iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 20h

found these old vrchat screenshots of plush step watching crunchy improper aspect ratio anime on the psp... just like the good ol days hehe

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

well, this thing is mine now after some back and forth with eBay (I did get my funds back!); now that I'm cleaning it up for repair and proper modding, I can confirm they did in fact use solder as a jumper wire for their auto-catch mod. Good Lord

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

removing the bad port also removed the iridescence... I suppose it must have been an oxide layer. hopefully the switch enjoys the nice new port 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

while I wish the previous repair tech hadn't completely torched the USB port on this OLED switch, I must admit the resulting iridescence is absolutely gorgeous 🦊🔎🌈

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

a routine fox fix for today; this OLED switch had error 2101-0001 on boot, caused by USB port damage which also damaged the charging IC, and also the 5V USB output regulator (which I found later on). after replacing all three, the switch is booting, charging, and powering USB peripherals 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

literally the first word that describes the item... on me for not putting it in all caps in the title I guess 🫩

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I think you should be allowed to bite one ebay buyer per quarter

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

yall KNOW I don't solder like this. ebay damn well better side with me on this one

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

guess who's dealing with 🎶 return fraud 🎶

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

WE DID IT!!!!! NORDIC FUZZ CON 2027

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I was looking at the fcc teardown photos for the steam frame streaming dongle and noted that it has u.fl connectors; you could probably add some external antennas to improve the range, and maybe add a heatsink to help it run cooler 🦊💭

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

late night fox fix.. this was another OLED switch with error 2002-3580 (EMMC write fail). I transplanted the EMMC onto the removable module of a V1/hackable switch, and used the custom bootloader to dump and restore the system memory to a working EMMC. A bit involved, but another saved switch 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

today's fox fix is an OLED switch that had no touch response due to corroded traces on the display ribbon cable from liquid damage. it is very difficult to work cleanly at this scale... but it is working again after a little fox touch 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

today's fox fix is a switch that had parental controls enabled... but not for very long 🦊🔓

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

the title of this article made my stomach drop; I turned into radially blurred mr krabs as I tried to calculate if 2022 was ten years ago

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

nordic fuzz con has a shirt that is my color, style, and says "watch your step"... they made this one for me 🦊👕

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

they made the steamvr home environment bisexual!!!

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

not quite a fox fix today... this is why electronics repair can be so tricky. sometimes a fault only shows up under specific circumstances 🔍🦊

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

been a bit busy with other things, but I have finished the first 10 units from this lot, and started keeping track of the repairs in a spreadsheet. I was able to fix 9 out of 10, with the remaining one set aside for more intensive repair later. I think that's a pretty good success rate so far 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

these new soldering iron tips are quite nice; I found one of them is rather good for tinning pads with drag soldering, which reduces my work time for things like display connector and usb c port replacements on the switch 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

went on the first cool morning walk of fall and saw a lovely sunrise 🦊🌄 this rejuvenates the step

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

obsessed with the user profiles on this switch I repaired. zelda is my mom and I love my freands

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

vrcx is such an invaluable tool; even though this photo is from 2024, because I took it with vrcx enabled all of the metadata from that session was baked in, and I can easily verify that the world was emerald valley!

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

was going through my old vrchat photos and this one was really nice 👋🦊

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

that should have it sorted.. many different tips compared to just the large wedge and fine tip I was using before. hopefully some of them are good for things like more easily using desoldering braid, or drag soldering to tin the switch's usb c port pads (doing them one by one is not my favorite)

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

the index was showing red LEDs with no display, but was working otherwise.. inspecting the motherboard, I spotted some deformation on this power switching IC, and it was shorted to ground as well. I replaced it with a donor, and... it worked! this headset still has some vr mischief left in it 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

my friend @deecoyote.bsky.social's valve index broke after much vr mischief... he sent it to me for fox fixing, but also included some really thoughtful extras, including this incredible brass engraving of us fishing together in vrchat 💛 what a touching reminder of how real vr connections are 🦊🫶

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

this switch ended up being one of those two day fox fixes where I chase my tail... it had intermittent booting, and after replacing many of the main components, I tracked it down to failed solder joints beneath the RAM. I reballed a donor set and it passed my hot air test, so it should be good... 🤞🦊

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

third fox fix; this one had been worked on before, and had a missing USB port as well as a couple damaged display connector pins from improper cable insertion by the prior tech. I fixed the pins to see if it would display and boot to OS, and it did... and there was peak again!!! literally HOW

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

the second fox fix was easy but bizarre... I heard some rattling in the housing, and found it to be the inductor for the battery power rail, somehow knocked clean off. I replaced it and it booted right up, and on the home screen... absolute peak season 2

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

the first fox fix of this lot and an easy one; this switch was booting to a black screen, which ended up being a failing EMMC module. fortunately I was able to dump and restore it to a new module without issue 🦊👍 and as an added bonus, I was treated to absolute peak on the home screen...

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

here is just the logo by itself as well (I put an unreasonable amount of effort into this for a joke post)

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

whoa that new metroid game looks awesome

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

the fix fox lot of a lifetime..... I now have 89 (!!!) switches to repair

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

all night fox fix.. this OLED switch wasn't booting after an attempted modchip install, which involved drilling the PCB to access data lines. I restored the damaged lines by exposing the broken traces and isolating them with UV solder mask, and then reconnecting them with magnet wire. tough stuff 🦊💦

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

today's fox fix is an OLED switch with no boot after a modchip attempt; after (thankfully) being able to backup the EMMC, I repaired the damaged solder mask, and added a permanent DAT0 line to safely connect to the modchip. I reballed and reflowed the EMMC, and.. it worked! another switch saved 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

today's fox fix is an OLED switch that had an orange screen on boot, which is usually a failed wifi/bluetooth IC, or failed solder joints beneath that IC due to thermal cycling. I reballed a donor IC from a parts board, and now this switch is back online 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

mythical front yard refresh pull (I thought it was the neighbor's dog or a big-ass squirrel)

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

sending a step sticker pack to a friend and gave it that fix fox touch 🦊🤌

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

me when 10 hour flight for furry convention

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

me: I take my repair and resale business very seriously also me: wears my "trophy wife" deer shirt to the photoshoot

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

a simple fox fix this morning; this OLED switch was marked as liquid damage and no wifi, and I was able to tell at first glance what the wifi issue was.. the 3.3v supply to the wifi/bluetooth IC had been eroded by the water damage. after restoring that connection, this switch is back online 🦊👍

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STEP ⭐✨ NFC @vulpvibes.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

a small fox fix for tonight; this OLED switch was exhibiting heavy flickering. I found one of the ribbon cable traces was damaged, so I isolated it with kapton tape and restored it with solder. I also added a kapton strip underneath to increase the mating pressure, and now it seems alright 🦊👍

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