Uploaded August 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In part 1, we explored a box filled with PC parts to discover what cool treasures lurked within. In this video, let's try to test out some of the card, both the normal and the mysterious ones. What can I actually get working?
Part 1: youtu.be/KW8XP_cQ5Hk
Part 2: This part!
00:00 Into
01:08 Cleaning up dirty parts
02:20 Drying the freshly washed parts
04:11 Testing Sound Blaster cards
06:55 Results of testing the "normal" cards
11:30 Flexus 486F55 motherboard
23:27 Kingston 133Mhz 486 upgrade
28:12 Heath 150-307-3 video card
43:16 Compaq Video Controller GA2
46:14 Orchid Turbo Graphics Controller
57:45 Vectrix EX1280
1:04:01 Periscope IV Rev 2
1:06:13 MQX-16 by Music Quest
1:07:06 TOPS AppleTalk card by Centram Systems
1:07:47 Scan Cap by Conversion Technologies
1:08:53 BlackFoot by Arroyo Technologies
1:10:49 So much of this is lost to time
1:15:10 Outro
-- Info
MQX-16 Music Quest Inc.
Scan Cap by Conversion Technology Copyright 1991
BlackFoot by Arroyo Technologies for the Macintosh II NuBus
Patron stynx found this about the Orchid Turbo Graphics card: "Orchid Technology. The Turbo Graphics Controller (TGC), which is functionally compatible with the IBM Professional Graphics Controller, runs 4 to 25 times faster than IBM’s product. The TGC offers 640-by-480 pixel display resolution and can run on a less expensive display than IBM’s. It writes directly to screen memory (bit-map), and has RAM designed specially for video applications. Approximately $2,000."
Fond in PC_Tech_Journal_vol03_n08 page 30
Also from Patron stynx: Arroyo Technologies "Blackfoot JPEG": Macworld May 1992 page 211
Claims to allow 1MB/s JPEG decompression.
-- Links
Patron stynx found this about that Vectrix video card:
bitsavers.org/pdf/vectrix/isa/ex1280
The card was featured in SMMC 007:
youtu.be/eLxf5wKzDJM?t=589
Nick Griebel found that a Computer chronicles episode makes a reference to TOP technology, and kind of describes how you can transfer IBM files to an Apple via Appletalk and TOPS. youtu.be/lyHm8u_AR30?t=180
Freetech/Flexus 486F55
theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/freetech-flexus-486f55
Link to dumped ROMs for Vectrix EX1280
Link to dump ROM from BlackFoot card
Heath EGA 150-307-3 Rev 1.33 and P/N 150-307-2 Rev 1.32
vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=64541
AppleTalk TOPS card:
http://archive.retro.co.za/mirrors/68000/www.vintagemacworld.com/pc_hardware.html
Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com
Adrian's Digital Basement ][ (Second Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCbtwi4wK1YXd9AyV_4UcE6g
Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement
-- Tools
Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f
O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J
Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW
Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0
Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z
Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy
TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html
TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853
EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw
DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672
Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html
Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971
RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com
Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184
Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html
Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI
--- Links
My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories
Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group
commodorecomputerclub.com
--- Instructional videos
My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8
--- Music
Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino
In part 1, we explored a box filled with PC parts to discover what cool treasures lurked within. In this video, let's try to test out some of the card, both the normal and the mysterious ones. What can I actually get working?
Part 1: youtu.be/KW8XP_cQ5Hk
Part 2: This part!
00:00 Into
01:08 Cleaning up dirty parts
02:20 Drying the freshly washed parts
04:11 Testing Sound Blaster cards
06:55 Results of testing the "normal" cards
11:30 Flexus 486F55 motherboard
23:27 Kingston 133Mhz 486 upgrade
28:12 Heath 150-307-3 video card
43:16 Compaq Video Controller GA2
46:14 Orchid Turbo Graphics Controller
57:45 Vectrix EX1280
1:04:01 Periscope IV Rev 2
1:06:13 MQX-16 by Music Quest
1:07:06 TOPS AppleTalk card by Centram Systems
1:07:47 Scan Cap by Conversion Technologies
1:08:53 BlackFoot by Arroyo Technologies
1:10:49 So much of this is lost to time
1:15:10 Outro
-- Info
MQX-16 Music Quest Inc.
Scan Cap by Conversion Technology Copyright 1991
BlackFoot by Arroyo Technologies for the Macintosh II NuBus
Patron stynx found this about the Orchid Turbo Graphics card: "Orchid Technology. The Turbo Graphics Controller (TGC), which is functionally compatible with the IBM Professional Graphics Controller, runs 4 to 25 times faster than IBM’s product. The TGC offers 640-by-480 pixel display resolution and can run on a less expensive display than IBM’s. It writes directly to screen memory (bit-map), and has RAM designed specially for video applications. Approximately $2,000."
Fond in PC_Tech_Journal_vol03_n08 page 30
Also from Patron stynx: Arroyo Technologies "Blackfoot JPEG": Macworld May 1992 page 211
Claims to allow 1MB/s JPEG decompression.
-- Links
Patron stynx found this about that Vectrix video card:
bitsavers.org/pdf/vectrix/isa/ex1280
The card was featured in SMMC 007:
youtu.be/eLxf5wKzDJM?t=589
Nick Griebel found that a Computer chronicles episode makes a reference to TOP technology, and kind of describes how you can transfer IBM files to an Apple via Appletalk and TOPS. youtu.be/lyHm8u_AR30?t=180
Freetech/Flexus 486F55
theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/freetech-flexus-486f55
Link to dumped ROMs for Vectrix EX1280
Link to dump ROM from BlackFoot card
Heath EGA 150-307-3 Rev 1.33 and P/N 150-307-2 Rev 1.32
vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=64541
AppleTalk TOPS card:
http://archive.retro.co.za/mirrors/68000/www.vintagemacworld.com/pc_hardware.html
Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com
Adrian's Digital Basement ][ (Second Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCbtwi4wK1YXd9AyV_4UcE6g
Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement
-- Tools
Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f
O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J
Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW
Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0
Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z
Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy
TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html
TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853
EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw
DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672
Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html
Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971
RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com
Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184
Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html
Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI
--- Links
My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories
Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group
commodorecomputerclub.com
--- Instructional videos
My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8
--- Music
Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino
