polymatt"If it didn't play Doom, no one was gonna want to use it."
You can visit patreon.com/polymatt to support my work and get early, ad-free access to my videos as well as other perks!
The Gravis Ultrasound is a long sought after card from the early to mid 1990s for it's unmatched ability to generate realistic audio with it's wavetable synthesis. Not many were made, not many games were supported but it earned a cult following.
Fast forward to 2023 and they're almost impossible to find at a reasonable price. Enter Ian Scott a.k.a polpo. He took his #raspberrypi project to the next level and built a faithful reproduction of the Gravis Ultrasound card... and more.
Let's catch up with Ian and see what the genesis of the project is and what might be next on his radar.
Sound of the 90s: The Gravis Ultrasound Card Revivalpolymatt2024-01-12 | "If it didn't play Doom, no one was gonna want to use it."
You can visit patreon.com/polymatt to support my work and get early, ad-free access to my videos as well as other perks!
The Gravis Ultrasound is a long sought after card from the early to mid 1990s for it's unmatched ability to generate realistic audio with it's wavetable synthesis. Not many were made, not many games were supported but it earned a cult following.
Fast forward to 2023 and they're almost impossible to find at a reasonable price. Enter Ian Scott a.k.a polpo. He took his #raspberrypi project to the next level and built a faithful reproduction of the Gravis Ultrasound card... and more.
Let's catch up with Ian and see what the genesis of the project is and what might be next on his radar.
Chapters: 00:12 - Intro #retrojanuary 01:09 - PicoGUS Demo 01:50 - Meet Ian 02:41 - Getting recognized 04:20 - The genesis of the PicoGUS 08:00 - The "Very Dumb Prototype" 13:10 - Reverse engineering 16:04 - The documentation is wrong 17:44 - Non-standards 20:34 - Retro favorites 25:30 - Learning vs. problem solving 27:42 - Finding community 37:20 - Gatekeeping 43:41 - Wrapping up
Intro & Outro Music: Escape Velocity by gusse / Digisonix soundcloud.com/gusse_dsx Used with direct permission from the author3D Printing a METAL Laptop - with JLC3DPpolymatt2024-09-06 | Check out this incredibly impractical SLM print of a Stainless Steel IBM ThinkPad 701C laptop case. Thanks to #JLC3DP for the prints. For 3D Printing as well as PCB manufacturing, head to: jlc3dp.com/?from=3dpolymatt. Use code "C730". Purchase the C7 (or C7Max) now and enjoy a $30 discount. It's the best time to buy the C7 (or C7Max) bit.ly/3Mz4c7z (US) bit.ly/3TjMIQi (CA).
Music: All music has been licensed through Epidemic Sound Central Domain - Pulsed Solar Flares - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen DOX - Lennon Hutton Echo - Lennon HuttonFixing an $800,000 Laptop?polymatt2024-07-14 | I got my hands on a really special IBM ThinkPad 360PE - One of the first convertible tablet computers IBM ever made. There's a famous one on eBay listed for over $800,000 at the time of this posting - but is it worth it? Or even close?
Let's take a look at this very cool piece of history and walk through the repairs that I need to do to bring it back to working order... which proves a bit more difficult that I anticipated.
Thanks to JOYALENS. They're not a sponsor but did send over the digital microscope used in this video that was a HUGE help. Here's where you can find your own: amzn.to/3LE4ucR
0:00 - Intro 1:25 - The Teardown 2:55 - Cosmetic Repairs 5:05 - Reassembly & Initial Test 5:31 - Repairing the Keyboard 7:11 - Repairing the Display 9:30 - I Messed Up 11:16 - How Much I Paid 11:55 - Vintage Price Rant 13:53 - Wrapup
Music: All music has been licensed through Epidemic Sound Silver Maple - We Are Giants Lofive - Yhello Experia - Beyond the Mountains William Claeson - Last Cassette Ben Elson - ThyoneCan you 3D Print a Laptop? Check out the full video for the build. #3dprinting #retro #thinkpadpolymatt2024-05-28 | Music licensed through Epidemic Sound: Linkage by Martin Moses3D Printing a Laptoppolymatt2024-05-27 | What started as a quick project to replace a cracked bezel turned into a complete re-creation of the IBM ThinkPad 701C laptop shell/case. I'll talk through how I why I decided to do it and ultimately figure out if it's actually worth it?
Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:59 - Making the Bezel 03:01 - Going Down the Rabbit Hole 05:27 - Screws 06:19 - Finishing Touches 07:17 - Putting it All Together 10:59 - Final Thoughts
Music: All music has been licensed through Epidemic Sound Martin Moses - Linkage Van Sandano - Formations Martin Moses - World Light Lennon Hutton - Open Road Hanna Lindgren - Ode to the CruriousFirst Layer Bliss #3dprinting #bambulab #x1carbon #firstlayer #blisspolymatt2024-04-14 | Printing a large case and checking out the first layer. It's a beauty.
Music is Course by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen, Karoliina Gabel. Licensed through Epidemic Sound.This is Why Youre Wrong... #floppy #retro #vintagecomputerpolymatt2024-03-25 | Starting to hear too many people getting this one wrong! Had to set the record straight :)Making a Dial-up Internet Time Machinepolymatt2024-03-23 | Follow me through the design and build of an awesome little machine that takes you back in time to the mid 90s and early 2000s when the internet was a more simple place. This one has it all, 3D CAD design, schematics, PCB design and layout, software, etc.
If you'd like to support the channel, please consider signing up to be a Patron at http://patreon.com/polymatt
Thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring the video and providing the PCB, sheet metal fabrication and CNC machining services for this build. They're not just for PCBs! pcbway.com/g/zbFmSU
00:00 - Intro 01:29 - Prototyping: Wiring it up 04:12 - Prototyping: Testing 04:56 - Prototyping: Input 05:27 - Making the Schematics 06:21 - Designing the Case 11:13 - Designing the PCBs 13:37 - Unboxing the first revisions 14:10 - Soldering: The Power Supply 15:03 - Soldering: The Display PCB 17:19 - Faking a Telephone Network 19:04 - Testing a Dial-up Connection 19:24 - Modifying the PCBs 20:37 - The Case: Bending Acrylic 22:20 - Soldering: The Power Supply (Again) 24:13 - The Modem 25:56 - Final Assembly 26:17 - The Software 28:22 - Summary 28:45 - Surfing the Past
Music: All music has been licensed through Epidemic Sound
Craft Case - Low on Drama ELFL - The Flux Beneath It All Helmut Schenker - The Tide Is Turning Ben Elson - Earth Out Linear - Catalonia Ran the Man - Curious Eyes Pulsed - Striwal Marten Moses - Down to Nothing Damma Beatz - It's lovely Alec Slayne - Astray Tellsonic - Time TravellerBringing Back the 90s: The Gravis Ultrasound Card Remade!polymatt2024-01-12 | The Gravis Ultrasound is an iconic soundcard from the early '90s. Ian Scott is a maker who decided to do a faithful reproduction using a #raspberrypi Pico. Watch the full video for the interview.
The music in this short is used under the direct approval from the author.
It's an incredible track by Gusse / Digisonix. You can find his music on SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/gusse_dsxRecreating a RARE ThinkPad leather case from the ‘90s. Check out the full video. #leathercraftpolymatt2023-11-16 | Watch as I re-make a RARE, super cool, retro inspired leather laptop case complete with custom brass CNCd branding. Check out the full build in the Related Video!Re-making the Rare IBM ThinkPad Laptop Casepolymatt2023-11-16 | I have an example of a rare IBM ThinkPad case for the 701C laptop. I've only ever seen one in all my years of collecting and repairing them over time and I wanted to try my hand at a solid reproduction.
Sponsors: Thanks again to FlexiSpot for sending over the new E7 Pro standing desk. FlexiSpot Black Friday Sale has begun! Up to 60% OFF! use my code ''FlexiSpot30'' for an extra $30 off on their Comhar standing desk and C7 chair. FlexiSpot E7 Standing Desk: bit.ly/3swe7V2 - US bit.ly/3G4oFOd - Canada
I also want to thank PCBWay for sending over the custom CNC'd brass stamps I used in this video. They're not just for PCBs!
Chapters: 0:06 - Intro 2:06 - Measuring the original 2:50 - Making the first cuts 3:45 - Stiffening with ABS plastic 4:24 - Making the tabs 4:58 - Gluing the components together 5:37 - Wet molding 6:48 - Fixing my first mistake 7:14 - Skiving the edges for a hidden seam 8:46 - Punching out the stitch holes 8:54 - The saddle stitch 9:57 - Modeling out the CNCd brass emblems 11:09 - Making the base pad 13:13 - Unboxing the brass emblems 14:44 - Screwing up again 15:00 - Branding the case 15:13 - Edge finishing 15:44 - The final look
Music: Fragile by @MilesKvndra - Used with explicit permission from the original artist.
The following tracks were licensed under Epidemic Sound: - Running through the Dark - Roots and Recognition - Haga - West & Zander - So Sing (SLCT Remix) - Loving Caliber
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymatt3D Printing an “Apple” BlueSCSI v2 Casepolymatt2023-10-18 | With the #BlueSCSI v2 out, I had to think of a good way to make it blend in to my retro setup and a custom case seemed like the right thing to do! I love Apple's late 80s & early 90s design language so I decided to give it a shot.
In this video I'll show you how I laid out the case in CAD and the whole process for a 3D resin print including my techniques with color matching the resin. Hope you pick up on a few tips and tricks and enjoy the video!
Also thanks again to @MilesKvndra for the awesome backing track for today's video. Check out the official video: youtu.be/Q8JOI2sZc5I
Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:42 - Measuring the #BlueSCSI 0:57 - Apple Design Inspiration 1:08 - Modeling the BlueSCSI in #Shapr3D (iPad) 1:32 - Modeling the case in #Shapr3D (Desktop) 2:20 - Creating the cutout for the Apple Logo 2:47 - Slicing for printing 2:53 - Color matching & mixing the resin 3:32 - Print attempt 1 3:42 - Cleaning the vat & leveling the bed 3:42 - Tweaking the design & supports 4:01 - Print attempt 2 4:11 - Print attempt 3 4:45 - Cleaning & Curing 4:58 - Test-fit, Sanding & Magnets 5:58 - Fitting the Apple Logo 6:36 - Adding the LED 7:35 - Making it better 7:51 - Adding labels (dry transfers) 8:28 - Sealing 9:04 - Final testing
Tools: CAD - #Shapr3D Slicer - #CHITUBOX Pro Printer - Elegoo Mars Saturn 2 8k (#elegoosaturn)
Music: "Ghost" by Miles Kvndra. Used with explicit permission by the original artist.
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymattFully Restoring the Iconic IBM ThinkPad 701C Butterfly Laptop from 1995polymatt2023-10-02 | When @RetroGameCouch reached out and told me he found a rare 1995 IBM ThinkPad 701C laptop and asked if I wanted to do a restoration, I couldn't say no! I've worked on many of these over the years and even run a website dedicated to restoring them at http://701c.org.
For the first time, I get to show my full process of tearing it down completely and building it back up like new using all the tips and tricks I've learned along the way. Enjoy!
Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:18 - Unboxing 02:10 - First Boot? 02:23 - Disassembly (guide at 701c.org) 08:22 - Stripping the paint 10:22 - Masking & Paint Prep 11:18 - Painting 11:36 - Repairs, Testing & Cleaning 14:12 - New Feet! 14:36 - Hard Drive Backup 15:18 - Decals & Icon Application 17:10 - Final Assembly! 18:56 - Cherry on top 19:12 - Testing & BIOS Config 19:30 - Admiring our work 19:43 - Packing it up & Shipping it off 19:58 - Pickles Cameo
Music: All music licensed by Epidemic Sound
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymattInstalling DOS 5 & Win 3.1: Nostalgia Overloadpolymatt2023-08-26 | Something a little bit different. I recently got invited to a friend’s recording studio (thanks Jeff!). We came up with the idea to record a bunch of old nostalgic sounds and what's more nostalgic than swapping floppies?
Enjoy a real-time install of DOS 5, Windows 3.1 and perhaps a little Doom! Let me know in the comments if you'd like to hear more.
Chapters: 0:55 - Windows 3.1 Classic Install 3:43 - Setting up Windows 21:29 - Installing DOS 5 27:00 - Starting Windows 27:30 - Installing Doom 30:08 - Lovely crunchy HDD sounds 31:20 - Doom!
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymattUnboxing my Long-Awaited Analogue Pocketpolymatt2023-08-25 | I ordered my Analogue Pocket over a year ago and started to think it would never come, but here it is! #analoguepocket #retrogaming #retrogames #vintagegaming #fpga #fpgamer #asmr #asmrvideo #asmrsoundsRetro Tech Exploration: Rare Cream-Colored ThinkPad 700Cpolymatt2023-07-25 | @home_computer_museum on Instagram sent these beauties over and I'm stoked.
These are two original 700C ThinkPads that were released in a rare "Cream" color and released in Germany (thus the QWERTZ keyboard layout). These weren't the only models released in a cream or gray color, but they were the first.
Can't wait to dig in and see if I can restore these back to their former glory.Pushing the Limits: Ultimate Upgrade Journey of a Macintosh SE/30polymatt2023-07-19 | I often find myself wanting a hit of nostalgia by popping in an old game, but I don't want to deal with the hassle of swapping floppy disks or waiting for long load times. This is why so many of us use modern upgrades for vintage machines.
In today's Zen Build, I'll be maxing out my Macintosh SE/30 from 1989 with an unreal amount of modern kit.
Chapters: 00:01 - Introduction 1:48 - All the upgrades 2:03 - Disassembly 2:44 - BlueSCSI 4:03 - Noctua Fan 6:50 - MacBatt 6:57 - BMOW ROM-inator II 7:53 - Logic Board Recap 10:07 - Initial Benchmarks 10:36 - Carrera040 68040 Accelerator 12:01 - New Benchmarks 14:51 - Enjoying the beast!
Music: All music licensed by Epidemic Sound
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymatt
AI Disclosure: Generative AI was used for elements of the video thumbnail.Repairing a SEALED vintage Macpolymatt2023-07-02 | Anyone who has had or worked on a Macintosh Classic knows that it's not IF it will fail, but WHEN and HOW BAD. Watch as I unbox this New Old Stock Compact Macintosh from 1990.
Will the analog board be too far gone? Has the battery exploded and eaten through half of the logic board? Find out if this mac is dead, or if it miraculously was spared from it's fate.
As a reminder, I provide a lot of detail throughout the video in the subtitles, so if you're interested, turn on Closed Captions - let me know who can find the @LGR reference ;)
WARNING - SPOILER ALERT in the chapter headings below.
0:00 - Introduction 1:55 - The Unboxing begins 5:16 - Breaking the seal 7:10 - Opening the case & checking for damage 8:40 - First power on test 9:00 - Replacing the PRAM battery & second power on test 9:43 - Disassembly & removing the analog board (630-0525 Rev. B) 10:38 - Removing the analog board capacitors 11:15 - Debugging the power issues (No power) 11:45 - Installing new components (MOSFET, TDA4605-3, CNY17-3) 12:15 - Replacing the analog board capacitors 13:00 - Third power on test 13:24 - IPA bath for the analog board 13:50 - Fourth & Fifth power on test 14:23 - Replacing the main (system) board capacitors using CHIPQUIK 16:34 - Final reassembly 17:30 - Final test
Music: All music licensed by Epidemic Sound
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymatt
AI Notice: Generative AI was used in the creation of the thumbnail of this video.Out in force at VCF Southwest this year. #vintagecomputer #vcfswpolymatt2023-06-23 | Had an awesome time and got to meet a ton of fans. See you next year!Reverse Engineering a ThinkPad Battery - And making a Perfect Clonepolymatt2023-06-13 | The IBM ThinkPad 701C is an iconic laptop. I go through every step to build a brand new battery. From modeling and printing a new case, label, building a new battery pack, recreating the terminal PCB and most importantly, cloning a once proprietary chip using an ATtiny microcontroller.
I've included timestamps below to help navigate, but I hope you enjoy this dive into a multi-skill build.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction 1:09 - Cleaning and breaking down a 701C battery 4:32 - Shop Helper 4:40 - Modeling the case with Shapr3D 7:45 - Taking measurements for the terminal PCB 9:15 - Creating the debugger PCB with EasyEDA 10:13 - Assembling the debugger 12:30 - Testing the debugger with a known working Dallas DS2434 14:40 - Capturing data with a logic analyzer and Logic2 14:47 - Evaluating the data and stubbing out code 15:36 - Testing the cloned chip 16:15 - Designing the production PCB with EasyEDA 17:01 - Soldering 9 NiMH cells into a battery pack 19:18 - Recreating the label using Sketch 22:43 - Testing the labels for size and accuracy 23:14 - Printing the battery case with an Elegoo Saturn 2 8k 24:55 - Sanding and polishing the case using acrylic polish 26:10 - Testing & assembling the final chip and PCB 28:04 - Final assembly! 28:58 - The final test on a pristine IBM ThinkPad 701C 29:12 - Obligatory Doom cameo
Music: All music licensed by Epidemic SoundHow to read the news ad-free! #retro #vintagecomputer #apple #macintoshpolymatt2023-05-21 | ...Fascinating Design: Discover the IBM ThinkPad 701c Butterfly Keyboardpolymatt2023-03-25 | Witness the beauty and unique design of the IBM ThinkPad 701c butterfly keyboard. Watch as it unfolds with a satisfying click and forms a full-sized keyboard, then folds back into a compact size for portability. This rare piece of retro tech is a must-see for any computer enthusiast or lover of mechanical engineering. Get ready to experience the magic of the IBM ThinkPad 701c butterfly keyboard!
Be sure to watch more @polymattReviving a Vintage Apple Disk 2 Drive with a Modern Twist! (full build on my channel)polymatt2023-03-25 | ...Modernizing a Vintage Apple Disk IIpolymatt2023-03-24 | Enjoy my first "real" video as I design, model, print, clean and hack my way through this build that was a super fun deviation from my normal work.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the visuals. And don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more vintage computing content!
I took inspiration from a great project by @BitSplits and added my own tweaks and twists. This video shows my full build process of integrating a Floppy Emu by Big Mess of Wires into an Apple Disk ][ I bought off eBay "for parts".
The changes I made to Luca's design were to add an extension of the SD card into the faceplate so the SD card would be accessible from the front as well as optimizing the fit of the components and using snaps for the PCBs to minimize the use of glue.
Chapters:
0:40 - Soldering new leads to the Floppy Emu 2:09 - Removing the LED and soldering new leads 4:13 - Prepping the button breakout board and soldering leads 5:21 - Prepping the SD expansion cable and strengthening up the connector 7:22 - Disassembly and cleaning of the Apple Disk ][ 11:58 - Prepping the face plate by soldering on new LED leads 13:44 - Designing the custom face plate (Shapr3D) 15:06 - Layout of the model & prepping for a print (CHITUBOXPro) 15:24 - 3D Printing the model, post-processing & sanding (Elegoo Saturn 2 8k) 17:48 - Painting the 3D model 19:43 - Test fitting the parts 22:21 - Wiring up the Floppy Emu for a pre-assembly test 24:19 - Testing the electronics 25:19 - Gluing the custom faceplate into the disk drive face 26:17 - Designing & Printing custom PCB standoffs for the Floppy Emu 28:28 - Putting the Floppy Emu in place and wiring up the face plate 31:09 - Insulating the Noisy Disk 32:37 - Installing the Noisy Disk 33:16 - Final assembly! 36:19 - Final test!
To support the channel, get early access to videos and ask more about the projects that I make, please consider signing up for my Patreon: patreon.com/polymatt