Here's one of my recent purchases:

At a glance it looks like a normal audio cd-player, until you notice:

It's an early CD-ROM reader, Philips CDD 462. Here's a peek inside:

Not very much info about this one on the web. I don't have the controller card, but it looks like it might be the same 15-pin D-SUB interface that is used by the philips CM100, which to the best of my knowledge is the worlds first CD-ROM reader. Apparently a CDM4/55 mechanism (laser on a swingarm) is hiding in there, for those who care about that stuff. Curiously, the chassis is almost all plastic.

If anyone has any cool info on this unit I'd love to hear it. 😀

No info, but great looks!

appiah4 wrote on 2020-09-16, 11:15:

Cyrix200+ wrote on 2020-09-16, 11:12:

appiah4 wrote on 2020-09-16, 11:03:

Yes, the chip with the QC sticker is the DSP controller. Apparently clones tend to leave this chip unlocked whereas the original Creative cards have it bitlocked. If it's unlocked it might turn out to be a useful rom dump for current (SnarkBarker etc) and future retro sound card projects.

I'll put it in my MiniPro when I find some time 😀

If all you can read is FF FF FF FF FF FF then it's locked 😀

Hmm, a lot happened on this while I was at work. I've decided to help by desoldering & socketing my chip. Thankfully I decided to desolder an entire 486 socket the other day which was fantastic desoldering practise, this chip practically fell out when I got to removing it. Now it's got a socket, and still works after doing so:

What I found was interesting though. I successfully read the chip with XGpro (my TL866 software) as an Atmel AT89S51 DIP40 with Check ID disabled. It gave a bad pin error but re-seating it in the TL866 socket fixed that.
Then I thought I'd compare it to the Snark Barker firmware - they have different checksums when I convert the .hex file from the github to a .bin format. That lead me to comparing them in a hex editor, there's only one byte difference. I never knew that my 'snark barker' had anchor electronics firmware on it 😁

No idea what those few bits difference makes. I'm keen to know what your chip reads as if you can read it.

Intel 486DX4 100Mhz Overdrive for my Prolinea 4/50S to replace 486SX 50Mhz. It's a bit rough condition, but works.

Just bought another CPU which may potentially be used for a 2000-gaming system. CPU: Intel Pentium III 1.0GHz (Coppermine, 1000/256/133/1.7V).

I say potentially be used, as I'm not sure if the board that I'm planning to pair it with will like running at 133MHz FSB, though the BIOS does have the option and supports the correct voltage & multiplier! If it doesn't work, I'll keep it for use at a later date and just use a 100MHz FSB Celeron 1.1GHz for the 2000 PC. I'm probably going to run benchmarks on the PC with both CPUs in any case.

This 130XE (in box, ideal condition). Photos from a lady who picked it up for me (I should have it on Friday). I already had 65XE but 'old' model without EIC which may come in handy. I also paid ~65 USD which is a very good price even in Poland.

stoof wrote on 2020-09-16, 17:18:

Here's one of my recent purchases: Philips_CDD-462_1.JPG At a glance it looks like a normal audio cd-player, until you notice: P […]
Show full quote

Here's one of my recent purchases:
Philips_CDD-462_1.JPG
At a glance it looks like a normal audio cd-player, until you notice:
Philips_CDD-462_2.JPG
It's an early CD-ROM reader, Philips CDD 462. Here's a peek inside:
Philips_CDD-462_3.JPG

Not very much info about this one on the web. I don't have the controller card, but it looks like it might be the same 15-pin D-SUB interface that is used by the philips CM100, which to the best of my knowledge is the worlds first CD-ROM reader. Apparently a CDM4/55 mechanism (laser on a swingarm) is hiding in there, for those who care about that stuff. Curiously, the chassis is almost all plastic.

If anyone has any cool info on this unit I'd love to hear it. 😀

awesome :3c

I have a Philips CDD-461 which is a single speed drive but otherwise pretty much the same, the interface is LMSI, the same as the CM100.
LMSI controllers pop up here and there, or you could find a sound card with LMSI interface (but will have to route and adapt the cable externally)

I also have a LMSI CM 121 from 1988 which is to my knowledge the next model after the CM 100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_Magnetic_ … e_International

Quality info right there. I had never heard of LMSI, and good to know the interface can be found on soundcards.

Thanks!

Edit: Just saw the list of LMSI-enabled soundcards in the wiki, some heavy hitters there for sure. 😀

Thermalwrong wrote on 2020-09-16, 18:31:

Hmm, a lot happened on this while I was at work. I've decided to help by desoldering & socketing my chip. Thankfully I decided t […]
Show full quote

appiah4 wrote on 2020-09-16, 11:15:

Cyrix200+ wrote on 2020-09-16, 11:12:

I'll put it in my MiniPro when I find some time 😀

If all you can read is FF FF FF FF FF FF then it's locked 😀

Hmm, a lot happened on this while I was at work. I've decided to help by desoldering & socketing my chip. Thankfully I decided to desolder an entire 486 socket the other day which was fantastic desoldering practise, this chip practically fell out when I got to removing it. Now it's got a socket, and still works after doing so:
AnchorMediaConcept-ReadingMCU.jpg

What I found was interesting though. I successfully read the chip with XGpro (my TL866 software) as an Atmel AT89S51 DIP40 with Check ID disabled. It gave a bad pin error but re-seating it in the TL866 socket fixed that.
Then I thought I'd compare it to the Snark Barker firmware - they have different checksums when I convert the .hex file from the github to a .bin format. That lead me to comparing them in a hex editor, there's only one byte difference. I never knew that my 'snark barker' had anchor electronics firmware on it 😁
ComparingSnarkBarkerFWwithAnchorMediaConceptFW.png

Anchor-MediaConcept2.0-firmware.zip
No idea what those few bits difference makes. I'm keen to know what your chip reads as if you can read it.

Ahh thank you for the effort, appreciated. Yes, it looks to be the same DSP firmware, yours will probably also report a 2.01 if you run daignostics on it. Your card may well be the source of Snark Barker's firmware, really 😀

Purchased Proliant 1500 processor card Pentium 133 with 8 72 memory slots. Alternative to my Intel xtended xpress just in case.

Cheers,

Replaced missing October 1990 issue of the Byte magazine.

I simply need to know who won in the 386 SX-20 review....

I bought a Creative Sound Blaster 2.0 (CT1350B rev 4) for a very reasonable price, and with it I finally got all the retro hardware back that we used to have at my parents' house and (for reasons I still don't understand) went to a landfill.

The card works well because sounds the same as many other cards that I have. But still, it's cool to have an almost 30 year old sound card. And it has a volume wheel on the back!

Finally received my Roland SC-55K with a PSU. Bought it from Japan for a moderate price. IMHO K modification has all the necessary features and lacks all the unnecessary ones, like the screen and buttons, if gaming is concerned.
And I could never get by watching YT videos how stunningly it sounds untill I listened to the real thing.

Bondi wrote on 2020-09-17, 14:28:

Finally received my Roland SC-55K with a PSU. Bought it from Japan for a moderate price. IMHO K modification has all the necessary features and lacks all the unnecessary ones, like the screen and buttons, if gaming is concerned.
And I could never get by watching YT videos how stunningly it sounds untill I listened to the real thing.
roland sc55k.jpg

And you can use the microphone ins to sing along your favourite MIDI song with a friend. 😉

with echo no less 😁

HandOfFate wrote on 2020-09-17, 12:51:

I bought a Creative Sound Blaster 2.0 (CT1350B rev 4) for a very reasonable price, and with it I finally got all the retro hardware back that we used to have at my parents' house and (for reasons I still don't understand) went to a landfill.

The card works well because sounds the same as many other cards that I have. But still, it's cool to have an almost 30 year old sound card. And it has a volume wheel on the back!

Imagepipe_5.jpg

Nice find. Similar thing happened to my Sound Blaster from the time. To bad this one doesn't have the CMS sockets populated. Not that it matters, compared to FM, CMS sounds pretty terrible but it's an interesting novelty I guess.

Bondi wrote on 2020-09-17, 14:28:

Finally received my Roland SC-55K with a PSU. Bought it from Japan for a moderate price. IMHO K modification has all the necessary features and lacks all the unnecessary ones, like the screen and buttons, if gaming is concerned.
And I could never get by watching YT videos how stunningly it sounds untill I listened to the real thing.

Very cool! I actually didn't know this existed - I have the trimmed-down ST version but I like this!

Artex wrote on 2020-09-18, 00:58:

Bondi wrote on 2020-09-17, 14:28:

Finally received my Roland SC-55K with a PSU. Bought it from Japan for a moderate price. IMHO K modification has all the necessary features and lacks all the unnecessary ones, like the screen and buttons, if gaming is concerned.
And I could never get by watching YT videos how stunningly it sounds untill I listened to the real thing.

Very cool! I actually didn't know this existed - I have the trimmed-down ST version but I like this!

Yeah, the K has Line-in and all 3 MIDI connections, unlike ST.
Let alone the mics to sing with a friend with adjustable echo, as suggested above! 😁

Yesterday I went to my local pc store and spotted this crazy contraption by Thermaltake hiding on a top of a shelf, yet new. It was so appealing that I hat to take it home.

So I present to you the Thermaltake Tide Water, an AIO cooler for vga cards circa 2006.

I have a voodoo 3 3000 that is missing a cooler, maybe I can use this thing on it .....

Xicor wrote on 2020-09-18, 10:00:

Yesterday I went to my local pc store and spotted this crazy contraption by Thermaltake hiding on a top of a shelf, yet new. It […]
Show full quote

Yesterday I went to my local pc store and spotted this crazy contraption by Thermaltake hiding on a top of a shelf, yet new. It was so appealing that I hat to take it home.

So I present to you the Thermaltake Tide Water, an AIO cooler for vga cards circa 2006.

Thermaltake_tide_water.jpg

I have a voodoo 3 3000 that is missing a cooler, maybe I can use this thing on it .....

I would've taken that one too 😀