I actually think that the Rage 128 is an excellent card. It could definitely use with some improvements on the driver side, but it's otherwise a very solid card for DirectX 5 and 6 era games.

As always is my complaint of ATI from this era, the most annoying thing is the poor quality 16-bit dithering. In contrast, NVIDIA has always been stellar at this since the very first RIVA 128.

Hi everyone,

Found a new in box Freetek Pro 32 PnP. It has a CS9233 synthesizer from dream, and the ALS100. I was a bit worried that the 3D sticker would mean the card would feature the ALS120 chip, but luckily it was a marketing trick.
The sample rom has the markings "GMS940800", probably 1MB rom, but is it the infamous Roland clone ? Can it be dumped ?
So, GM/GS synt, SBpro, SB16 and possibly OPL3 (I think U4 must be populated with a YMF262):

Also a nice sealed copy of Windows 95 (Portuguese), the floppy edition:

bought a new in box Sound Blaster X-Fi SB046A, over payed for sure at 50$ but I wanted it right now and did not want t wait a few days for anther one to pop up. Also had to buy anther gtx 580 for my xp system, the seller who sold me one of the once I bought not to long ago ended up being a scammer, a bunch of SMD parts were missing off the back of the card and the pcie slot was cracked and half of it was cut off. the PCB was bent all up too. eBay sure be full of scammers these days.

Can't believe my luck, got a Philips CM8833 with full CGA capability for $35, too bad the seller turned out to be batshit insane because he had a seller's remorse.
Well, at least I got this gem!

Mandrew wrote on 2025-08-01, 20:31:

Can't believe my luck, got a Philips CM8833 with full CGA capability for $35, too bad the seller turned out to be batshit insane because he had a seller's remorse.
Well, at least I got this gem!

Oh my, was this an online or in person sale? Please share the details of the insanity!

Won the auction because barely any people put a bid on it for some reason and it was a pleasant transaction until the very end. Asked the guy to pack it properly and I told him I'd pay for all materials needed to make sure I got it in 1 piece. He did everything to the T. I also ordered a DIN8 cable from him because I didn't want to bother soldering a DIN8-DB9 converter. He told me he had one and I paid $5 for it.
The monitor arrived safely but he forgot to include the cable.
When I called about it he went 180 and lashed out at me for bothering him with a $5 cable when I basically "stole his monitor for $35 he could've sold for $200." His words. I told him that this is how bidding is and he worked himself up so much that he threatened to come to my place (like 250 miles away) if I didn't ship the monitor back. I told him that's not how it works and he was the one who owed me a cable or my $5 back. He refused, I gave him a neg. That was pouring gasoline on fire. He sent multiple emails demanding the monitor back and called 8 times, threatening to beat me up if I didn't ship it back to him.
He then sent a threatening message to my wife on fb and that was the point where I had to file a police report and have them calling him to back the fuck off.
It must've worked because we haven't heard from him but boy, was this an experience!
The monitor is awesome though. Lesson learned for him: if you want $200 for your stuff then don't set your starting bid to $1. Lesson learned for me: don't order stuff to my house even when it's convenient.

Mandrew wrote on 2025-08-01, 21:18:

Won the auction because barely any people put a bid on it for some reason and it was a pleasant transaction until the very end. […]
Show full quote

Won the auction because barely any people put a bid on it for some reason and it was a pleasant transaction until the very end. Asked the guy to pack it properly and I told him I'd pay for all materials needed to make sure I got it in 1 piece. He did everything to the T. I also ordered a DIN8 cable from him because I didn't want to bother soldering a DIN8-DB9 converter. He told me he had one and I paid $5 for it.
The monitor arrived safely but he forgot to include the cable.
When I called about it he went 180 and lashed out at me for bothering him with a $5 cable when I basically "stole his monitor for $35 he could've sold for $200." His words. I told him that this is how bidding is and he worked himself up so much that he threatened to come to my place (like 250 miles away) if I didn't ship the monitor back. I told him that's not how it works and he was the one who owed me a cable or my $5 back. He refused, I gave him a neg. That was pouring gasoline on fire. He sent multiple emails demanding the monitor back and called 8 times, threatening to beat me up if I didn't ship it back to him.
He then sent a threatening message to my wife on fb and that was the point where I had to file a police report and have them calling him to back the fuck off.
It must've worked because we haven't heard from him but boy, was this an experience!
The monitor is awesome though. Lesson learned for him: if you want $200 for your stuff then don't set your starting bid to $1. Lesson learned for me: don't order stuff to my house even when it's convenient.

Lol, you remined me of that Chris rock character ordering wings and a sip of cola. Adding insult to injury

Mandrew wrote on 2025-08-01, 21:18:

Won the auction because barely any people put a bid on it for some reason and it was a pleasant transaction until the very end. […]
Show full quote

Won the auction because barely any people put a bid on it for some reason and it was a pleasant transaction until the very end. Asked the guy to pack it properly and I told him I'd pay for all materials needed to make sure I got it in 1 piece. He did everything to the T. I also ordered a DIN8 cable from him because I didn't want to bother soldering a DIN8-DB9 converter. He told me he had one and I paid $5 for it.
The monitor arrived safely but he forgot to include the cable.
When I called about it he went 180 and lashed out at me for bothering him with a $5 cable when I basically "stole his monitor for $35 he could've sold for $200." His words. I told him that this is how bidding is and he worked himself up so much that he threatened to come to my place (like 250 miles away) if I didn't ship the monitor back. I told him that's not how it works and he was the one who owed me a cable or my $5 back. He refused, I gave him a neg. That was pouring gasoline on fire. He sent multiple emails demanding the monitor back and called 8 times, threatening to beat me up if I didn't ship it back to him.
He then sent a threatening message to my wife on fb and that was the point where I had to file a police report and have them calling him to back the fuck off.
It must've worked because we haven't heard from him but boy, was this an experience!
The monitor is awesome though. Lesson learned for him: if you want $200 for your stuff then don't set your starting bid to $1. Lesson learned for me: don't order stuff to my house even when it's convenient.

Oh wow that guy is a nutjob.

Picked up a job lot fo stuff inlcuding this lovely PII Dell...

That PC looks great, but was the open drive bay being used for storage?

Might be slightly off topic, but...

Found these cool mid-70's calculators with fluorescent displays at flea market. For just 2 + 3 euros I could not leave them there. Scientific one had broken solder joint at power switch, which is now fixed.

These are pretty power hungry for being calculators. They draw 0,4W and 0,6W of power. Battery life must be horrible on these. Probably why they have inputs for external power.

CrFr wrote on 2025-08-04, 18:27:

Might be slightly off topic, but...

Found these cool mid-70's calculators with fluorescent displays at flea market. For just 2 + 3 euros I could not leave them there. Scientific one had broken solder joint at power switch, which is now fixed.

These are pretty power hungry for being calculators. They draw 0,4W and 0,6W of power. Battery life must be horrible on these. Probably why they have inputs for external power.

I used to borrow and use a calculator similar to this at my local library when I would go there after school to do my homework. It was vintage even then, but I always loved the retro feel of the CFL bulbs.

devius wrote on 2025-08-04, 17:23:

That PC looks great, but was the open drive bay being used for storage?

I dead/damaged tape drive I think (missing the faceplate). I have yet to open it up.

nfraser01 wrote on 2025-08-04, 16:18:

Picked up a job lot fo stuff inlcuding this lovely PII Dell...

I must be beginning to grow up it something. I find this case being really awesome looking 😀

CrFr wrote on 2025-08-04, 18:27:

Might be slightly off topic, but... […]
Show full quote

Might be slightly off topic, but...

Found these cool mid-70's calculators with fluorescent displays at flea market. For just 2 + 3 euros I could not leave them there. Scientific one had broken solder joint at power switch, which is now fixed.

These are pretty power hungry for being calculators. They draw 0,4W and 0,6W of power. Battery life must be horrible on these. Probably why they have inputs for external power.

The attachment IMGP2475_.jpg is no longer available

The attachment IMGP2477_.jpg is no longer available

Yeah battery life was pretty dire on all 70s calculators, even the ones with the lensed 7 segment LEDs. My father didn't like me "messing around' with his Rockwell because a) he prolly paid like $100 or so for it, and b) it sucked down $3 batteries real quick. Much exercise of the on/off button was employed when he was churning through bills or something.

I have a Commodore one around somewhere and a Texas Instruments with a few extra functions. Just grabbed them for the "kinda neat" and oldie vibes when I saw them real cheap. If anything in calculators approaches a collection here, it's the half dozen 80s and 90s programmables.

A box caught my eye at a thrift... aww yiss, zombie dinosaur skellington...

So beginneth, Nforce2 Part Deux: Forcier and nnnnnnnn-ier. ... or my second rodeo with nForce2 boards... enter the Epox 8RDA3i Pro.

Seems to have "most" of original contents, and bonus 512MB RAM sticks one of which appears unopened at all, and the other, though seal cracked may never have been used. Board looks pretty crisp, no fan dust, caps are flat.

However, I am wondering if I will have adventures in BIOS flashing, there's a floppy from a NIC with the label torn off, suggesting repurposing, and there's gotta be some reason this looks like somebody's failed build. Seems odd though, since box has Sempron ready sticker, you wouldn't have thought there were later CPU to flash BIOS for.

Anyhoooo, looks like it could be basis for peak socket A machine, will have to see if I can get 200x20 out of an Applebred 🤣 ... not sure I have got any more decenterer CPU around maybe a 2600 Tbred. Dammit, now I gotta look what the economy Bartons are.

XP-M is the way to go for nF2.

BitWrangler wrote on 2025-08-04, 23:13:

A box caught my eye at a thrift... aww yiss, zombie dinosaur skellington... […]
Show full quote

A box caught my eye at a thrift... aww yiss, zombie dinosaur skellington...

So beginneth, Nforce2 Part Deux: Forcier and nnnnnnnn-ier. ... or my second rodeo with nForce2 boards... enter the Epox 8RDA3i Pro.

Seems to have "most" of original contents, and bonus 512MB RAM sticks one of which appears unopened at all, and the other, though seal cracked may never have been used. Board looks pretty crisp, no fan dust, caps are flat.

However, I am wondering if I will have adventures in BIOS flashing, there's a floppy from a NIC with the label torn off, suggesting repurposing, and there's gotta be some reason this looks like somebody's failed build. Seems odd though, since box has Sempron ready sticker, you wouldn't have thought there were later CPU to flash BIOS for.

Anyhoooo, looks like it could be basis for peak socket A machine, will have to see if I can get 200x20 out of an Applebred 🤣 ... not sure I have got any more decenterer CPU around maybe a 2600 Tbred. Dammit, now I gotta look what the economy Bartons are.

That's a nice board. I've spent a significant amount of time trying to locate EP-8RDA3+ Pro, was finally able to, but with some damage i had to fix.

The biggest advantage over more common non-Pro variants is MCP2-R/S, so it has working SATA which unlike stuff from VIA or separate silicon image controllers works without any issues with modern storage devices, which is very handy.

Also 12V VRM, so no issues with PSU.

At least out here AXDA2500DKV4D, 2500+ (11x166) barton, is by far the most common and cheap one and also tends to work at 11x200 just fine in most cases.

Chaintech 7AJA2/686B version of KT133A ATX board with 1 shared ISA slot. Motherboard posted with lower MHz Duron CPU, but the capacitors need change. Bios is the same for 7AJA2 686A and 686B versions? Here i see only 686A, motherboard bios is old and needs update if i want to use mobile XP Barton there.

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/chaintech-ct-7aja2

Safe to flash latest 3a31 bios from 2003 and use ata100 (686b)?
https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/chaint … h-ct-7aja2#bios

If my brain is working right, B is just fixed A and 133 works right.