Restoring One of Apples Weirdest Vintage Macs! This Does Not Compute 2023-03-17 | The Macintosh IIsi was a midrange model from late 1990 meant to go up against PC clones in business environments. But some of the compromises that its engineers had to make to hit its price point meant for some very interesting quirks.Branchus Creations: https://www.recapamac.com.au and youtube.com/branchuscreationsBlueSCSI: bluescsi.comMeowTOAST: github.com/Stephen-Arsenault/meowTOASTHakko FR-301 desoldering iron (affiliate link): amzn.to/3mNuER6Sources:MacUser, December 1990."Can new Macs restore shine to Apple's future?," Computerworld, December 24, 1990.IIsi NuBus adapter card photo: recycledgoods.com/apple-820-0303-02-nubus-adapter-card-for-iisiIIsi NuBus adapter card scan: applefritter.com/node/2076DayStar dual-socket PDS and cache card riser photo: applefritter.com/node/10199"Mac IIsi," Macworld, December 1990.00:00 - Introduction01:52 - Disassembly03:08 - Recapping the PSU05:33 - Completely pointless soldering montage06:04 - PSU surface-mount caps06:30 - Tanta-lizing motherboard repair08:23 - Quirks and features, part 108:59 - It blew up! (Not really.)09:37 - Further testing10:31 - BlueSCSI version 211:52 - Tidying up12:51 - Uh oh14:51 - Quirks and features, part 217:17 - One-slot wonder-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
I built a retro Mac from BRAND NEW parts! This Does Not Compute 2024-10-04 | What happens when you get a broken Macintosh SE/30 but it's not worth fixing? You go incredibly overboard instead.Links and sources:SE/30 Reloaded project: github.com/TheRealBolle/SE30Bourns Again filter IC project: github.com/alxlab-zone66x/Bourns-601-Series-RC-Network-T-FiltersSE/30 schematic redraw: github.com/mishimasensei/macse30mlbTechknight's video about diagnosing my Reloaded board: youtube.com/watch?v=J4LZcV3gaH4Kero's Mac Mods store: en.infinityproducts.co.jp/shop-1Crucible app: tinkerdifferent.com/threads/crucible-for-the-smc-rom-simm.2361CayMac Vintage store: ko-fi.com/caymacvintage/shopBeleth's Backpack 3D-printable bracket: printables.com/model/1019932-beleths-backpack-bluescsi-hard-drive-sound-emulatoBaby Face Electronics SE/30 PSU: tindie.com/products/baby_face_electronics/macintosh-se30-universal-psu-replacementMacEffects store: maceffects.com/collections/allIIfx recreation project: github.com/TheRealBolle/IIfxZX Spectrum replica motherboard photo: tindie.com/products/devzine_pl/zx-spectrum-48k-issue-6a-motherboard-replica-pcbsAlternative SE and SE/30 replacement PSU: tinkerdifferent.com/threads/fs-diy-mac-se-and-se-30-replacement-psu-pcb.380400:00 - Introduction01:17 - A surefire solution03:43 - Change of plans05:38 - (Re)loading the new PCB08:24 - It didn't work12:46 - Let's go!15:08 - Some nifty accessories20:00 - The scope keeps creeping26:25 - Wax on, wax off29:27 - Just look at this thing-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
This retro Shuttle XPC is AWESOME! This Does Not Compute 2024-09-20 | I've always had a soft spot for these small Shuttle XPC systems. Now I finally have one of my own.Sources and links:Echo Layla 3G photo: en.audiofanzine.com/pci-isa-rack-soundcard/echo/Layla3G"Briefly Noted," Computerworld, March 6, 2006.Shuttle SB83G5 software download archive: https://download.shuttle.eu/Archive_2010/Barebone/SB83G5/SB83G5_readme.htmUL acquires Futuremark: ul.com/news/ul-signals-strategic-expansion-performance-benchmarking-services-futuremark-acquisitionLegacy 3DMark downloads: benchmarks.ul.com/legacy-benchmarks"Video Card Buyer's Guide - Mid-Range, October 2004": anandtech.com/show/1518/6-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
DOWNGRADING My Retro PC?! This Does Not Compute 2024-09-06 | I built a cool vintage PC, but ultimately it didn't seem quite right. Let's try to fix that...if I can get it to work, that is.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
I saw AWESOME stuff at the Free Geek Twin Cities Retro Tech Expo! This Does Not Compute 2024-08-23 | It's nowhere near as big as conventions like VCF, but the retro tech expo put on by Free Geek Twin Cities was still a fantastic time!Free Geek Twin Cities: freegeektwincities.org----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Apple PenLite: The iPad Before the iPad! This Does Not Compute 2024-06-21 | Many regard Apple's Newton PDA from 1993 as the company's first foray into touchscreen computing. It turns out that the company had even greater ambitions -- but the project met an unfortunate fate just at the last minute.Sources:Cupertino aerial footage by The Bureau (https://www.thebureau.co)."Apple Delivers a True Mac With Its Pricey Portable," InfoWorld, October 23, 1989.Apple office photos courtesy Tom Gilley and Tom Erickson."Apple, Toshiba plan multimedia PDAs," InfoWorld, June 29, 1992.Compaq LTE 286 photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laptop_Compaq.JPGToshiba J3100 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba_J-3100GT.jpgPair of Toshiba laptops photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba_T1000SE_and_Toshiba_DynaBook_J-3100SS_20191208.jpgWilliam Shepherd with Mac Portable on Space Shuttle photo: images.nasa.gov/details/s41-04-035Apple Valley Green 6 photo: pwaec.com/commercial/apple-computer-valley-green-6Japan aerial footage courtesy Hosiden."Getting to the point," Computerworld, October 28, 1991.Alan Kay photo courtesy Viewpoints Research Institute."A New Approach to Linear Filtering and Prediction Problems," R. E. Kalman, https://courses.cs.duke.edu/compsci527/cps274/fall11/papers/Kalman60.pdfALCM footage courtesy the United States Air Force.Marc Porat and John Sculley photo: commoncog.com/c/cases/general-magic/"PDA Players Partner Up," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993.Apple Newton "Cadillac" prototype photos: "Iconic" by Jonathan Zufi and flickr.com/photos/abeles/41532814601"Apple drops into electronics field with nebulous Newton," InfoWorld, June 1, 1992."Apple makes moves to squash Newton's bugs," Computerworld, September 13, 1993."Newton: A Step toward the Future," Macworld, August 1992."The Macintosh Computer," Computer Chronicles, season 2, episode 10.Larry Tesler photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larry_Tesler_Smiles_at_Whisper.jpeg"The Future of the PC," Fortune, August 26, 1991."Price wars will hurt Apple's '94 revenue," InfoWorld, June 14, 1993."Restless Sculley steps down as CEO of Apple," InfoWorld, June 21, 1993."Apple cuts could sidetrack focus," Computerworld, July 12, 1993."MacWorld San Francisco," Computer Chronicles, season 11, episode 19."Apple stock plunge prompts lawsuits," The Wisconsin State Journal, July 29, 1993."Apple cuts jobs, rethinks Enterprise Systems division," Network World, July 12, 1993.Photos from World PC Expo 1996: http://nerd.jp/events/19xx/E960907/index.htmlPC Watch Japan article about PenLite prototype at World PC Expo in 1996: web.archive.org/web/19990822181440/http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/pc/docs/article/960907/apple.htm"Apple upgrades Newton OS, MessagePad," InfoWorld, January 23, 1995."Would you know my name?," Computerworld, November 1, 1993.00:00 - Introduction02:04 - A Mac in your pocket04:10 - A new user interface paradigm12:24 - Touchscreen development16:48 - A cool idea not fit for sale20:36 - The birth of PenLite25:36 - Chasing bugs28:30 - Reading your writing30:54 - Competition from colleagues33:36 - Ready to launch until it wasn't38:03 - A lasting legacy-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (soundcloud.com/LAKEYINSPIRED).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Repairing an Unreleased Prototype Mac...TABLET?! This Does Not Compute 2024-06-07 | Over the years, Apple has whipped up a number of prototype products that never made it to production. Usually these get destroyed and remain unknown...but this one managed to survive, and needed some help to get working again.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
The N64 games I bought were FAKE This Does Not Compute 2024-05-24 | Counterfeit and reproduction video game cartridges are nothing new, but shady sellers keep trying new tricks to pass them off as legitimate. I picked up a pair of Nintendo 64 games that should have been real...but definitely weren't.N64 label damage photo: reddit.com/r/n64/comments/16ns0cp/what_are_my_options_for_replacing_the_label_on_an-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Unleashing my 3D printer for CHEAP! This Does Not Compute 2024-05-03 | My Prusa Mini has been a great 3D printer, but over the years it had gotten slightly annoying to have to swap a USB flash drive whenever I needed to move files to it. For just a few bucks and a couple minutes' worth of work, though, I was able to connect it to my WiFi network!Prusa Mini WiFi module installation guide: help.prusa3d.com/guide/installing-wi-fi-and-prusalink-mini-_316781Google Spreadsheet of compatible modules: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ql2TmS8O5Bkuf9SRhfP67RRD1isdThyN96f9M2KdSg4/edit#gid=0The WiFi module I bought (affiliate link): amzn.to/3w4qkCn-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
The worlds best trackball was built to break This Does Not Compute 2024-04-19 | Kensington's Turbo Mouse and Expert Mouse trackballs have been around for decades. I picked one up, expecting an easy fix -- but its design rendered it e-waste instead.Sources:Expert Mouse 8-ball photo: twitter.com/TubeTimeUS/status/1370496347363667971Expert Mouse Pro photo: imgur.com/LiceKS6-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Can a simple software change make your vintage Mac even FASTER? This Does Not Compute 2024-04-05 | Solid-state hard drive replacements like the BlueSCSI are quite popular among vintage Mac enthusiasts. But can you eke more performance out of it simply by changing the way you format the drive?My 3D-printed SE and SE/30 bracket: printables.com/model/813709-mac-se-and-se30-bluescsi-v2-expansion-port-bracketSites like the Macintosh Garden are a great place to find vintage software like the hard drive formatting utilities shown in this video: macintoshgarden.orgSources:BlueSCSI: bluescsi.comAnother comparison of multiple drivers using period-correct hardware: http://www.euronet.nl/users/ernstoud/bnchmrks.htmlDisk Jockey: https://diskjockey.onegeekarmy.euThe Macintosh Bible 6th edition, page 150.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
I thought my Bose headphones were DEAD until I found this fix! This Does Not Compute 2024-03-22 | I suspected the battery in my Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones was on its way out. But it ended up being a different issue entirely, and fixing it cost a fraction of what Bose would have charged for a replacement -- with no special tools or skills required!The C&K replacement switch (they're cheap, buy one or two spares): digikey.com/en/products/detail/c-k/JS207011SCQNR/6071286My favorite spudgers: digikey.com/en/products/detail/menda-easybraid/35622/657780Replacement QuietComfort ear pads (affiliate link): amzn.to/3Txqif5-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
This old external hard drive can do WHAT?! This Does Not Compute 2024-03-08 | At first glance the MicroNet SANcube looks like a big external FireWire hard drive. But it has an unexpected trick up its sleeve...Sources:Apple Lisa photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Museum_(Prague)_Lisa_II_(1984).jpgSANcube product page: web.archive.org/web/20020203200857/http://www.micronet.com/products/sancube.html10/100 Ethernet hub photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Netgear_DS108_Hub_(2).jpg"Crowning our new switch leaders," NetworkWorld, May 10, 1999.FireTape 50 press release: web.archive.org/web/20020606193508/http://www.sancube.com/press/pr003.htmlNissan Cube photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nissan_Cube_(Z12)_%E2%80%93_Frontansicht,_25._August_2013,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg"Ampex to Acquire MicroNet," The Los Angeles Times, July 1, 1998.Ampex building photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ampex_corporation.jpg"MicroNet Close Doors," storagenewsletter.com/2023/01/18/history-2001-micronet-close-doors"Former MicroNet employees rally to save the company," macworld.com/article/164312/micronet-8.html"Fantom Drives acquires MicroNet," macworld.com/article/160738/micronet-6.htmlFireWire extender photo: https://www.spectratech.gr/Web/Gefen/www/EXT-FW-1394BP.jpgFibre channel switch photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ML-QLOGICNFCCONN.JPG-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
I restored the WORST laptop Apple ever made This Does Not Compute 2024-02-23 | The PowerBook 150 sucks, ask me how I know.Sources and links:PowerBook 150 display repair pieces: printables.com/model/769361-macintosh-powerbook-150-repair-bracketsCNC Kitchen threaded insert soldering iron tips: https://cnckitchen.store/collections/soldering-tips-and-setsBlueSCSI: bluescsi.comReplacing the Internal Disk of a Powerbook 150 with a CompactFlash Card: csse.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/hardware/pb150/PB150_and_CompactFlash.html"Macintosh: File System Specifications & Terms," web.archive.org/web/19990429190101/http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n8647"Apple cuts cost with latest PowerBook," InfoWorld, July 18, 1994."PowerBook Adds to Bottom Line," MacUser, September 1994."Macintosh PowerBooks 100, 140, and 170," Macworld, December 1991.PowerBook 150 manufactured by Acer: archive.org/details/apple-t-shirtsSigma Seven Systems' PB Serial Adapter: sigmasevensystemsltd.weeblysite.com/product/powerbook-serial-adapter/1Adding an ADB port to the PowerBook 150: web.archive.org/web/20040702050830/applefritter.com/thefritter/18/adb.html-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com) and Dan Mason (ghostenterprise.bandcamp.com/album/new-age-emotion-deluxe-edition).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
The ONE thing keeping this iconic vintage laptop from working... This Does Not Compute 2024-02-09 | I haven't been having good luck with old laptop hard drives lately -- and this Toshiba Libretto 50CT isn't helping.Sources:"Libretto 50CT good for executives on the go," InfoWorld, August 25, 1997.Enhanced docking station photos: computermuseum.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/libretto-50ctCF to IDE bracket: thingiverse.com/thing:5022880Article about Windows 95 DMF disks: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20050819-10/?p=34513Raymond Chen's blog story about buying an Egghead store: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20050824-11/?p=34463Egghead Software store photos: https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/reports/id/43715/rec/5SanDisk ATCFWCHG utility download: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1862&menustate=0Transcend industrial CF cards ship in fixed-disk mode: transcend-info.com/Support/FAQ-399Libretto RAM module photo: https://www.carousell.sg/p/toshiba-libretto-ram-1243156358/"New Libretto debuts," Computerworld, November 10, 1997.Libretto 100CT photo: asinine.nz/2020-05-31/Computer-History"Libretto, Take III," PC Magazine, May 26, 1998.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Restoring Sonys first VAIO laptop! This Does Not Compute 2024-01-26 | Sony's PCG-505 looks like a pretty typical late-90s laptop at first glance. But it actually had a big impact on the computer industry -- you probably just didn't realize it.Sources:Sony MSX photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_HITBIT_HB-501F_(26555006901).jpgVAIO side speakers photo: twitter.com/froyotam/status/1345229366112915457?lang=huPCG-505G recovery CD image: archive.org/details/sysrec_sony-PCG-505G"Trend-Setting Ultraportable," PC Magazine, December 1, 1998."Mainstream Notebooks," PC Magazine, August 1999.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
What is this, a PC joystick for ANTS? This Does Not Compute 2024-01-12 | Suncom Technologies tried to create a compelling alternative for the ordinary computer mouse with its ICONtroller joystick. Problem is, it wasn't really any good.Sources:IBM PC photo: flickr.com/photos/phreakindee/13322878365"Windows 3.0", The Computer Chronicles, 1990.Microsoft mouse photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microsoft_Mouse_2.1.jpgKensington trackball next to keyboard photo: flickr.com/photos/o_o/8253121Kensington trackball photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5.jpg"Of mice and mobile computers: pointing devices for close quarters," InfoWorld, April 20, 1992.Siemens 486 laptop photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siemens-Nixdorf_PCD-4NCsx.JPG"Portable pointing devices," PC Magazine, October 15, 1991.Suncom ICONtroller Laptop photos: ebay.com/itm/393790301499"That's Entertainment!", Popular Science, November 1987."Traveling Trackballs," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993."Controller Provides Mouse and Trackball Functions to Laptops," InfoWorld, December 17, 1990.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Fix this part before it KILLS your vintage computer! This Does Not Compute 2023-12-29 | Replacing the capacitors on motherboards is something vintage computer enthusiasts are all too familiar with -- but that's only part of the problem.CayMac Vintage tweet about Mac IIsi modern replacement PSU: twitter.com/CayMacVintage/status/1703878219244396815-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
This obscure disk format had NO CHANCE at success! This Does Not Compute 2023-12-15 | The 1990s saw a fierce battle between manufacturers for high-capacity removable disk storage. But some -- like the Avatar Shark -- lost even before they hit the market.Sources:"A Gig In Your Pocket," PC World, March 1998."Shark 250," PC Magazine, May 6, 1997.Computer History Museum page on Avatar 170MB drive: computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102626593"Read the Instructions," PC Magazine, February 10, 1998."Dauphin adds removable cartridge to notebook," InfoWorld, November 2, 1992."State of the Slate: Pen-based Computers," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993."Avatar launches hard drive targeted at road warriors," Computerworld, March 17, 1997."Micron offers Zip as default disk drive," InfoWorld, February 23, 1998."Shark price tags dive," Computerworld, August 18, 1997."Watchdog," Maximum PC, December 1998."A plethora of products," Electronic Design, November 22, 1993.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Could this prebuilt vintage PC actually be GOOD?! This Does Not Compute 2023-12-08 | There were an increasing number of cheap, proprietary PCs in the late 1990s -- many of which couldn't be upgraded well, or at all. But this Dell Dimension XPS could be almost as good as a custom-built computer.Sources:"Professional PCs," PC Magazine, December 2, 1997.Ensoniq AudioPCI photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensoniq_AudioPCI#/media/File:Ensoniq_ES1370_1.jpg"Company News," The New York Times, December 11, 1997."Pentium Part II," PC Magazine, June 10, 1997.Pentium Pro photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intel_80521ex200_256k_top.jpgPentium II commercial: youtube.com/watch?v=npoeopfU-IQPentium II photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pentium_II_300_Deschutes_-_SL2W8_-_case_removed-4670.jpg"AMD challenges Intel with cheaper MMX chip," Computerworld, April 7, 1997."Intel's Celeron 266," PC World, May 1998.Slot 1 Celeron photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_Intel_Celeron_Covington.jpg"Celeron CPU Caches Up, Adds Muscle to Basic PCs," PC Magazine, October 6, 1998."Celeron 300A," Maximum PC Power User Handbook, autumn 2000.Pentium II in box photo: wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=Intel_Pentium_II&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop#/media/File:P2box1.jpgSocket 370 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intel_Socket_370_-_open-top_oblique_PNr%C2%B00346.jpgSocket 370 slotket adapter: postlmg.cc/4K6p8jmw"Rage 128," Maximum PC, February 1999.00:00 - Introduction01:11 - Drives and ports01:53 - Not quite what it seems04:35 - Upgrades06:09 - The Slot 1 story09:24 - Reassembly and cleaning11:19 - I should have installed Windows Me on this12:34 - Video cards kinda sucked back then, but we still liked them13:31 - passport.mid is the best, fight me15:40 - It's a good computer-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Sonys LAST little laptop! This Does Not Compute 2023-11-24 | When it manufactured personal computers, Sony got a reputation for producing some unique and niche machines. But sometimes they were a bit too niche...and that was the P-series' downfall.Sources:Vaio VGN-P80H recovery image: archive.org/details/vaio-vgn-p80h-recoveryVaio VGN-P530H recovery image: archive.org/details/sony-vaio-vgn-p530h-recovery-discsMotherboard photo: https://mkser.limagingui.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=212111Vaio P-series teardown: henjinkutsu.com/text/pc/vgn_p70h_hdd2ssdFirst-gen P-series review from CNet: cnet.com/reviews/sony-vaio-vgn-p588e-lifestyle-pc-reviewSony laptop catalog: archive.org/details/vaio_20211221/page/n5/mode/2upVGN-P70H Reddit thread: reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/u7ho72/sony_vaio_vgnp70h_8_screen_micro_laptop_with_anSony Vaio UX photo: flickr.com/photos/adelgado/438735997-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
A BETTER way to replace surface-mount capacitors! This Does Not Compute 2023-11-10 | When it comes to vintage electronics, the trope of "replace the capacitors" may be tired, but is still rooted in truth. Problem is, removing surface-mount parts can be time-consuming, expensive, or risky, depending on your approach. Let's explore all of the options, and check out a somewhat niche tool that could be a game-changer.Big thanks to Steve from @Mac84 for helping out with this episode -- be sure to check out his channel! youtube.com/mac84If you have a Hakko F-888D soldering station and are curious about the FX-8804 hot tweezers shown in the episode, here's an affiliate link you can use to pick up a set: amzn.to/47lNuAUUnsafe 858D-style hot air station forum post: eevblog.com/forum/chat/deadly-wiring-fault-atten-858d-hot-air-rework-station/?PHPSESSID=eed964ead2f728cf627a3a7c03cf7723-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Why do people care about this DINOSAUR of a Mac? This Does Not Compute 2023-10-27 | Apple's Macintosh Quadra 700 from 1991 is a favorite among vintage computer collectors, but not just because it was a good machine during its era.Featured music: "Pick a F**king Car" by Dan Mason: businesscasual87.bandcamp.com/album/devil-killerCapacitor list for the power supply: tinkerdifferent.com/threads/quadra-700-psu-capacitor-list-astec-aa15831.3050Sources:Mac IIfx photo: oldcrap.org/2019/07/31/apple-macintosh-iifxMac IIfx motherboard photo: https://recapamac.com.au/macintosh-iifx/"Dual Dynamos: The Macintosh Quadra 700 and 900," MacUser, December 1991.00:00 -- Introduction01:23 -- Power supply recap05:32 -- Testing the old capacitors06:05 -- PSU reassembly (Dan Mason music feature)07:38 -- Does the power supply blow up?07:53 -- Further disassembly and cleaning09:53 -- Putting it all back together10:32 -- Overview and performance13:37 -- It's a UNIX system, I know this14:11 -- Is good computer yes-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Thats a LOT of hard drives! | Synology DS1821+ NAS review This Does Not Compute 2023-10-13 | Network-attached storage devices have seen adoption among power users and IT professionals for long enough that some are finding themselves ready for an upgrade. Let's check out a model from Synology that packs a lot of features, and also offers expandability into the future.Synology DS1821+ product page: synology.com/en-global/products/DS1821+My standard review disclaimer: Synology provided the unit and upgrades as part of this review, but has had no editorial input into this video, nor was I paid to produce it. The opinions expressed here are exclusively my own. My responsibility to you, the viewer, is paramount. This video has the "includes paid promotion" setting enabled simply because YouTube does not discern product reviews from other forms of paid content.Sources:SMART statistics removed from DSM 7.2.1 support response screenshot: reddit.com/r/synology/comments/16touyg/dsm_721_with_sm_1000017_completely_ditched_smart00:00 - Introduction01:06 - Hardware overview02:31 - Initial setup03:39 - Software features04:15 - CPU, RAM and M.2 SSDs07:25 - Network file copy performance07:59 - 10 gigabit network upgrade09:57 - Upgrading from another NAS12:06 - Drive array expansion13:21 - Who this NAS is for-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
The worlds THINNEST laptop (in 2001) This Does Not Compute 2023-09-29 | Laptops were gaining popularity in the early 2000s due to increasing selection and falling prices. In the thin-and-light category, Toshiba pulled out all the stops and produced a machine so portable that it rivals even today's laptops.Sources:Portege 2000 extended battery photos: ebay.com/itm/255963114931"The Laptop Shell Game," Popular Mechanics, October 2002."The Notebook Buyer's Guide," Maximum PC, July 2005."An Intel-Approved Desktop to Go," PC Magazine, August 5, 2003."RIP Toshiba-Branded PCs, Long Live Dynabook," PC Magazine, pcmag.com/news/rip-toshiba-branded-pcs-long-live-dynabook"Toshiba Portege 2000," PC Magazine, April 9, 2002.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Apple ALMOST made this portable word processor! This Does Not Compute 2023-09-22 | The AlphaSmart text editing device was originally designed by Apple engineers. When they couldn't get their employer to build it, they decided to do so themselves -- and ended up being a rather clever, long-lived device.Sources:Computer lab photo: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/maclab.htmlKetan Kothari photo: https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/ketan-kothariJoe Barrus photo: flickr.com/photos/richardspics/14799355Apple Infinte Loop campus photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Headquarters_in_Cupertino.jpgAlphaSmart Pro owner's manual: archive.org/details/AlphaSmart_Pro_Owners_Manual_alt"AlphaSmart: A History of One of Ed-Tech's Favorite (Drop-Kickable) Writing Tools": http://hackeducation.com/2015/07/25/alphasmartPC computer lab photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Students_working_on_class_assignment_in_computer_lab.jpg"AlphaSmart Pro 2.1," Macworld, March 1997."Smart Keyboard for the Classroom," Computerworld, July 6, 1998.AlphaSmart 2000 photo: journaldulapin.com/2018/03/07/alphasmart-adb3rd-party SmartApplets: https://www.spectronics.com.au/catalogue/smartapplets-for-alphasmart-3000"Lightweight Note-Taker," PC World, March 2003.AlphaSmart Neo photo and ad: hackaday.com/2020/11/05/alphasmart-neo-teardown-this-is-the-way-to-write-without-distractions"AlphaSmart files $58 million IPO," MarketWatch: marketwatch.com/story/alphasmart-files-ipo-as-latest-tech-playerRenaissance Learning acquires AlphaSmart press release: sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1264388/000119312505129967/dex991.htmAlphaSmart Neo 2 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AlphaSmart_Neo_2.jpgLaptop charging cart photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Classmate_PC_charging_trolley.jpgAlphaSmart Neo discontinued: web.archive.org/web/20131114042404/http://www.neo-direct.comAlphaSmart 3000 with modded keyboard photo: reddit.com/r/AlphaSmart/comments/kn84w4/finished_my_3000_mechanical_keyboard_modLazyDog's AlphaSmart keyboard mod kit (no longer being sold): http://tilde.club/%7Ejy4m/alphasmart/index.html and geekhack.org/index.php?topic=91504.0Freewrite devices: getfreewrite.com-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Restoring Apples most BORING vintage Mac This Does Not Compute 2023-09-08 | The Mac Classic wasn't fancy or exciting when it launched in 1990, but Apple sold a ton of them.Free Geek Twin Cities: freegeektwincities.orgSources:"Macintosh IIsi and Classic Deliver Quality for Lower Price," InfoWorld, November 12, 1990.Mac Classic and SE motherboard photos: https://recapamac.com.au/TidBITS article about Mac Classic ROM disk: tidbits.com/1990/11/19/the-system-in-the-new-machine"Mac Classic Appeals to New Market," InfoWorld, December 10, 1990."How Does Apple Deal with Success?", Macworld, March 1991."The Mac Option Revisited," ABA Journal, June 1991."Mac Classic," Macworld, December 1990.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Could this ThinkPad netbook actually be GOOD at retro gaming? This Does Not Compute 2023-08-25 | Lenovo's ThinkPad X100e form 2010 went up against a slew of competitors in the netbook market. It was certainly better in some regards, but was held back in others. But with the right OS, could it still find some usefulness today?Sources:Lenovo EOL drivers download page: download.lenovo.com/eol/index.htmlEeePC photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asus_Eee_PC_1001PX_netbook_20180326.jpgCNet X100e review: cnet.com/reviews/lenovo-thinkpad-x100e-reviewThinkPad-Wiki page on the X100e: https://thinkwiki.de/X100eLaptop Mag X100e review: laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-x100e-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Wait...THATS what was wrong with my rare Mac clone?! This Does Not Compute 2023-08-11 | How could I have missed this problem?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Did I KILL my rare vintage Mac clone?! This Does Not Compute 2023-07-28 | I think I screwed up big time.3D-printable CPU bracket: printables.com/model/534404-daystar-genesis-mp-cpu-bracketSources:"The Mac Goes Multiprocessor," Byte, February 1997.Power Mac 9500/9600 motherboard photo: fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Apple_820-0865-A_Power_Mac_9600_Motherboard-0928.jpg-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Well that’s one way to fix a broken iMac… This Does Not Compute 2023-07-21 | Interesting problems require interesting solutions.
Lets Note: Panasonics Japanese Business Laptops! This Does Not Compute 2023-07-14 | You might be familiar with Panasonic's Toughbook like of rugged notebook PCs. But in its home country of Japan, the company offers many more models -- so let's check out a smaller, decade-old one from the Let's Note series.Sources:The Conversation's article about fax machines in Japan: theconversation.com/japans-love-affair-with-the-fax-machine-a-strange-relic-of-technological-fantasies-168674"Why WiMax," Computerworld, February 14, 2005."Broadband On The Go," Popular Mechanics, December 2004.PCMag Toughbook CF-S10 review: web.archive.org/web/20111127191937/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393939,00.asp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Sony Data Discman: The First eBook Reader! This Does Not Compute 2023-07-07 | In the early 1990s, plenty of people didn't even own computers yet -- but that didn't stop Sony from trying to take books into the digital realm.Sources:"Portable Data Discs," Popular Mechanics, January 1992.Data Discman photo pool on Flickr: flickr.com/groups/1882912@N22/pool/with/6532350055Electronics Boutique catalog scan: huguesjohnson.com/scans/ebspring92Data Discman DD8 authoring software: http://www.robotsandcomputers.com/computers/dd8h.htm-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Put a vintage Mac in your pocket! This Does Not Compute 2023-06-23 | The majority of vintage Mac enthusiasts focus on restoring original hardware. But here's a way to get the classic Mac OS experience in a device you can fit in your pocket!Instructions overview for installing Mini vMac on PocketCHIP:Download the .zip file from the GitHub repository and find/make a Mini vMac disk image (links below)Install SSH server if it isn't already: sudo apt-get install openssh-serverFind the PocketCHIP's IP address: ip addr show wlan0Connect to PocketCHIP using an SFTP client with credentials chip/chipCreate a folder on PocketCHIP and navigate into itUpload the minivmac, MacII.ROM and your disk image fileOn the PocketCHIP, navigate into the folder you made and make minivmac executable: chmod +x minivmacThen just run it with ./minivmac (provided that your disk image is named disk1.dsk)Sources and links:biosrhythm blog post about MiniVMac on PocketCHIP: biosrhythm.com/?p=2688Mini vMac project page: gryphel.com/c/minivmacGitHub MiniVMac port for CHIP: github.com/zzxzzk115/Pocketchip-MacOS-EmulatorMini vMac premade disk images: macintoshgarden.org/apps/mini-vmac-ready-go"Is This the End for the C.H.I.P.?," Hackaday: hackaday.com/2018/04/03/is-this-the-end-for-the-c-h-i-pLeftover CHIP inventory photos: web.archive.org/web/20180918185627/bbs.nextthing.co/t/1600-brand-new-pocketchips-for-sale/20800Suspicion about CHIP selling at a loss: cnx-software.com/2015/06/07/allwinner-r8-module-datasheet-and-price-is-the-9-c-h-i-p-computer-selling-at-a-loss-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
This vintage upgrade made the Mac SE into a MONSTER! This Does Not Compute 2023-06-16 | Processor upgrades for Macs in the 1990s were commonplace...but earlier models, like the Mac SE, weren't designed with them in mind. That didn't stop clever third parties from figuring out how to make them work, though, and they ended up offering ridiculous results.Sources:"After the Split at Apple's Core," InfoWorld, September 30, 1985.MacUser, April 1987.Mac SE dual floppy photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_SE#/media/File:Macintosh_SE_b.jpg"More than a Plus," Macworld, April 1987."...For the Rest of Us," MacUser, April 1987."Beefing Up the SE," Macworld, September 1987."News Briefs," InfoWorld, August 27, 1987.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Did this obscure audio format REALLY sound better than MiniDisc? This Does Not Compute 2023-06-09 | Something that came up occasionally in early reviews of DCC and MiniDisc equipment was that DCC's sound quality was a bit better. The technical specifications of both formats' codecs suggest this is indeed the case, but look closer and things aren't so clear after all.Featured music:"Let Go Of Yourself" by Dan Mason: danmason.bandcamp.com/album/ill-be-alright"All of My Time" by Seth Nova (this album is seriously underrated): businesscasual87.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-heartbreak"Last Chance Branca" by Arc De Soleil: open.spotify.com/track/4RUhvuw2tbKCuuj8tv4GMi?si=3436bba13ed34b8cSources:"Digital Recording Arrives," Popular Science, April 1993."DCC: The Adventure Begins," Billboard, July 25, 1992."Now Hear This!," The Morning Call, December 20, 1992.DCC System Description document: archive.org/details/philips-dcc-system-description-draftATRAC whitepaper: https://www.minidisc.wiki/_media/resources/atrac_adaptive_transform_acoustic_coding_for_minidisc.pdfThe MPEG FAQ: web.archive.org/web/20170104010328/http://www.faqs.org/faqs/mpeg-faq/part1MPEG-1 draft standard proposition: https://www.itu.int/wftp3/av-arch/avc-site/1990-1996/Contributions/AVC-0095.pdf"DCC, MD, And CD-I Expected To Drive 1st Consumer CES," Billboard, May 30, 1992.Sony interview with ATRAC developers: sony.net/Products/ATRAC3/special/developers01.html"The incredible shrinking disc," The Guardian, November 25, 1992."Sony Revives MiniDisc in Package Deal," Los Angeles Times, August 27, 1996: latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-08-27-ca-37950-story.htmlDolby patent used in ATRAC: http://www.minidisc.org/patents/pdfs/US05394473.pdfMiniDisc FAQ about Dolby licensing: minidisc.org/faq_sec_6.htmlMiniDisc-related patents: http://www.minidisc.org/patents"Studios Cautious About DCC, MiniDisc," Billboard, February 11, 1995."Sony MiniDisc, Philips DCC Downplayed At Winter CES," Billboard, January 21, 1995.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Check out this WEIRD tech I found at Free Geek Twin Cities! This Does Not Compute 2023-05-26 | Minneapolis nonprofit Free Geek Twin Cities sometimes sees strange or uncommon technology get donated...here's a look at some that I've run across lately.Free Geek Twin Cities: freegeektwincities.org-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Could this cheap Windows XP laptop make for great Windows 98 gaming? This Does Not Compute 2023-05-19 | Just because a retro PC that originally shipped in the Windows XP era also offers Windows 98 drivers doesn't mean it's going to be the best experience...and here's a great example.Sources:Unreal Tournament and 3DMark 99 benchmark result charts (and an overall fantastic resource for comparing retro video cards!): http://hw-museum.cz/article/2/benchmark-vga-1998---2001--2011-edition-/2"An Old Faithful - Dell Inspiron 8200," HWM, May 2002."Lowered XPectations," Computerworld, November 5, 2001.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Diagnosing a Dead Mac Color Classic This Does Not Compute 2023-05-12 | Apple's Mac Color Classic from 1993 is my favorite desktop computer, so when one that wasn't working crossed my path, I knew I needed to try repairing it. But even though we have tons of options for fixing and modifying retro computers these days, sometimes the parts you need are still practically impossible to find.Bourns Again filter chip project: github.com/alxlab-zone66x/Bourns-601-Series-RC-Network-T-Filters-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Putting Together My Own Retro Desktop PC This Does Not Compute 2023-04-28 | I've worked on plenty of retro desktop computers, but for various reasons I haven't been able to keep any of them. It's about time we changed that.Sources:"TDK veloCD 24/10/40," Maximum PC, October 2001.Seagate acquires Samsung's HDD business: computerworld.com/article/2733273/seagate-completes-acquisition-of-samsung-s-hdd-business.htmlIBM hard drive photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_0665-30_HDD_2.jpg"WatchDog," Maximum PC, May 2005."News Industry," Computerworld, June 10, 2002.Intel D845GEBV2 specs: theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel-d845gebv2-brownville-200:00 - Introduction01:47 - Checking out the case03:48 - The motherboard and CPU08:00 - Keeping cool09:01 - An ominous warning10:12 - A selection of drives13:37 - You're probably bored by now14:17 - Sound and video16:05 - A GPU shootout...or not17:58 - CaN iT pLaY cRySiS tHo?19:24 - I found another video card. It still can't play Crysis20:43 - The beginning, not the end-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
DayStars PowerCache made a fast 1989 Mac even faster...kind of This Does Not Compute 2023-04-21 | CPU upgrades for computers have been around for decades, and DayStar was a prolific maker of them for Macs. The company advertised that its PowerCache cards could make a Mac IIci from 1989 even faster than Apple's high-performance IIfx...but were those claims actually true?Sources:PowerCache performance explanation: wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=DayStar_PowerCache&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop"PowerCache IIci Beats Mac IIfx, MacUser, February 1991."PowerCache IIci," MacUser, December 1991."The Accelerated Course," Macworld, July 1991.Macintosh IIfx photos (also a pretty cool site in general!): oldcrap.org/2019/07/31/apple-macintosh-iifx"Macintosh Quadras: Power but no pizzazz," Macworld, December 1991."Dual Dynamos: The Macintosh Quadra 700 and 900," MacUser, December 1991.DayStar 68040 card photo: wiki.preterhuman.net/File:Turbo040-4.jpg-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Dauphin DTR-1: The 486 Touchscreen PC from 1992! This Does Not Compute 2023-04-14 | The 1990s saw portable computing take off in a big way, but manufacturers were still trying to figure out what form factor worked best. While most went with the notebook design we're most familiar with today, a small company from Chicago had another idea.Sources:IBM 5155 luggable PC photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_5155_(1).jpg"HP floors industry with 20MB, 1.3-inch drive," InfoWorld, June 15, 1992."Smooth as Glass," PC Magazine, May 25, 1993."HP drops disk drives," Computerworld, July 15, 1996."Lappro-286 Introduced By Dauphin," InfoWorld, October 24, 1988."286-Based Portables," PC Magazine, March 13, 1990."Dauphin 1000-FX Is One of First 486SX Laptops," InfoWorld, June 10, 1991."Dauphin touts hand-held pen tablet as desktop substitute," InfoWorld, January 25, 1993."State of the Slate: Pen-based Computers," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993."Area computer firm wins defense contract," Chicago Tribune, February 8, 1992."Dauphin's Modular DTR-1: Portable, But No Desktop PC," PC Magazine, September 28, 1993."Portable Pleasures," Computerworld, October 25, 1993."PDA market stays shaky but active," Computerworld, August 22, 1994.DTR-2 photos: http://www.spic.net/mirrors/dauphin-dtr-1/www.eskimo.com/%257Etoby/dtr1/pics/index.html"For Pen PC Mogul, a Sword Would Have Been Mightier," PC Magazine, June 27, 1995."Dauphin Technologies files for bankruptcy; IBM the main debtor," Chicago Tribune, January 4, 1995."Palmtop sales slow, forcing firm's hand in Chapter 11 filing," Chicago Tribune, January 5, 1995."Dauphin out of Chapter 11," Chicago Tribune, July 30, 1996."Dauphin Technology acquires R.M. Schultz," Daily Herald, February 12, 1997."Marketing Orasis," Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1999."Hefty handhelds on tap at Comdex," InfoWorld, November 17, 1997.Dauphin Orasis photo: reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/g9462s/behold_my_very_rare_dauphin_orasis_tabletGeoVax merges with Dauphin in 2006: bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/01/23/daily26.html?page=all-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Dell Inspiron 5150: Good for Windows XP Gaming? This Does Not Compute 2023-03-31 | Not everyone has the space for a desktop retro PC. So if you're interested in getting into the Windows XP gaming scene, could this 20-year-old Dell laptop be a viable option?Sources:NotebookCheck benchmarks comparison: notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-FX-Go-5200.6944.0.html"The Intel Mobile Tipsheet," Maximum PC, July 2003."An Intel-Approved Desktop to Go," PC Magazine, August 5, 2003.Pentium 4-M CPU photo: ebay.com/itm/392963414344Dell TV commercial: youtube.com/watch?v=dXGO6QSC5F-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Sports Walkman: Sonys Go-Anywhere Portable Electronics! This Does Not Compute 2023-03-24 | As the personal electronics craze exploded in the 1980s, people wanted to take their gadgets everywhere. Sony came up with a product line that promised to hold up to (mostly) anything their owners could throw at them.Featured music: "Disco Soul" and "Liftoff" by Discoholic: discoholicmusic.bandcamp.com/album/discoholics-anonymousSources:WM-F5 photo: sony.com/en/SonyInfo/design/gallery/WM-F5Multicolored WM-F5 models: https://walkman.land/sony/wm-f5Sports boombox photo: philamuseum.org/collection/object/329056Sports Watchman photo: larkclub.com/gallery/2014/10586Sports Discman photo: larkclub.com/gallery/2018/35471MZ-S1 photo: page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f1057635077Panasonic Shockwave cassette player photo: https://tyo.deedpowerfactor.xyz/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10823GPX sports cassette player photo: etsy.com/listing/1042450239/gpx-sports-cassette-player-radio-andMy First Sony box photo: ebay.com/itm/125826219756My First Sony commercial: youtube.com/watch?v=n68TnOyoeU0My First Sony product range photo: flickr.com/photos/mawari/30920462624-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Exploring a Mystery Retro PC! This Does Not Compute 2023-03-10 | I picked up what I initially thought was a new-in-box retro PC case, but it turned out to be much more -- so let's see what kind of story it has to tell.Free Geek Twin Cities: freegeektwincities.orgIDE to SD card adapter I used in this episode (affiliate link): amzn.to/3Zaz4AcSources:"Graphics Accelerators," PC Magazine, December 2, 1997.IDE2SD bracket model: printables.com/model/80829-ide2sd-35-enclosure-with-additional-mounting-optio"Cyrix's 6x86 scoots in cheap," InfoWorld, June 2, 1997."Packard Bell Multimedia 830," Maximum PC, January 1999.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Soundstripe (soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
CD Mavica: Sonys Weird CD Burning Digital Cameras! This Does Not Compute 2023-03-03 | Sony's Mavica line of digital cameras from the late 90s were compelling due to their use of normal floppy disks instead of expensive flash media. But when photo sizes became too large for floppies, the company switched to another commodity media instead...with interesting results.Sources:MVC-CD1000 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Mavica_MVC-CD1000_CP%2B_2011.jpgMVC-CD200 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Mavica_MVC-CD200_Flash.jpg"The Future of Digicam Tech," HWM, April 2004."Direct-to-DVD Gets Better," PC Magazine, August 23, 2005.Sony a100 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SonyDSLRAlpha100_VL.jpgSony a9 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Alpha_A9.jpg-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
A Look At Sonys Crazy 2000s PDAs! This Does Not Compute 2023-02-17 | Most personal digital assistants were fairly utilitarian. Sony had other ideas.Sources:"IBM licenses Palm Pilot," InfoWorld, September 22, 1997.IBM WorkPad photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_Workpad_c3.jpg"Palm handhelds get expansion slot," InfoWorld, April 9, 2001."Palm Leads the Pack," Computerworld, November 22, 1999."Palm's Mace Is Officially 'Paranoid' About PocketPC," Computerworld, April 17, 2000."Sony Clie PEG-NX80V," Maximum PC, October 2003."Sony's Crossover PDA," PC Magazine, October 1, 2003."Palm Slashes Pricing to Match the Competition," Computerworld, February 10, 2003."Palm Fights Back," PC Magazine, October 28, 2003.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Iomega Clik: Little Disk, Huge Failure This Does Not Compute 2023-02-03 | Throughout the 1990s, Iomega was the darling of the storage industry with its various, successful disk formats. But while technology was rapidly changing at the end of the decade, the company stuck to what it knew best with its Clik/PocketZip disk -- which ultimately would lead to its downfall.Sources:"One Size Stores All," PC Magazine, March 9, 1999.PocketZip disk photo: fileformat.info/media/clik/index.htm"Zip Drive Death Click Is for Real," PC World, May 1998."Watchdog," Maximum PC, July 2001.HipZip packaging photo: in.pinterest.com/pin/iomega-fotoshow-hipzip-packaging--356910339207778313"Ultimate MP3 Showdown," Maximum PC, March 2001.Agfa ePhoto CL30 Clik photo: journaldulapin.com/2020/11/11/agfa-photowise-click-matosPocketZip USB drive box photo: twitter.com/foone/status/1526220163917283329"Iomega Announces New 100MB PocketZip Drive," web.archive.org/web/20040220160701/http://www.iomega.com/about/prreleases/2001/100mb_pocketzip.html"More Room to Store," PC Magazine, January 19, 1999."Iomega's 10GB Peerless Drive System," Maximum PC, August 2001."Personal Storage," PC Magazine, March 21, 2000."Iomega takes Q2 drubbing, plans layoffs," Computerworld, computerworld.com/article/2582699/iomega-takes-q2-drubbing--plans-layoffs.html"First Looks," PC Magazine, March 2008."EMC to acquire Iomega," dell.com/en-us/dt/corporate/newsroom/announcements/2008/04/20080408-07.htm-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Massively Speeding Up Apples First Power Mac! This Does Not Compute 2023-01-27 | In the fast-paced tech scene of the 1990s, computers were often obsolete after just a few years. As such, Apple's first-generation PowerPC-based computers from 1994 were definitely feeling their age by the end of the decade...but in the case of this Power Mac 7100, third-party manufacturers had other plans.Sources:"Battle for the Desktop," PC Magazine, May 31, 1994."The Power Mac Arrives," Macworld, May 1994."Sound and Vision," MacUser, October 1993."AV Cyclone and Tempest," Macworld, September 1993.PowerPC 601 chip photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_IBM_PowerPC_601.jpg"Long Road to a Native OS," Macworld, April 1995."Cosmos Carl," The Mac Bathroom Reader by Owen Linzmayer.Carl Sagan photo: https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/carl-sagan"The Missing Links," New Scientist, July 2, 1981."Cold Fusion," Popular Science, August 1993.Carl Sagan photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Astronomer_Carl_Sagan_in_1987.jpg"Letters," MacWEEK, January 10, 1994."WYSIWYG," Computerworld, January 10, 1994.Carl Sagan v. Apple Computer, 1994: scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17969840709013570950&q=Sagan+v.+Apple+Computer,+Inc.&hl=en&as_sdt=2006"Code Names Uncovered," Apple Confidential 2.0 by Owen Linzmayer.Apple campus photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Headquarters_in_Cupertino.jpg"G3 Upgrade Cards," Macworld, March 1999.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Double your retro Macs hard drive space with this one weird card... This Does Not Compute 2023-01-13 | In the 80s and early 90s, hard drive space was a precious commodity. But keeping important files on floppies or other removable media carried its own risks. One company promised to double the amount of space your Mac's drive could hold just by installing an expansion card...but did it work?Sources:Seagate ST-225 photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seagate_ST-225.jpg"Bobker's Dozen," MacUser, July 1990."Stac To Use QIC's Data Compression Algorithm," InfoWorld, January 22, 1990."IBM, Stac sign data compression deal," Computerworld, April 18, 1994."Pipeline," InfoWorld, August 19, 1991."SuperDisk offers easy compression of Mac files," InfoWorld, August 5, 1991."Datran Add-In Doubles Hard Disk's Capacity," InfoWorld, August 8, 1988.Datran DiskDoubler box photo: wiki.preterhuman.net/Datran_DiskDoubler_dd2000#/media/File:Datran1.jpg"Stacker Coprocessor Offers Real-Time File COmpression/Decompression Without Sacrificing DOS Compatibility," PC Magazine, March 12, 1991.Symantec headquarters photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Symantec_Headquarters_Mountain_View.jpg-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcomputeFollow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Music by Epidemic Sound (epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com).Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
