Book PC II mini desktop computer @vwestlife

VWestlife I got this little desktop PC for only $5 but it was missing most of the components. With the addition of some junk box parts, I have assembled it into a tiny but competent Windows XP workstation. The CPU is a VIA C3 based on the Samuel 2 core (a descendant of the IDT WinChip). The PC Chips motherboard calls it "1 Giga Pro", but it is actually only 667 MHz. It has a full assortment of legacy and USB 1.1 ports, but the lack of any expansion slots limits its upgrade potential.

updated 13 years ago

Book PC II mini desktop computer

VWestlife 2010-11-07 | I got this little desktop PC for only $5 but it was missing most of the components. With the addition of some junk box parts, I have assembled it into a tiny but competent Windows XP workstation. The CPU is a VIA C3 based on the Samuel 2 core (a descendant of the IDT WinChip). The PC Chips motherboard calls it "1 Giga Pro", but it is actually only 667 MHz. It has a full assortment of legacy and USB 1.1 ports, but the lack of any expansion slots limits its upgrade potential.

A Computer Mini Vacuum that really sucks bad

VWestlife 2024-05-06 | PC Accessories made some good products. This was not one of them.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:57 Unboxing
3:39 Testing
7:08 Conclusion

#VintageComputer #VacuumCleaner #RetroTech

1987 Talking Notepad with a creepy recording on it

VWestlife 2024-04-29 | A Maverick Talking Notepad from 1987 containing a Bandai micro endless loop tape cartridge with a rather creepy message from the past on it.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:04 Unboxing & first test
4:08 Creepy recording
5:23 Bandai micro cartridges
7:09 Recording problem
8:27 A look inside
10:13 Databits video

#cassette #RetroTech #vaporwave

Elgato Video Capture is RUINING the quality of your VHS tapes!

VWestlife 2024-04-22 | Elgato's USB Video Capture device and software proves that just because it's overpriced and professionals use it, doesn't mean you can expect professional-quality results from it. In fact, exactly the opposite!

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:37 Overview
2:56 Initial tests
5:56 VHS test
7:09 Comparison to DVD recorder
8:29 Hi8 test
9:34 Bad de-interlacing
9:52 Computer/video game test
10:36 Using OBS
12:03 Teardown
13:00 Elgato's response
13:42 Conclusion

Additional notes:
1. The Windows version of the Elgato software uses a slightly higher video bitrate (2.5 Mbps) than the Mac version, but that's still too low for good quality. It has a "high resolution" option, but that's just the normal 640x480; if you uncheck it, you get 320x240.
2. The Honestech VHS to DVD software that comes with many of the EasyCap devices works fine with the Elgato, and ironically produces much higher quality than Elgato's own software, since it can record MPEG2 video at up to 10 Mbps, and has better-quality de-interlacing.
3. The cheaper Diamond VC500 I mentioned is actually more fully-featured than the Elgato, because it has power and recording LEDs and a recording start/stop button on the device itself; Elgato's version eliminated these features, but still has traces for them on the circuit board.
4. Just like the EasyCap, numerous variations and rebrandings of the OTG102 hardware design used by the Elgato have been on the market for many years (since at least 2009), usually with some reference to "Grabber" in their name. You can buy generic versions of it for as little as $15.

#VHStapes #digitizing #RetroTech

This is not a Walkman. 1989 Sony TCM-31 Cassette-Corder

VWestlife 2024-04-14 | It may look like one, and sometimes be falsely advertised as one, but the Sony TCM-31 is not a Walkman. It is part of their Pressman series of mono cassette recorders (or a "Cassette-Corder", as Sony called it), from which the original Walkman was derived.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
0:55 Not a Walkman
3:14 Replacing belts
6:20 Playback test
8:25 Recording test
9:45 Conclusion

#Walkman #RetroTech #cassette

2024 Solar Eclipse two-hour time lapse

VWestlife 2024-04-09 | The time lapse in the video was from around 2:15 to 4:15 PM EDT. The closest we got to totality here in NJ was at 3:25 PM. Despite thickening cloud cover I managed to get a few good shots of the eclipse via a floppy disk lens filter.

Music: "Phenomefile" from the BackTraxx 2 Music Library

#SolarEclipse #eclipse #TimeLapse

VHS to DVD without a PC - Sony DVDirect VRD-MC5

VWestlife 2024-04-01 | If you hate computers, here's an easy to way to transfer your VHS tapes, or any analog or DV video source, to DVDs -- the Sony VRD-MC5 DVDirect. The video quality is excellent, and you can likely find one for much less than the cost of getting your tapes professionally digitized.

Time flow:
0:00 I hate computers
0:46 Introduction the DVDirect
3:09 Handycam owners only
5:15 MiniDV / Digital8
11:34 Hi8 / Video8
12:59 VHS
16:13 Computers & video games
17:55 Technical details
18:50 Ripping the DVDs
21:03 Ouch!

#retrotech #VHS #DVD

A finely tuned 8-track player by Electrophonic

VWestlife 2024-03-25 | Head alignment is a common problem with 8-track players. This one solves it by giving you a front-panel control to fine-tune your self-destructing cartridges.

Update: I was able to identify this as the Electrophonic model T-109.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:07 Fine tuning
3:29 Playback samples
5:16 Homemade recordings
7:03 Self-destructing tapes
7:48 A look inside
10:22 No model number
11:03 Conclusion

#retrotech #8track #vintageaudio

Oddware: The Monitor Miser

VWestlife 2024-03-18 | The Monitor Miser was a good idea, five years too late. As a result, most of them were forgotten in a warehouse for a quarter-century, before being sold as electronic surplus.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:23 Power consumption
2:30 The Monitor Miser
3:44 Unwrapping
4:14 DIP switches
5:30 PS/2 adapters
6:26 DOS test
7:41 Bonus feature
8:02 Windows test
8:54 Monitor Miser Plus
9:23 Teardown
10:06 Outro

Time lapse music: "Telesound 13" by Ben Minnotte: benminnotte.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-the-oddity-archives

#vintagecomputing #RetroTech #crtgaming

Beware of counterfeit camcorders on eBay!

VWestlife 2024-03-11 | When you're shopping for a camcorder, don't get fooled by the fakes. They may look similar to the real thing, but will deliver very poor video quality, if they work at all.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:27 History
3:13 Fake DVD camcorder
5:44 Model numbers
6:35 Manufacturer warnings
7:29 eBay sellers
8:15 Video quality comparison
10:32 New fake camcorders
11:10 Recommendations

#camcorder #RetroTech #ebay

Cheap but good 1991 Realistic Clarinette 125 stereo system

VWestlife 2024-03-04 | Listen to Yacht Rock on a dinghy budget with Radio Shack's cheapest stereo system from the early 1990s.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:06 Radio tuner
4:33 Cassette playback
8:05 Turntable
10:49 Teardown
13:23 Repair
15:33 Vinyl playback
17:11 Conclusion

#RetroTech #cassette #vinyl

The little old lady who gave away millions of free records: Dora Hall

VWestlife 2024-02-26 | The weird but true story of Dora Hall's unexpected later-in-life fame as a singer and actress, and how she gave away millions of free vinyl records with packages of disposable plastic cups.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:31 Unboxing
2:41 Who was Dora Hall?
3:56 "Did He Call Today, Mama?"
6:45 My opinion of her singing
7:25 Conclusion

Discovery of a videotape containing long-lost footage from the taping of one of Dora's TV specials: youtube.com/watch?v=GKbL14b7zEg

One of Dora's later TV specials that was released on VHS, featuring breakdancing(!): youtube.com/watch?v=eKM8KLEpIGI

The flip side of the record, which is Dora's version of "Crazy":
youtube.com/watch?v=1zMPk0y7-Q0

#vinyl #outsidermusic #45rpm

FiiO CP13 cassette player speed & azimuth adjustment

VWestlife 2024-02-19 | My new FiiO CP13 Walkman-style cassette player arrived playing too fast, and others have reporting the azimuth (tape head alignment) being incorrect. Ideally the quality control at the factory should be improved so these problems don't occur, but at least it's not too difficult to make the adjustments yourself.

My first video about the FiiO CP13 and three other models of new Walkman-type portable cassette tape players: youtube.com/watch?v=asvi0iU7fR0

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
0:44 Speed adjustment
2:56 Azimuth adjustment
4:34 Chrome tape & Dolby NR
5:15 Gypsy - Merlina's Theme
5:47 Mark Thompson-Smith - Personality
6:18 Steve Gillette - Glass Houses
7:03 Size comparison & conclusion

#cassette #walkman #audiophile

Four new Walkman-style cassette players - Are they any good?

VWestlife 2024-02-12 | Testing four models trying to be a modern-day Sony Walkman cassette player: the Mulann B-1000 EW, FiiO CP13, We Are Rewind WE-001, and Tomashi F-113.

Correction: The Mulann and Tomashi do have a metal flywheel, not plastic as I said -- just not as large or well-balanced of one as in the FiiO or We Are Rewind. And it is possible to adjust the speed of the FiiO without opening the case -- see my follow-up video: youtube.com/watch?v=zFUp5JRwQUw

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:29 The contenders
2:27 Features and sizes
3:51 The mechanism
5:57 Speed and wow & flutter
9:30 Audio quality
13:51 The verdict

#RetroTech #cassette #walkman

I fixed my Beta VCR, then it broke even worse

VWestlife 2024-02-05 | I repaired the tape loading mechanism in my 1989 Sony SL-390 Super Betamax VCR with new 3D-printed parts, and it rewarded me by burning out its power supply. Recorded using a Hi8 Handycam for the authentic analog video experience.

Sony Betamax 711B3 Loading Mechanism Plastic Post Repair Kit: ebay.com/itm/284930178769

Hint: It may be easier to reinstall the tape basket into the mechanism before putting the new plastic posts on it. Unless you disassemble the mechanism further, it takes a lot of prying to get the tape basket to fit back into place with the new pegs sticking out.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:07 Teardown
2:41 Repair
6:25 Reassembly
8:53 Power supply problem
11:27 Conclusion

#RetroTech #Betamax #videotape

Smashed Zenith amber CRT monitor restored

VWestlife 2024-01-30 | Repairing a 1987 Zenith ZVM-1220 amber monochrome computer monitor whose plastic bezel got smashed to smithereens during shipping. Amazingly the picture tube and electronics survived with no damage.

The thumbnail image (automatically chosen by YouTube) is from youtube.com/watch?v=Rnjtk-AxwkU

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:34 Unboxing
3:36 Inspecting damage
5:46 First test
8:07 Teardown
10:37 Repair
16:01 Final result

#VintageComputing #CRTgaming #RetroTech

Worlds smallest Microcassette recorder - Olympus L400

VWestlife 2024-01-22 | The smallest recorder for the smallest commercially successful cassette tape format, with features you don't normally find on a microcassette recorder -- including a leather carrying case by an Italian fashion designer.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:12 Features & controls
5:33 Recording tests
8:31 Mechanism & tape design
10:02 Conclusion

#RetroTech #cassette #audiophile

Amazons random $11 vinyl records goof-up

VWestlife 2024-01-15 | Purposely taking advantage of a glitch in Amazon's system to receive random records instead of the one I ordered.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:41 Unboxing
4:26 Unwrapping
6:52 Playing
9:48 Conclusion

#vinyl #records #amazon

The maddening incompatibility of 3.5mm A/V cables

VWestlife 2024-01-08 | 3.5mm A/V outputs were commonly used on camcorders, digital still cameras, portable DVD players, and other compact media devices in the 2000s. Unfortunately there were numerous different pinouts, and you usually can't tell just by looking at it which devices a 3.5mm A/V cable will be compatible with.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:08 Video only
1:54 Video & mono audio
6:17 Video & stereo audio
14:57 Apple's flip-flop
16:43 The camcorder standard
18:32 Are you feeling lucky?
20:47 S-Video
21:42 Component video
22:56 Where to buy
24:11 Sony's solution

#RetroTech #camcorder #CRTgaming

77k miles in a 2018 VW Jetta 1.4T (manual)

VWestlife 2024-01-01 | Am I still happy with my 2018 Volkswagen Jetta after 77,000 miles (124k km) and nearly 6 years of ownership -- especially now that the warranty has expired?

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:32 New tires
2:43 Quirks & features
2:53 Heated mirrors
3:33 Lights
4:30 Key
5:02 Radio
6:43 Wipers
7:31 TPMS
8:05 Reverse
8:19 Service history
10:16 Not an upgrade
10:57 Summary

#volkswagen #jetta #JettaMk6

Personics: The cassette-based iTunes Store of the 1980s

VWestlife 2023-12-25 | Personics was a pioneering but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at selling personalized playlists of music on demand, decades before the iTunes Store. But it didn't fail due to lack of interest from the public -- they were facing an uphill battle against an industry resistant to change.

Time flow:
0:00 Background
0:32 Introducing Personics
2:00 Music catalog
3:42 Locations
4:12 Genres
4:44 Record labels
5:28 The technology
9:14 The downfall
9:48 Why it failed
12:14 The singles game
13:06 Direct marketing
14:32 The end of Personics
15:36 Conclusion

Recommended reading:

Pitchfork article "The Forgotten Precursor to iTunes": pitchfork.com/thepitch/1340-the-forgotten-precursor-to-itunes

The Daily Ping article about Personics, including comments by co-founder Tom Sharples and their mastering engineer: http://www.dailyping.com/archive/2000/10/15/the-personics-system

Business 2.0 article "The Song Remains the Same": web.archive.org/web/20011005031515/http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,14814,FF.html

Wall Street Journal article from 2002 "Looking for Harmony: New technology could bring record stores into the digital age. Why hasn't it?":
wsj.com/articles/SB1027624806819990480

A look at the November 1988 Personics "Music Makers" magazine/catalog:
hercshideaway.blogspot.com/2017/03/personics-music-makers-november-1988.html

And a full scan of the December 1990 Personics magazine/catalog:
drive.google.com/file/d/1a62FUwmklwkR_KDfCxbUA27zqzzA1Oji/view?usp=sharing

#cassette #RetroTech #iTunes

1994 Sony Color Watchman - Luggable Lo-Def TV

VWestlife 2023-12-19 | Can a bright, vivid image and excellent sound quality make up for a severe lack of resolution? The non-Trinitron, non-Sony picture tube of this Sony Color Watchman portable TV puts that question to the test.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:28 Features & controls
3:29 Radio tuner
5:30 TV tuner
7:31 Video input
9:39 Resolution
11:10 PAL test
11:28 Conclusion

#RetroTech #CRTgaming #VintageTV

The amazing Mykesonic fully automatic record player

VWestlife 2023-12-12 | The new Mykesonic YY1632 record player delivers innovative features and impressive sound quality at an affordable price. For people just getting into or rediscovering vinyl, it's an excellent choice.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
0:58 Turntable features
4:21 Bluetooth
5:49 Direct audio samples
7:34 Tests & measurements
8:19 Shortcomings
9:58 Internal components
11:21 Conclusion

#vinyl #turntable #RecordPlayer

Remember noisy receipt printers? - Epson TM-U325

VWestlife 2023-12-05 | The nostalgic buzz of dot matrix receipt printers has largely been replaced by the boring silence of thermal printers, including the one I reviewed two years ago. But here's a look at a dot matrix receipt printer with some unique features and a special type of paper, the Epson TM-U325 (M133A).

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:01 Overview
3:17 First test
4:09 Carbonless copy paper
6:09 Windows driver fail
7:35 Using with vintage PC
9:58 Not as old as it looks
10:30 Printing on bankbook
11:01 Conclusion

#Retrotech #receipt #printer

MPX Filter - What does it actually filter?

VWestlife 2023-11-28 | Investigating the oft-misunderstood button or switch found on many high-end cassette decks: the MPX filter. What does it actually do? How come it usually seems to have no audible effect? Let's find out.

Another mystery is the Beat Cut switch found on many boomboxes and integrated stereo systems: youtube.com/watch?v=gm0dT-vi0XU

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:32 RTFM
3:55 Pilot tone
5:50 FM transmitter test
9:24 What it doesn't do
10:10 Effect on audio quality?
12:01 Not always necessary
13:29 Conclusion

#cassette #audiophile #RetroTech

For CEOs Only: 1999 Seiko executive world time clock/calendar

VWestlife 2023-11-21 | This gold- and woodgrain-trimmed world clock/calendar not only tells the time, but also tells everyone who sees it on your desk that you're an important and successful business executive... or at least want to look like one. It's the Seiko QHL020B, from the late 1990s.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:21 Setup
2:37 Time zones & airport codes
4:46 Daylight Saving Time
5:16 Alarms
6:21 Other features
7:03 Conclusion

#seiko #gold #RetroTech

The first TV sound bar: 1980 TeleSound with TeleStereo

VWestlife 2023-11-14 | The first TV sound bar was made over 30 years before most people heard of such a thing. Too bad most of them languished in a musty warehouse for decades before being sold as surplus, because it actually works well and sounds great.

You can download a scanned copy of the TeleSound's manual here:
http://www.amstereo.org/files/telesound_manual.pdf

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:16 Overview
2:12 Stereo video history
3:21 Simulated stereo
3:59 Sealed cabinet
4:29 Comparison test
6:26 Direct audio hookup
7:19 Stereo speaker test
8:20 What happened?
9:42 Conclusio

#VintageTV #soundbar #RetroTech

Sharp RT-100 Loss Leader cassette deck

VWestlife 2023-11-06 | For most of the 1980s, the Sharp RT-100 and its Radio Shack twin, the Realistic SCT-35 were the cheapest cassette decks you could buy with Dolby Noise Reduction and support for Chrome and Metal tapes. Let's take a look at this "loss leader" and hear how well it performs after 40+ years.

The recording test music is a remix of Stan LePard's "Velkommen" (better known as the Windows XP installation music) from the 1998 Encarta Virtual Globe: soundcloud.com/stanlepard/1998-evg-flights-north-america

Time flow:
0:00 Overview
2:55 Playback tests
4:50 Mechanism & circuitry
7:30 Recording test
9:06 Conclusion

#cassette #RetroTech #audiophile

All types of 2000s camcorders explained

VWestlife 2023-10-30 | Today, consumer-grade camcorders have been almost completely replaced by the video capabilities of smartphones, DSLRs, and action cameras. But in 2008, there were more choices than ever: analog or digital; standard or high definition; and various forms of tape, disc, hard drive, and flash memory recording. I explain all of these varieties of camcorders and provide some sample footage from them.

Today there are some signs of a resurgence in popularity of camcorders due to their "retro" aesthetic, but unfortunately the inexpensive new ones all over Amazon are gussied-up toys with very bad video and audio quality, and it may be difficult to import and edit the footage from a vintage camcorder on a modern computer. Windows Movie Maker 2012 is my beginner's recommendation because it's a simple solution that supports a very wide variety of formats, and unlike many modern video editors (including Microsoft's own replacement for it, ClipChamp), it actually knows how to properly deal with interlaced, rectangular-pixel, and/or 4:3 aspect ratio footage.

One 2000s camcorder format I didn't mention was MicroMV, because it was already long gone by 2008. See Techmoan's excellent video about MicroMV: youtube.com/watch?v=JJ9M8eiRcEc

And Panasonic's brochure for their 2008 camcorders was a real tour de force of marketing, sloganeering, and logos plastered all over the place: http://www.amstereo.org/files/panasonic2008.pdf

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:03 Analog Hi8/VHS-C
1:34 Digital8
2:04 MiniDV
3:15 DVD
3:58 Hard drive
4:31 Flash memory
5:05 Extra features & hybrid models
5:51 HDV
6:37 HD on DVD & Blu-ray
7:58 AVCHD
8:38 SD with HDMI output
9:09 Budget HD camcorders
10:06 Over 50 models in 2008
11:22 The camcorder market today
12:34 My recommendations
13:20 Conclusion

Disclaimer: Except for the cat, none of the sample footage was recorded by me, and I don't know any of the people in it.

#camcorder #RetroTech #FoundFootage

Fun with misused cassette dictation equipment

VWestlife 2023-10-24 | Cassette tape recorders meant for dictation are boring, right? Wrong! The Panasonic RR-830 gives you many interesting effects which are fun for just fooling around or for making experimental music.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:30 Foot pedal
4:53 Other features
5:56 Variable Speech Control
8:37 Music with VSC
9:52 How VSC works
11:06 Other recording tricks
12:04 Conclusion

#cassette #vaporwave #ExperimentalMusic

A speaker review video that actually makes sense

VWestlife 2023-10-17 | Most speaker review videos are actually a review of _your_ speakers, since that's what you're listening to them through. But by setting the bar lower, this one gives you a fair shot at actually hearing an accurate representation of what this pair of speakers sound like: a Newtron external speaker (also sold under numerous brand names as a CB radio speaker), and a Realistic weatherproof indoor/outdoor speaker, both from the 1990s.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:18 Newtron speaker
7:21 Realistic speaker
12:27 Conclusion

#speaker #audio #cassette

The first CFL: 1979 GE Circlite

VWestlife 2023-10-10 | The GE Circlite and similar fluorescent circline adapters were the first form of energy-saving lighting to fit in a standard bulb socket. They're difficult to assemble, too large to fit in many lamps, and take a long time to turn on, but produce bright, pleasant light and use much less power and produce much less heat than a standard incandescent bulb.

Here's the lamp base I used in the video: smcelectronics.com/partmisc.htm

Time flow:
0:00 Light bulb shapes
1:05 Circlite lamps
1:54 The first CFLs
3:34 Unboxing
5:12 Assembly
6:29 New lamp base
7:23 First test
8:39 Radio interference
9:24 Comparison to incandescent
11:07 Installation
12:56 Conclusion

#fluorescent #vintage #lighting

Vinyl is digital. Get over it!

VWestlife 2023-10-03 | Digitally-recorded vinyl records have existed since 1971, and became common over 40 years ago. Digital audio was touted as a major advancement in sound quality, but now some audiophiles hate it and prefer a pure analog listening experience. Does digital "defeat the purpose" of listening to vinyl, or is this another audiophool myth?

A detailed article on the history of early digital audio recording:
aes.org/aeshc/pdf/fine_dawn-of-digital.pdf

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:28 First digital LP in 1971
3:44 1979, the year of digital
8:35 Digital in the 1980s
10:27 Why audiophiles hate digital
12:44 The pure digital myth
13:34 Conclusion

#vinyl #digital #audiophile

How Tandy fixed IBMs keyboard layout

VWestlife 2023-09-26 | The Tandy 2000 was not a successful computer, but its keyboard corrected the mistakes of the IBM PC's keyboard, and helped influence the design of the industry-standard keyboard layout that nearly all desktop PC and Mac users type on today.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:40 The shift stretch and return reach
4:39 What the F-keys?
5:38 Under lock and arrow keys
7:44 Other keys
8:55 IBM finally got it right
11:29 Influential flops

Voice of Bill Gates provided by This Does Not Compute: @ThisDoesNotCompute

#SepTandy #MechanicalKeyboard #VintageComputer

Hush Money: Jukeboxes sold SILENCE, 3 minutes at a time

VWestlife 2023-09-18 | Would you pay for three minutes of silence in a noisy public place? In the mid-20th century, plenty of people did, by dropping a dime in the jukebox to play a record that didn't have any sound recorded on it.

Celebrity voices provided by:
Fran Blanche: @FranLab
Gary Keep It Simple: @GaryKeepItSimple

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:20 Why three minutes?
2:24 Not totally silent
3:06 Motown Hush records
3:49 Congressional hearing
4:36 Brian Eno
5:32 Jeremy Clarkson
6:09 Silence isn't always golden
7:44 Three minutes of silence

#jukebox #silence #vinyl

Rustbucket 1999 Celeron Book PC resurrected

VWestlife 2023-09-12 | The PC Chips BKi810 Book PC is a very small desktop PC from 1999 with an Intel Celeron CPU. It lacks expansion slots, but otherwise has all the features a typical entry-level Windows PC user would've needed back then. The one I found at a thrift store is rusty and has a faulty power supply, but with a jury-rigged connection to an ATX power supply, I was able to get it working again.

PC Chips BKi810 Book PC drivers, BIOS images, and manual:
theretroweb.com/motherboards/9826

My old video about its successor, the Book PC II:
youtube.com/watch?v=b8VnW5Po7A4

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:20 Teardown
4:41 Power supply
6:54 CMOS setup
8:56 Windows 98
12:06 OPL3 MIDI sound
12:35 Size comparison
13:07 Conclusion

#RetroTech #Windows98 #repair

Television without the vision: RCAs 1970 Braille TV

VWestlife 2023-09-04 | Today, podcasts are more popular than ever, allowing both the blind and sighted to enjoy content in audio-only form. But RCA had the same idea back in 1970 with the RZC375 Audio Center: a TV without video, allowing you to listen to VHF and UHF television broadcasts, as well as AM and FM radio.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:23 Overview
2:12 Radio tuner
3:33 Connections & controls
5:52 TV tuner
9:52 Channel 6 bonus
10:43 Why no video output?
13:25 Green slime repair
15:37 Conclusion

#blind #TV #RetroTech

A devilishly cheap way to get good cassette tapes: Tape over the Bible!

VWestlife 2023-08-29 | Good new and unused blank cassette tapes are scarce and expensive, so many people are resorting to reusing old cassettes. However, there's a very inexpensive way to obtain a large quantity of them: the Bible, and other long-form spoken word content. But are these tapes suitable for recording high-quality music? Let's find out!

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:01 Bible cassettes
2:22 Reusing cassettes
3:18 Calibration test
4:55 First recording test
6:27 Different tape stock?
7:09 Recording with Dolby NR
8:34 Different tape lengths
9:41 Removing labels
10:05 Other books on tape
10:44 Conclusion

#cassette #tape #bible

OS/5 - The forgotten Microsoft-based PC operating system

VWestlife 2023-08-22 | OS/5 is a Shareware PC operating system based on a Microsoft programming language that itself was rarely used. Intended to be an inexpensive, lightweight alternative to Windows, OS/2, and other graphical user interfaces, OS/5's Desktop runs in text mode while retaining many GUI features. Created by John Poole and released in 1996, two versions of it are known to exist, and would have been lost entirely if I had not saved them over 25 years ago, because they have not been archived anywhere online and trying to search for OS/5 or its author will turn up nothing except this video.

Download OS/5 version 1.0: http://www.amstereo.org/files/os5v10.zip
Download OS/5 version 1.1: http://www.amstereo.org/files/os5v11.zip
Ignore any security warnings; I run the site and it does not store any personal data. Feel free to archive these files elsewhere.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:00 OS/5 1.0 documentation
1:56 OS/5 1.0 review
6:53 OS/5 1.1 documentation
8:15 OS/5 1.1 review
13:25 Visual Basic for DOS
14:43 Higher resolutions
16:08 Memory & disk space
17:15 Conclusion

#RetroTech #PC #MSDOS

Solar America / Sunrun robocall scam EXPOSED!

VWestlife 2023-08-15 | If you get a call or text message from Solar America, they are not a solar panel installation company -- they're a telemarketing company who will sell your personal information if you give it to them. They're owned by Sunrun, which got sued in 2018 for doing the same thing. Avoid these companies and if you are planning a solar panel installation, do your research and only deal with reputable companies.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
0:45 Robocalls
2:59 Text messages
3:40 Recorded call
8:54 Selling your personal info
9:30 Lawsuit & settlement
10:28 Another text message
11:02 Conclusion

#solar #scam #robocalls

Last Gasp VHS: cheap 2000s Funai VCRs

VWestlife 2023-08-08 | A look at one of those cheap, disposable Funai-made VCRs from VHS's dying days as a format, in the early to mid 2000s. The same mechanism lived on in DVD/VCR combo units, until Funai finally ended production of it in 2016.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
0:40 Overview
2:42 First test
4:20 Playback features
5:27 Direct capture samples
7:16 LP mode playback
8:15 Mechanism & circuitry
10:20 Automatic head cleaner
11:02 Recording test
12:45 Common problems
13:49 Conclusion
14:18 Calling Funai

#VHS #VCR #RetroTech

A turntable that also plays CDs & cassettes - Anders Nicholson 2655

VWestlife 2023-08-01 | If you enjoy vinyl records, CDs, and cassettes, and want one audio component for all three formats, the Anders Nicholson 2655 is almost a great solution... almost.

FYI: This system was also sold in the UK as the Neostar NTCD1V Vinyl2CD: youtube.com/watch?v=o0DMCse2OT8

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:33 Features
4:09 Turntable
9:48 Cassette player
14:07 CD recorder
17:50 A look inside
20:46 Conclusion

Owner's manual: http://www.amstereo.org/files/anders_nicholson_2655_manual.pdf
Other documents: http://www.amstereo.org/files/anders_nicholson_2655_instructions.pdf

Records and tapes shown in the video, in order of appearance:
Jeremy Heiden - Blue Wicked
Vincenzo Salvia - Auto Radio
Betamaxx - Lost Formats
Eddy Howard & his Orchestra - All Dressed Up with a Broken Heart (78)
Anders Enger Jensen – Retro Grooves Vol. 3
The Ken-Tones - For Your Dancing and Listening Pleasure
Slugbug - Stupid Rock EP
Ivan Rodriguez - Ajena (78)
Anders Enger Jensen – Retro Grooves Vol. 2
Cicada Killer – The Cicada Killer Demos
Bib Hi-Fi Stereo Test Cassette
Les Gillis and Mountain Fire - Ball and Chain (cassingle)
GNC - The Walkers Tape
Live From High Fidelity: The Best Of The Podcast Performances
Concert Hall Symphony Orchestra - Mozart Piano Concerto No. 13
Shirley Horn - Softly
Jean Goldkette & His Orchestra - Gimme A Little Kiss, Will Ya? Huh? (78)

#vinyl #CDs #cassette

Portable scanners - Are they really THAT bad?

VWestlife 2023-07-25 | Despite the predictions of 40 years ago, we're not living in a paperless world yet, so you may need to scan in documents and photos. Are small portable scanners an adequate solution, or is a conventional flatbed scanner still your best choice? Let's find out...

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:31 Overview
2:51 Handheld scanner
5:34 Scanning magazines
9:07 Sheet feeder scanner
11:30 Scanning photos
12:39 Landscape image
13:35 3-way comparison
14:47 Conclusion

#portable #photo #scanner

The most 1980s stereo system: Soundesign Audio Core

VWestlife 2023-07-18 | '80s nostalgia explodes to life with fabulous colors and shapes on this Soundesign 5967 "Audio Core" stereo system from 1987. With a graphic equalizer, double cassette deck, turntable, radio tuner, and an input for an optional CD player, it's a surprisingly acceptable entry-level stereo system. And with just one minor repair to the cassette mechanism, it still works perfectly today.

Here's a better example of how good the "plastic fantastic" turntable can sound when equipped with an LP Gear Cerapreme Blue elliptical stylus and connected to an amplifier that properly matches the ceramic cartridge's impedance: youtube.com/watch?v=dklcOM_1zbw

And here's a scan of the turntable's instruction sheet: http://www.amstereo.org/files/soundesign_turntable.pdf

Time flow:
0:00 Styling & features
2:19 Connections & speakers
3:05 Radio tuner
3:56 Cassette deck
6:01 Circuitry
6:34 Cassette mechanism repair
9:05 High-speed dubbing
10:43 Cassette playback
11:41 Turntable
15:36 Conclusion

#80s #audio #retrotech

AMF Paragon Nite Owl TV Timer

VWestlife 2023-07-11 | Never forget to switch off your TV again, because the Nite Owl will do it for you. A simple but useful accessory from the era before many televisions had remote controls, and before 24-hour TV broadcasting was taken for granted... from a company known for bowling?

#tv #vintage #woodgrain

They tried to cancel 45 RPM & teens fought back!

VWestlife 2023-07-04 | 33⅓ RPM is for LP albums and 45 RPM is for 7" singles, right? Not so fast! For a brief time, the record industry tried to banish the 45 speed -- including the company who invented it! -- and replace it with 33⅓ RPM singles, but the public wasn't interested, and teenagers refused to give up their rock 'n' roll 45s.

For much more information, see the Stereo Singles Project web site:
bsnpubs.com/stereoproject/history.html

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:17 RCA Victor's 45
1:59 Columbia's LP
2:45 Both formats coexist
3:34 New stereo, old rivalry
4:27 Stereo Seven
6:50 Seeburg jukeboxes
8:08 Compact 33
9:09 Mono after stereo
9:51 RCA Victor joins!
10:55 Compact Double
12:00 Little LP
12:58 Why 7" 33s failed
13:55 45 RPM thrives
14:18 Conclusion

Additional notes:
1. The 78 I smashed was already cracked. I hid the broken part with my hand.
2. Stereo 45s were a flop the first time around (1958-1961), as well, and didn't start coming back until the late '60s, so Columbia was right to sit out that fad.
3. Did you notice how the spindle hole forms part of Columbia's fancy "33" logo? That's really clever.
4. Columbia's mono 7" 33s were made from polystyrene, just like their 45s. Styrene was cheaper to make than vinyl, but more brittle and much more prone to groove wear.
5. The August 10th, 1963 issue of Billboard was the last to list 33 RPM singles on the Hot 100 chart; at that time, only 5 of the top 100 singles were available as 7" 33s. Even when priced lower than 45s, people still didn't want to buy them.
6. 33⅓ RPM remained standard on all Seeburg jukeboxes until 1971, when they made it an extra-cost option. Two small companies kept making Little LPs for jukeboxes until the mid-'70s.

#45rpm #33rpm #vinyl

The WRONG way to make an AC-powered clock 🕒

VWestlife 2023-06-27 | Connecting a 1.5-volt AA battery-powered quartz clock mechanism directly to 120 volt AC mains power seems like a bad idea. But this Chicago Lighthouse clock somehow makes it work, in a very wrong way.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
1:16 Unboxing
2:51 Quartz mechanism
5:06 First test
6:37 Opening the cover
8:19 Circuit analysis
13:15 Conclusion

#clock #electronic #teardown

1972 Cassette Playback & Recording Hints and Tips

VWestlife 2023-06-22 | 1972 Bib Hi-Fi Stereo Test Cassette from the UK: How to get the best stereo and mono reproduction and recording. Unfortunately they didn't follow their own advice about setting the recording level properly, so the sound is rather sibilant, although the Digital NR of my Pioneer T-D7 deck does an exceptional job of eradicating any trace of tape hiss, without muffling the sound.

Time flow:
0:27 Channel identification
1:29 Balance control
5:12 Speaker phasing
9:55 Spartacus
13:34 Individual instruments
15:49 Wow & flutter
16:52 Vivaldi's Four Seasons
18:33 H.M.S. Pinafore
23:00 Blue Danube Waltz
26:01 Recording from radio
28:46 Adjusting recording level
35:13 Cleaning tape heads
37:23 Eliminating hum
38:38 Cassette accessories
39:22 Recording from microphones
41:16 Symphonie Fantastique
44:28 Don Quixote
45:55 Rigoletto
49:03 1812 Overture

Includes narration by David Gell and Maroussia Frank and musical excerpts from a Jazz trio featuring Max Harris (piano), Jeff Clyne (bass), and Jack Cummings (drums and percussion).

#cassette #recording #tips

8-track & cassette in the same player? - 1976 Soundesign 4645B

VWestlife 2023-06-15 | A failed truce in the 1970s battle between cassette tapes and 8-track cartridges: a player which can accept both formats in the same slot. Impossible? Not according to Soundesign, which achieved this feat in their 4645B stereo system in 1976.

Correction: As several viewers pointed out, the circuitry does switch between different equalizations for 8-track and cassette playback. And the idler wheel and smaller flywheel do change the speed for playing cassettes, but not the direction of rotation; instead, that's accomplished by the 8-track and cassette capstans being on opposite sides of the tape. (Also, upon closer inspection I found a 1980 date code on the speakers.)

Time flow:
0:00 The dilemma
1:37 Soundesign's solution
2:31 Overview
4:32 Cassette playback
5:41 Shared components
7:02 8-track mechanism
8:01 Cassette mechanism
8:56 Shiftable drive carriage
10:11 Bottom view
10:54 Direction & speed
12:01 Electronic design
12:42 Why it didn't catch on
13:58 Conclusion

#cassette #8track #vintageaudio

Rare 1999 MacPower MP-ROM player 💿 Mozarts Music Box

VWestlife 2023-06-08 | Before the iPod, there was the MP-ROM, introduced in 1999 as an inexpensive way to play MP3 files from a recordable CD or DVD. Obscure when new and nearly forgotten today, but it works surprisingly well, at least once you have a properly functioning drive installed.

Update: Further testing reveals that only files with .mp3 extensions are recognized. It will try to play MP3 files above 224 kbps, but the audio gets choppy because it can't keep up. VBR is fine as long as the maximum bitrate does not exceed 224 kbps any more than occasionally and briefly. Renaming an MP2 (MPEG-1 Layer II) file to .mp3 works as long as the bitrate is at or below 224 kbps. MP1 (MPEG-1 Layer I) is not supported, nor is MPEG2.5 (MP3 files with very low bitrate and/or sampling rate).

Time flow:
0:00 What is an MP-ROM?
2:49 Using it in a car
3:36 First test
5:42 Ring around the collar
6:39 Drive replacement
9:02 Fully working now
10:31 MP3 audio samples
11:38 CD-RW & CD audio
12:21 MP3 DVD test
14:02 Ideal use for it

#mprom #player #mp3

Give your floppy PC a Hardcard in 10 minutes - 1986 Plus Hardcard 20

VWestlife 2023-06-01 | The Plus Hardcard made adding a hard drive to a PC easier than ever. It was widely imitated, but none were as sleek as the original. Few are still functional after 35 years, but this one is, and I install it in my IBM PC and try it out.

Time flow:
0:00 Hard drives weren't easy
0:48 Introducing the Hardcard
2:06 Knockoffs
3:40 Installation
4:54 Drive technology
5:34 Powerup
6:33 Formatting
8:04 Testing
9:37 Later Hardcard models
10:42 Failure & repair

View or download the Hardcard manual here:
http://www.amstereo.org/files/hardcardmanual.pdf

#msdos #pc #retrogaming