Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2021-09-30, 13:22

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Another lucky day at the thrift store. I'm not typically one to care about a Compaq but given the time frame of this one, and if nothing else some useful components, I paid $10 for this guy. Dusty as hell inside, even after I blew out all the dust bunnies, so it'll need a good cleaning. My initial …

---

Re: Swaping DAC on SB16

Posted on 2021-09-30, 01:25

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Calm down, you'll get the pro-youtubers excited about engagement potential, hater views are still views, and then we'll have Will It Blend:- Vintage Hardware Edition.

---

Re: Java Emulation

Posted on 2021-09-30, 01:20

by

by BitWrangler

in PC Emulation

in PC Emulation

It's a virtual machine, like DOSbox is, even though DOSbox is an emulator, but you don't emulate DOSbox on another system, you port or implement it. I guess the Java Virtual Machine is kind of an emulator in that it emulates a machine to run Java on. So it exists as self parody, QED Java is Rodney …

---

Re: Are GeForce 256 DDR cards that rare?

Posted on 2021-09-30, 01:09

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Is there a good troubleshooting and repair guide for these anywhere? I have the SGI NV990 board and it's had some backside SMDs crunched years ago and halfassed patched, not sure if that was the only prob or whether there was a RAM chip going south and that also needs replacing. I remember it "sorta …

---

Re: Babylon 5 remake?

Posted on 2021-09-29, 23:16

by

by BitWrangler

in Milliways

in Milliways

Lexx always seemed like it it was a bad copy of Andromeda crossed with Red Dwarf written by a Cirque de Soleil creator on acid. I almost managed to follow it after catching 10 episodes in a row once, but then missed one and I was lost again.

---

Re: Swaping DAC on SB16

Posted on 2021-09-29, 23:09

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Did someone one mention leveraging DACs out of one of a billion dead CDROM drives or audio players once or did I imagine it?

---

Re: Necroware's GamePort to USB adapter for analogue and digital joysticks

Posted on 2021-09-29, 23:04

by

by BitWrangler

in Release Announcements

in Release Announcements

There's the "No task so simple it can't be complicated with a Raspberry Pi" version, for which you'll need, i) a Pi4 4GB ii) a touchscreen hat, iii) a servo control hat iv) an analog joystick mechanism v) a 3D printer vi) a bunch of servos vii) a firm grasp of how to use Python in ways that get …

---

Re: Building my own Woodgrain 486

Posted on 2021-09-29, 22:46

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

It's just for the kitsch of it, the plug ugly bitch of it, the hit the random switch of it, the tasteless 70s niche of it, the eye-snagging glitch of it and just to make you twitch a bit. 🤣 I shall now be known as 81t-WRhyMM3ZZzz 😉

---

Re: Saving a PowerVR card

Posted on 2021-09-29, 21:03

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

What I would do is cut a piece of thin plastic off a drink bottle or something, about 2cm square, convenient to hold, and work it between the pins that are squished together until they all have a noticable space. Then take any pencil type soldering iron and touch all the "feet" of the pins on that …

---

Re: Babylon 5 remake?

Posted on 2021-09-29, 20:18

by

by BitWrangler

in Milliways

in Milliways

But if'n you ain't be thinking that Firefly is the gorram shiniest piece of Sci-Fi in the 'verse, y'all can go and get ruttin' humped.

---

Re: Necroware's GamePort to USB adapter for analogue and digital joysticks

Posted on 2021-09-29, 18:43

by

by BitWrangler

in Release Announcements

in Release Announcements

Sure, do you sell the adapter, or at least the non standard main board, or a kit (i'd solder it if surface mounted parts are already soldered)? Thanks! No, currently I don't sell the parts. I planned to make an online shop, but Germany is a complicated country.... I wonder if it is possible to get …

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 18:20

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Does not have 511 etched on it either. Though I remember Intel announcing the numbering scheme and it taking a few months for CPUs to have it etched on. Also this one seems to be assembled in Malaysia whereas CPU World has just Costa Rica and Philippines pics.. Edit: Dammit, that was the right way …

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 17:45

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Does not have 511 etched on it either. Though I remember Intel announcing the numbering scheme and it taking a few months for CPUs to have it etched on. Also this one seems to be assembled in Malaysia whereas CPU World has just Costa Rica and Philippines pics.. Edit: Dammit, that was the right way …

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 17:26

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I went through some P4 bits, realised I have 3 "sorta interesting" socket 478 P4 CPUs but only one "meh" motherboard (Some MSI with SiS DDR chipset) I am wondering if I ought to rectify that situation while they're not expensive or not. Interesting is subjective of course, but I've got one 1.8A …

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 17:25

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Oh yeah that IGPU is a royal PITA, got an atom DC netbook here with it in, ended up on win7 after going all round the houses trying to get it working on 10. Sorry dear, looks like your speed demon dual core that takes 4G is stuck on 7 while I attempt to enjoy W10 on my n470 with 2G 🤣

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 16:08

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Wow that must be old, 6 Ox, how much is that in horsepower or kilowatts? 🤣

---

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

Posted on 2021-09-29, 15:24

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Sorting through my DDR, first pass separation by size... got more 512s than I thought, which is nice, got a few 1GBs too, not as many as I'd like, but I'll cope. Also split out some SDR from those boxes, got a few 256 one 512, sweet. I went through some P4 bits, realised I have 3 "sorta interesting" …

---

Re: Retro confessions. What are yours?

Posted on 2021-09-29, 12:28

by

by BitWrangler

in Milliways

in Milliways

Confessions demanded ! 🤣 So I was going through some RAM, and I want a confession from whoever created/wanted/was a market for 128MB DDR DIMMs, explain yourself !

---

Re: Can't identify 30-pin SIMM, help?

Posted on 2021-09-29, 03:32

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

1 MB, parity, 60ns, strawberry cream centers... ... maybe I tapped my inner toddler for the last bit.

---

Re: Printer Drivers Hard to Find?

Posted on 2021-09-29, 03:26

by

by BitWrangler

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Hokay, I suppose they earned a cushy retirement. 😁 I love to taunt printer salesmen with the per page cost of my laserjet(s) though, their eyes boggle. Especially when they think something like 8 cents is cheap.

---