Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Traded with my friend Dave to score an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 half-slot accelerator for my IBM 5160 PC! This high-speed upgrade breathes new life into the classic IBM XT, boosting performance far beyond the stock 8088 processor. I won’t spoil what Dave got in our trade (he’ll likely do a video on it), but let’s just say he was very happy when he unboxed it!
As a bonus, I also showcase my recent XT-CF-lite Rev.2 CompactFlash storage board install in my IBM 8088 XT. This modern solution replaces my failing 10MB MFM hard drive, offering faster access, reliability, and ease of swapping files between vintage PCs and modern systems.
Some corrections: I kept saying "XT to IDE Compact Flash adapter", however it's called a XT-CF-lite rev.2 board.
If you’re into vintage IBM PCs, XT upgrades, retro hardware mods, or 286 accelerators, this is a must-watch!
DISCLAIMER: Please do not take this video as a tutorial / advice. I'm not an expert, this is just my hobby :)
Timestamps:
0:00 First look at the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286
0:18 Installed the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 into the IBM 5160 8088 computer
0:45 Showing the XT-CF-lite Rev.2 CompactFlash storage board installed
1:35 Connecting Hard Drive LED to the XT-CF-lite
1:54 Booting IBM 5160 computer with the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 enabled
2:33 Showcasing the IBM 5160 case, ports, installed cards and connections
3:32 Doing some speed checks with CheckIt 3.0 comparing 8088 to 286 CPU speeds
5:30 Playing King's Quest 1 (1987) by Sierra On-Line with Orchid Tiny Turbo enabled
Subscribe: youtube.com/geekwithsocialskills?sub_confirmation=1
View this video on the Geek With Social Skills website:
geekwithsocialskills.com/ibm-5160-xt-orchid-tiny-turbo
People, places and things mentioned in my video:
Dave's channel:
youtube.com/user/mrdavejustdave
Dave's video on the Tiny Turbo 286 before he sent it to me:
youtube.com/watch?v=NXVWLBO905s
XT-CF-lite rev.2 board:
texelec.com/product/lo-tech-xt-cf-lite-rev-2
Jonard Tools EX-2 Chip Extractor (updated link as of January 30, 2020):
digikey.com/product-detail/en/jonard-tools/EX-2/K158-ND/6022
#IBM #IBM5160 #Upgrades
Traded with my friend Dave to score an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 half-slot accelerator for my IBM 5160 PC! This high-speed upgrade breathes new life into the classic IBM XT, boosting performance far beyond the stock 8088 processor. I won’t spoil what Dave got in our trade (he’ll likely do a video on it), but let’s just say he was very happy when he unboxed it!
As a bonus, I also showcase my recent XT-CF-lite Rev.2 CompactFlash storage board install in my IBM 8088 XT. This modern solution replaces my failing 10MB MFM hard drive, offering faster access, reliability, and ease of swapping files between vintage PCs and modern systems.
Some corrections: I kept saying "XT to IDE Compact Flash adapter", however it's called a XT-CF-lite rev.2 board.
If you’re into vintage IBM PCs, XT upgrades, retro hardware mods, or 286 accelerators, this is a must-watch!
DISCLAIMER: Please do not take this video as a tutorial / advice. I'm not an expert, this is just my hobby :)
Timestamps:
0:00 First look at the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286
0:18 Installed the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 into the IBM 5160 8088 computer
0:45 Showing the XT-CF-lite Rev.2 CompactFlash storage board installed
1:35 Connecting Hard Drive LED to the XT-CF-lite
1:54 Booting IBM 5160 computer with the Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 enabled
2:33 Showcasing the IBM 5160 case, ports, installed cards and connections
3:32 Doing some speed checks with CheckIt 3.0 comparing 8088 to 286 CPU speeds
5:30 Playing King's Quest 1 (1987) by Sierra On-Line with Orchid Tiny Turbo enabled
Subscribe: youtube.com/geekwithsocialskills?sub_confirmation=1
View this video on the Geek With Social Skills website:
geekwithsocialskills.com/ibm-5160-xt-orchid-tiny-turbo
People, places and things mentioned in my video:
Dave's channel:
youtube.com/user/mrdavejustdave
Dave's video on the Tiny Turbo 286 before he sent it to me:
youtube.com/watch?v=NXVWLBO905s
XT-CF-lite rev.2 board:
texelec.com/product/lo-tech-xt-cf-lite-rev-2
Jonard Tools EX-2 Chip Extractor (updated link as of January 30, 2020):
digikey.com/product-detail/en/jonard-tools/EX-2/K158-ND/6022
#IBM #IBM5160 #Upgrades
