gets the job done, provide ample volume to hide the trucks and low grade thunder that Chase and Zoey fear.

Desktop and Portable Gaming Experience

Last but not least, the true home away from home experience. Aside from a nicer mouse and keyboard, the only difference I have away from home is the dual 4k monitors and the G1 eGPU. In terms of usablility, I have do anything I want away from home, sure they come on a smaller monitor at lower resolution, but, they are all still possible. I also have the exact same environment (minus the above) and data when out and about. If I have internet, I have VPN access to my infrastructure, similar to what I have at home (well, some intensional security limitations). Home away from home.

Pack the Bags

As, I pack up for my trip to Vegas, what I bring is more so determined by what I have time to do, versus what will fit. I could bring everything if I wanted (minus obvious redactions and replacements, like headphones), it is just a matter of what is worth bringing. That is the struggle. Will I have time to game? Will I want to write from the hotel room? on the plane?

What does your travelling tech stack look like? Let me know!