Re: Market value for popular or rare classic computer hardware

Posted on 2023-09-10, 22:05

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by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

I generally get offered about 10-15% off on watchlisted items. I always really appreciate it when they do that though, even if I don't end up going for it. If it's an item I really want though, and they offer me even like 10% off, it's generally enough to get me to purchase it. Probably half the …

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Re: Xcom (for DOS)

Posted on 2023-09-09, 05:15

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

Very cool program! But yeah, you'll have to change the name since everyone will think you're talking about the game for dos. I get it, it sucks when you have a name you really want and someone else already used it, but especially in the case of XCom. Pretty much everyone knows the game XCom for dos. …

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Re: Market value for popular or rare classic computer hardware

Posted on 2023-09-09, 05:00

by

by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

Sorry if I started a larger debate here, I was honestly just curious about the K5. I don't have a problem with people paying a lot of money for things. I have a good job, so I understand it. For the most part, it never seems to be the things I have an interest in anyway, so it doesn't tend to affect …

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Re: Which old programming languages do you still use/play with today->

Posted on 2023-09-08, 06:46

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by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

It's cool seeing all the love for VB and old versions of C in this thread. Makes me want to try both!

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Re: Market value for popular or rare classic computer hardware

Posted on 2023-09-08, 00:45

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by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

Great explanations! Thanks guys! That’s exactly what I was wondering.

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Re: Market value for popular or rare classic computer hardware

Posted on 2023-09-07, 06:18

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by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

I mean, is there anything special or unique about that model that makes people want it? Like, is there something that makes that model desirable or high priced?

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Re: The million dollar question on retrocomputing

Posted on 2023-09-07, 01:39

by

by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Assuming the hardware was totally identical, I would buy new hardware. But it would have to be literally identical, right down to the same traces on the PCB, same colors, the works. Having said that, if anyone was selling new CRTs of any type, shape, or sort, I would spend money like it was going …

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Re: Market value for popular or rare classic computer hardware

Posted on 2023-09-07, 01:33

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by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

Apologies for the noob question here, but why are these AMD K5 CPUs going for so much? For a second, I th0ught the processor market had gone crazy, but I did some searching on Ebay and 200mhz, 100mhz and 486 AMD CPUs are all going for around $20 and under.

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Re: Which old programming languages do you still use/play with today->

Posted on 2023-09-07, 01:30

by

by midicollector

in Milliways

in Milliways

I'm not actually using any, but I have some vague interest in using Pascal and QBasic again one day. I guess the closest thing that I've actually used would be 6502 asm, but that's not exactly a programming language, and it's been years since I last used it.

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Re: I Felt Conflicted at a Yard Sale

Posted on 2023-09-05, 03:20

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

A couple of weeks ago, someone left 5 CRT TVs on the curb for trash pickup. Just average old CRTs, nothing really special, but 5 of them. The thing is, I already have too many CRTs and old computers. I don't even have enough room for the stuff I have. I would have loved to get those CRTs to …

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Re: Thoughts on these specs for a period correct(ish) 1997 build?

Posted on 2023-09-02, 02:42

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That's a nice machine for sure, especially for that time period. I didn't have a computer that nice until probably 1999-ish. You mention that you want a "what was gaming like in 1997" feel, and depending on how hardcore you want to be about that, you might actually consider a slower build. …

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Re: Resurrecting a Compaq Presarrio 4110

Posted on 2023-09-02, 02:29

by

by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Looking great! I think there are floppy disk emulators you can get if you can't get any floppies working. I haven't used one myself, but they look pretty cool, and it looks like you can get them for as cheap as $30 (search amazon for floppy drive emulator) I think you need to have the recovery CD in …

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Re: Most realistic sounding sound module for General MIDI games?

Posted on 2023-09-02, 02:22

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Be warned, it's really easy to fall down the midi module rabbit hole. I fell pretty hard. Currently the owner of an MT32, SC55, SC88Pro, MU90, JV1010 and JV1080, and a digital piano. All I wanted was a sound canvas! Honestly, any midi module is pretty cool to have, I could talk about one or the …

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Re: Resurrecting a Compaq Presarrio 4110

Posted on 2023-08-29, 05:55

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

The battery in my Compaq from the same era is also still working, although that doesn't necessarily mean your is as well. I have a backup motherboard with the same kind of battery connection that I removed the battery from, they are indeed soldered in there. I was able to twist it until it broke …

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Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2023-08-28, 07:17

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Tried to free up enough memory to get Ultima 7 Part 2 Serpent Isle to run. Finally got it to run, had to disable EMS also though. Interestingly, it worked fine with my MT32 even without softmpu. Now I'm going to try to gradually restore the stuff I tore out of autoexec.bat and config.sys until I …

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Re: Resurrecting a Compaq Presarrio 4110

Posted on 2023-08-28, 07:09

by

by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That's correct, this is one of those compaqs with the special partition thing. I don't know the exact details of it or how it works since I've never needed to look into it, but I can confirm this is a model that does that.

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Re: Bootstrapping a "new" Mac Plus

Posted on 2023-08-28, 06:38

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

I highly recommend getting a floppy emu and one of the dedicated scsi HDD emulators. These require power (generally standard 5w micro usb) because the scsi connector on the plus doesn't supply power. I have a scsi HDD emulator thing on my mac plus, works great. I also recommend upgrading to 4mb of …

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Re: Help identify MIDI synth (Scrabble CD-ROM, 1996)

Posted on 2023-08-27, 23:44

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Might be the jv1080. That's just a guess based on the time period.

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Re: Compaq "ES1868 Audio Feature Board" ESS Audiodrive Card Wavetable Header

Posted on 2023-08-27, 23:41

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by midicollector

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Admittedly I am comparing it against an SC55 and other external midi modules, so probably not a fair comparison 😂 I'm actually debating maybe putting a dreamblaster in mine, just for fun.

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Re: Resurrecting a Compaq Presarrio 4110

Posted on 2023-08-27, 23:35

by

by midicollector

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Also, I use lysol or chlorox wipes on mine (except the glass on the monitor), those work great for cleaning in my experience.

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