Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I would like to get a MIDI Mountain creation like LGR but these devices are hard to find today.
So maybe just ONE or TWO MIDI Modules.

From a practical standpoint, just having a Roland MT-32 and SoundCanvas SC-55 will cover all the bases for MIDI support for classic games.

There are individual general MIDI modules that sound good with certain soundtracks, but those tend to be edge cases.

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-05-17, 15:07:

From a practical standpoint, just having a Roland MT-32 and SoundCanvas SC-55 will cover all the bases for MIDI support for classic games.

True, having something like LGR's MIDI mountain isn't that practical for most people.

There are individual general MIDI modules that sound good with certain soundtracks, but those tend to be edge cases.

The same could also be said for the EMU8K when it is taken advantage of.

Shponglefan wrote on 2022-05-17, 15:07:

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I would like to get a MIDI Mountain creation like LGR but these devices are hard to find today.
So maybe just ONE or TWO MIDI Modules.

From a practical standpoint, just having a Roland MT-32 and SoundCanvas SC-55 will cover all the bases for MIDI support for classic games.

There are individual general MIDI modules that sound good with certain soundtracks, but those tend to be edge cases.

Yeah, thats what I am working on.

Doornkaat wrote on 2022-05-17, 07:02:

framebuffer wrote on 2022-05-15, 07:59:

Technically I did this the last weekend, anyways I checked pretty much all my non-in-box mainboards for bulged capacitors and did a re-organisation in the storage to make them more easy to identify
Also found few CPUs I forgot in the socket who knows when 😁

I need to do this as well but it's just so much stuff to go through! How did you motivate yourself?

I'm really looking forward to fix some of the motherboards because I want to test/use them soon and since I had to order the new caps I decided to check once for all every board I have and do a single order.
Also the way I was storing them was not optimal and required some time to identify a specific one
So I don't know, I just did it 😁

Got a nice package from Greece today, so excited. 😁
Countless hours of fun awaiting.

Well if missing ATi Rage Fury MaXX and 3Dfx Voodoo V 5500 AGP, from AD and getting really pissed counts as retro activity....... The local AD for the Voodoo V was for 125 euros, but untested the seller did not even bother to respond to my message, and the AD did gone FFS.... And the Rage MaXX got bad luck there as well, the seller did want to sell, then backed up.... I am really pissed, as i want to complete the ATi collection and i miss some cards ( i want to have all major ATi cards from the very first ATi Wonder EGA to the last HD3850 AGP and HD4670 AGP)...
As for the Voodoo V it is simple, every collector MUST have an Voodoo V 5500 in his collection (dont care really for 5 6000), plus i have very nice dual Tualatin P III 1.4 System that need VV ...
https://imgur.com/a/uEOwmkG

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I am consolidating my computers. I want to be like LGR and just have a few main computers for playing retro games. […]
Show full quote

I am consolidating my computers.
I want to be like LGR and just have a few main computers for playing retro games.

These are the ones I am working on.
0) “Made in USA” build , 386-33 ( DOS )
1) Ultimate 486dx4-100 build ( DOS/Win3x )
2) Intel 430tx with Pentium 233mhz. ( Win95 )
3) IBM AMD K6-333 ( Win98 )
4) Mega-Aluminum Monster with AMD K6-lll+ and Voodoo-3000 ( Win98 )
5) Mini Mega-Aluminum build with AMD K6-lll+ and Voodoo-3000 ( Win98 )
6) Intel Pentium lll@933 with Nvidia GeForce 2 ti. ( Win98 )
7) Intel 1.4ghz Tualatin with Voodoo-3000 ( Win98 )

These will be my Main 1990’s computers for games and apps.
DOS/Win3x/Win95/Win98

The more I think about it I might just need 4 or 5 computers.

I would like to get a MIDI Mountain creation like LGR but these devices are hard to find today.
So maybe just ONE or TWO MIDI Modules.

I would like to thank all the retro computer community for helping me better understand and build
Retro computers for DOS game play and best performance.
You people really help me allot over the years.
This is something I have always wanted to do in the 1990’s but never had the time.

Thanks Everyone.

This is nice and all, but why tf you have x2 K6 systems, and x3 systems with Voodoo III 3K.. Will be better to change some stuff like one of the systems to feature Voodoo II SLI instead of V3, and the tualatin one if u have Voodoo V 5500 use that instead. I like to have only 1 per generation, if i have Slot 1 i wont build Slot A, that is waste of space.. Or if i have socket 8 system, i wont have socket 7. Ofc u can do it as u want, but maybe try different platforms and parts, for example instead of x3 S7 systems, use one Socket 8, and replace one of these K6-III with CyriX maybe just for the sake of having something not as common or maybe IDT Win Chip C6.. And maybe use in the early S7 system Rendition Verrite, as the card is really nice and cool, sadly they did die too early, as they was the only real competitor to 3Dfx back then..

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I am consolidating my computers.

I am trying, just doing it badly. I will have a few more than you as I have a 286 (if I can repair some traces) and would like to have an XT era clone, and I have a few earlier machines... and some early Win7 era machines just for fun. I also have some laptops going back to 8088... I may just add a video card to one of those (one that has a slot currently occupied by a modem) and use that as an XT, not sure. I definitely have too much stuff.

And so I add to it. I just got a cheap unspecified PCI Radeon 7000 and it turned out to be a Diamond, new in sealed antistatic bag with disc and manuals... I didn't expect that!

Merovign wrote on 2022-05-17, 20:12:

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I am consolidating my computers.

I am trying, just doing it badly. I will have a few more than you as I have a 286 (if I can repair some traces) and would like to have an XT era clone, and I have a few earlier machines... and some early Win7 era machines just for fun. I also have some laptops going back to 8088... I may just add a video card to one of those (one that has a slot currently occupied by a modem) and use that as an XT, not sure. I definitely have too much stuff.

And so I add to it. I just got a cheap unspecified PCI Radeon 7000 and it turned out to be a Diamond, new in sealed antistatic bag with disc and manuals... I didn't expect that!

Interesting... It appears that you got one of the very last Diamond cards.. Yet it is strange, as at that time Diamond was sold and part of S3, strange why they did allow Diamond to make competitior`s card..

Merovign wrote on 2022-05-17, 20:12:

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 10:30:

I am consolidating my computers.

I am trying, just doing it badly. I will have a few more than you as I have a 286 (if I can repair some traces) and would like to have an XT era clone, and I have a few earlier machines... and some early Win7 era machines just for fun. I also have some laptops going back to 8088... I may just add a video card to one of those (one that has a slot currently occupied by a modem) and use that as an XT, not sure. I definitely have too much stuff.

And so I add to it. I just got a cheap unspecified PCI Radeon 7000 and it turned out to be a Diamond, new in sealed antistatic bag with disc and manuals... I didn't expect that!

Yeah, its hard to pick just one or two computers. They are all special in there own unique way.

a couple days ago, I put in a 1TB hard drive I already had in my Pentium 4 xp rig and installed XP SP3. earlier today I played 3d pinball on it. I'm still on the fence of gpu upgrades so I basically haven't installed any video drivers yet and pretty much played it off the generic VESA driver.

Tested a bunch of video cards of varying performance from Voodoo to Vanta to GeForce2 Ti Pro. Most were pretty good, but I have not been so lucky with the Radeon 8500 LE or GeForce256 DDR. One of each was dead completely and one of each has bad VRAM. One 8500 I will have to bite the bullet on as it was a large lot, 1 was already returned. Both of the 256's will be exchanged or returned. I ordered another 8500 LE. I hope this one will fare better. Man ...

The Compaq EVO N1000v arrived today and its a tank ...got some amazing speakers built into it too, nice set of UBL speakers and overall its in mint condition. It needs a new battery a SSD and more ram but I think I will enjoy using this little tank and for a P4 its very snappy and should be a great little Multimedia machine.

Not sure how I will fit a SSD in this, its got a IDE setup but there likely wont be enough room for a sata convertor + drive, hmmm might have to go with a m.2 > IDE setup instead.

Something like this I think should work.

@TrashPanda, you could always go with compact flash card, if you wish. 😉

GigAHerZ wrote on 2022-05-18, 06:27:

@TrashPanda, you could always go with compact flash card, if you wish. 😉

I could but this M.2>IDE adaptor is cheap ($20) and I have a M.2 sata SSD sitting around doing nothing, may as well put it to use.

luckybob wrote on 2022-05-14, 00:19:

pentiumspeed wrote on 2022-05-13, 22:14:

Edited, too controversial.
Cheers,

It's not controversial, at least in my opinion, but its akin to telling someone with a broken leg to "walk it off". I understand you meant well with your comments and they are totally valid from your point of view. I feel more people need a bit of education when it refers to mental health. It should be openly discussed. Just maybe not here, at this time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8if3TZJfcY

debs3759 wrote on 2022-05-14, 23:21:

That makes sense, but I'm sure most can be at least pinned down to a 5 year range. Almost all my cases are tower, even the AT cases. Will be keeping an eye out for a couple of desktop cases for pre-486.

I just have no idea personally when it comes to cases - except that better airflow is usually newer 😀

This sounds like a subject I'll definitely find interesting 😋
I've actually been cleaning some odd ATX cases lately and was wondering what some of the cases actually are, went through hundreds of pics using searches for which I basically hoped to find some kind of old review or anything that could name and date my tower cases. But this is definitely tricky with beige cases due to the age.

I think the 5 years range should definitely be possible btw.

framebuffer wrote on 2022-05-15, 07:59:

Technically I did this the last weekend, anyways I checked pretty much all my non-in-box mainboards for bulged capacitors and did a re-organisation in the storage to make them more easy to identify
Also found few CPUs I forgot in the socket who knows when 😁

Glad to see you taking good care of your boards 🙂
And you definitely got a good number of them 😋
I'm pretty sure btw I'll find some more surprise-CPUs in my boards, I'm due checking through all of my boards sometime later this year.

Today I set up a second partition on my DOS CF card to hold ISOs of some of my games. I got annoyed having to rely on having the disc in the drive just to play games that hardly use the CD except for voices such as Lands of Lore and Day of the Tentacle (it was also annoying having to turn my speakers way up just to overcome the drive spin noise).

I put SHSUCD on my drive and so far it's working great! Neat little suite of tools, and even includes a tool for coverting your physical discs into ISO files.

Radical Vision wrote on 2022-05-17, 20:24:

Interesting... It appears that you got one of the very last Diamond cards.. Yet it is strange, as at that time Diamond was sold and part of S3, strange why they did allow Diamond to make competitor`s card..

The manual is dated 2006, but I have a Diamond branded Radeon HD 5750 and I know they made 6000 and 7000 series cards. They're owned by Power color now, not sure if they're just a shell company.

I have a Stealth III S450 that seemed to have failed, keep deciding to throw it out and then changing my mind. Maybe I will try to fix it after I fix several motherboards and a 5.25/3.5 combo floppy with bad traces.

Intel486dx33 wrote on 2022-05-17, 20:44:

Yeah, its hard to pick just one or two computers. They are all special in there own unique way.

I'm having a hard time picking just 30. 😉

But I have to make room. Also I have 2 modernist desktop servers, 2 gaming computers, a couple backups, and a few other modern ones. I find it hard to have just one thing in case it does.

I had two cars for a long time too, while living alone.