vswitchzeroThe 16-bit ISA bus was becoming a very serious bottleneck for PC graphics in the early to mid nineties. 3D games like Doom really didn’t run well unless a VESA Local Bus or PCI graphics card was used. There were some ways to get some extra performance though – by overclocking the ISA bus! Today I’ll be pushing the ISA bus to the max to see just how quick games like Doom can run.
#isadoom25fps
Doom realtic to frames per second conversion (applicable for demo3 only): FPS = 74690 / ticks
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:03 A Bit of History 02:39 The Doom 25FPS Challenge 04:27 Strategy 05:38 Hardware Setup 08:29 BIOS Woes 11:17 ISA Bus Overclocking 12:28 System Tuning 13:04 Taking the ISA Bus to the Max! 14:58 Result Summary 16:12 Pure ISA Testing 18:26 Other ISA Cards at 25MHz 19:30 Conclusion
A big thanks to @chaslinux and Lee from Nova Scotia for donating parts used in this video today. Much appreciated!
Taking an ISA Graphics Card to the Max! ISA Bus Overclocking #isadoom25fpsvswitchzero2023-06-05 | The 16-bit ISA bus was becoming a very serious bottleneck for PC graphics in the early to mid nineties. 3D games like Doom really didn’t run well unless a VESA Local Bus or PCI graphics card was used. There were some ways to get some extra performance though – by overclocking the ISA bus! Today I’ll be pushing the ISA bus to the max to see just how quick games like Doom can run.
#isadoom25fps
Doom realtic to frames per second conversion (applicable for demo3 only): FPS = 74690 / ticks
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:03 A Bit of History 02:39 The Doom 25FPS Challenge 04:27 Strategy 05:38 Hardware Setup 08:29 BIOS Woes 11:17 ISA Bus Overclocking 12:28 System Tuning 13:04 Taking the ISA Bus to the Max! 14:58 Result Summary 16:12 Pure ISA Testing 18:26 Other ISA Cards at 25MHz 19:30 Conclusion
A big thanks to @chaslinux and Lee from Nova Scotia for donating parts used in this video today. Much appreciated!Taking a 486 SX-25 and the FIC 486-VC-HD to the Max!vswitchzero2024-09-23 | Today I’m doing some old-school overclocking with crystal oscillator cans! Let’s see how far we can push this value-based FIC 486-VC with an on-board Intel 486 SX-25. I wanted to approach this exercise from the perspective of a budget conscious consumer back in 1992 and see what kind of transformation is possible without spending any extra money on upgrades or parts.
The portable oscilloscope I use is the FNIRSI 5012H
00:00 Introduction 01:12 Crystal Can Overclocking 03:28 Overclocking to 33MHz 04:44 Overclocking to 40MHz 05:39 Overclocking to 50MHz 07:41 Benchmark Results 09:25 ISA Bus Overclocking 11:21 ISA Overclock Charts 11:56 ConclusionRepairing a Very Slow FIC 486-VC-HD Motherboardvswitchzero2024-08-20 | Today I repair and test a budget model FIC 486-VC-HD motherboard. This board refused to boot due to a dead RTC module, but also had terrible memory latency. Join me today as I get this board repaired and dig into a surprising caching problem that impacts many 486 boards from the early 90s.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:34 It’s Broken 01:47 RTC Replacement Options 02:23 Replacing the RTC Module 04:48 Terrible Memory Performance 06:01 Disabling the L2 Cache 06:23 L2 Cache Configuration 07:14 The Dirty Bit 09:37 Adding AlterRAM 10:07 An Expensive Mistake 11:24 ConclusionFastDoom - Massive Performance Gains on Slow 386 and 486 CPUs!vswitchzero2024-07-16 | FastDoom is a project with the goal of improving Doom’s efficiency – allowing it to run more smoothly on hardware that could never handle it in the past. Join me today as I explore its rich set of features and attempt to get a more enjoyable experience out of some slower 386 and 486 CPUs.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:47 Doom NEEDS a 486 03:17 ISA and VLB 04:00 Intro to FastDoom! 05:23 FastDoom Performance 06:10 CPU Specific Renderers 07:47 Visual Settings 10:41 Detail Levels 12:17 So Much More 14:50 ConclusionThe Forbidden and Forgotten UMC Green 486 CPUvswitchzero2024-05-23 | UMC’s Green CPU was a unique and impressive feat of engineering. Although it was late to the party, it could run circles around other 486s when it came to clock-for-clock performance. Despite its very promising efficiency, it met an untimely demise due to legal troubles in 1994 and 1995. Join me today as I take an in-depth look at the UMC Green and compare it to a number of CPUs from Intel, AMD and Cyrix. I also push the green well beyond its rated frequency to get a glimpse of what “could have been”.
A big comparison of late-model 486 and 486 “upgrade” chips: youtu.be/dQOmSKERPd0
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:15 About the UMC Green 02:55 It’s All About Efficiency 03:29 Legal Troubles 04:37 Shout Out! 04:56 The Competition and Setup 06:17 Benchmark Results 10:01 Pentium Overdrive Comparison 12:07 Overclocking 13:35 Overclocking Benchmark Results 14:28 ConclusionThe Cursed 386 – The Atronics International ATI-386/B2!vswitchzero2024-04-25 | When I saw the bizarre memory layout on the ATI-386/B2, I just had to give it a try for myself. Join me today as I take an in-depth look into this quirky motherboard and explore the very interesting 386 hardware era.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 02:00 SiS Rabbit Chipset Overview 03:18 The Cursed Memory Layout 06:27 Different Board Revisions 06:43 Hardware Overview Continued 08:38 Other Parts for the Build 10:05 Initial Power Up! 11:15 Troubleshooting Some Instability 12:17 Poor Performance! 13:37 Performance Tweaks 15:20 Some Classic Games 19:04 ConclusionRepairing an AMD Slot-A Motherboard with the Tomlov DM501 Pro Digital Microscopevswitchzero2024-01-26 | Tomlov took notice that I use one of their older microscopes in my repair videos and offered to send me their new DM501 Pro. With many improvements over my old microscope, I put it to use in repairing a Gigabyte GA-7IXE Slot-A motherboard. This motherboard has been sitting in my broken pile for over three years, so it’s finally time to see if it can be revived!
Big thank you to Tomlov for sending me this DM501 Pro for review today.
Amazon Coupon Code for 10% Off: 10TPTQ6B Code is valid until February 13th, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:27 The Tomlov DM501 Pro 01:55 Unboxing and Overview 04:17 Mount and Lighting 05:43 Wobble Wobble 07:08 The Polarizer 07:32 Gigabyte GA-7IXE Repair Overview 08:39 Testing and Damage 09:55 The Repair 11:54 Inspecting the Repair 12:54 The Moment of Truth 13:31 ConclusionThese AMD 486 CPUs Are Not What They Appear!vswitchzero2023-10-26 | I bought a bunch of 486 CPUs on eBay and discovered some very interesting behavior from two of them. These CPUs are not at all what they appear to be. Join me as I take a closer look at these two chips and discover what they are really capable of!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:14 The AMD DX4/100 01:04 The AMD DX2/66 01:32 Revealing the DX4's Secrets 05:35 Overclocking the DX4 06:02 Revealing the DX2's Secrets 07:47 Overclocking the DX2 09:33 ConclusionSound Blaster 1.5 and Gravis Ultrasound PnP Clone Review!vswitchzero2023-09-11 | With the prices of classic sound cards reaching all-time highs, modern clones and reproductions are becoming attractive alternatives. Today I’ll be reviewing two clones created by David E Larsson. The first is a clone of the Sound Blaster 1.5 and the second, the Gravis Ultrasound Plug and Play. Both are 100% compatible with the originals and feature all the same features, bugs and limitations too. David also includes some minor enhancements without sacrificing anything in the way of compatibility.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:19 A Bit of Sound Blaster History 02:48 A Modern Day Sound Blaster Clone 04:12 Important Sound Blaster ICs 05:27 Extra Enhancements 06:15 A Bit of Gravis Ultrasound History 08:10 A Modern-Day GUS Clone 09:22 A Closer Look at the GUS PNP Clone 10:41 Test Setup and Software 12:07 Sound Blaster Clone Tests 16:17 Gravis Ultrasound Clone Tests 20:12 Pricing and Options 21:40 ConclusionThe Orpheus II LT - A Brand New ISA Sound Card That Ticks The Right Boxes!vswitchzero2023-08-10 | Join me today as I take an in-depth look at Edro and Leo's (aka Keropi and Marmes) new Orpheus II LT ISA sound card! The Orpheus II LT is the next-generation update of the original Orpheus with numerous enhancements including even better audio quality. It also includes their fantastic PC-MIDI implementation, which I'll be putting through its paces with some intelligent-mode games as well as Serdashop's new Dreamblaster X2GS MIDI daughterboard.
I hope to do some more sound card reviews and retrospectives in the coming months and would welcome any feedback.
The Orpheus II LT Homepage: http://pcmidi.eu/orpheus2LT.html
Edro and Leo's website and projects: http://pcmidi.eu/
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:58 A Look at the Orpheus II LT 04:25 Genuine Yamaha OPL3 FM 04:58 Improvements Over the Original Orpheus 06:30 The PC-MIDI MPU-401 10:29 Digital Audio Out and AC97 11:20 Testing Setup 12:23 The Serdashop X2GS 13:22 Software and Drivers 17:15 Testing Some Classic DOS Games 22:48 Testing the X2GS 26:55 Testing MPU-401 Intelligent Mode 28:21 Pricing and ConclusionRepairing a Stubborn 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000!vswitchzero2023-07-10 | Join me today as I repair a very stubborn 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000 that I got from a recycler in the UK. It appeared to be in good condition, but looks can be deceiving when it comes to neglected retro hardware! Some mistakes were made, but as always it was a great learning experience!
Collection of 3dfx vBIOS files: https://3dfxbios.cl-rahden.de/index.php?title=Main_Page
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 A Big Thank You! 01:21 Introduction 02:55 Recapping 06:04 Under the Microscope 08:09 The Old Switcharoo! 09:53 Bit Rot and Flashing Woes 11:08 Removing the EEPROM 13:08 Testing the EEPROM 14:07 Preparing the PCB 15:00 Preparing the New EEPROM 18:06 Soldering the New EEPROM 19:18 Back to the Drawing Board 20:57 Repairing More Damage! 23:44 Success! 24:52 ConclusionSynology DS423+ NAS Review!vswitchzero2023-06-21 | Today I’ll be taking a break from the retro content to do a review on the Synology DS423+ four bay NAS unit!. As a content creator, I’ve been accumulating a ton of video footage, photos and audio recordings and its time to get my files in order. Of course, it wouldn’t be a vswitchzero video without trying to connect at least one retro PC to it, so stay tuned for that if you’re interested. This premium quality NAS unit is packed with features, but does it live up to its hefty price tag?
Big thanks to Synology for sending me the DS423+ and the pair of SAT5210 solid state drives for this review.
00:00 Introduction 01:13 A Tour of the DS423+ 05:13 CPU and Memory 07:57 Hardware Setup 10:20 Power Up and Initial Setup 11:20 Storage Pools and Volumes 13:44 Performance 14:16 Remote Access Options 14:50 Software Packages 15:45 Virtual Machine Manager 16:42 Active Backup for Business 17:17 DOS and Windows 9x Connectivity 20:21 The Cons 21:53 Pricing and Value 23:11 ConclusionEvergreen Spectra 400 – The Ultimate Socket 5/7 Upgrade CPU!vswitchzero2023-05-19 | Computers were very expensive in the early to mid-90s and to make matters worse, technology was evolving at lightning speed. The Spectra 400 is perhaps the ultimate upgrade CPU that allows a 400MHz AMD K6-2 to work in even very old socket 5/7 motherboards. Not only did they provide a very potent upgrade chip, but BIOS updates and a great software package to make upgrading as seamless as possible. Join me today as I take an in-depth look at the Evergreen Spectra 400 and attempt to push it even further!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 03:43 The Evergreen Spectra 400 06:57 Test Setup 08:28 Gaming on the Pentium 100 10:19 Installing the Spectra 400 12:09 BIOS Updates 13:45 The Software Utilities 16:03 Much Faster! 17:55 3D Possibilities! 18:39 Pushing it Even Further 22:05 Benchmarks 23:49 Conclusion3dfx Voodoo 3 Memory Replacement and Enhancements!vswitchzero2023-03-20 | Today I’ll be attempting to repair two 3Dfx Voodoo 3 3000 cards! Both are experiencing artifacting and lockups in 3D games due to defective SDRAM memory chips. Join me as I hunt down the defective chips and not only repair these cards, but enhance them with better SDRAM, a full recap, updated BIOS and more!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 03:11 A Look at the Cards 05:13 Test Setup 05:44 Card 1 Testing 07:43 Strategy 08:31 Heatsink Removal 10:56 Replacement SDRAM 12:27 Card 1 Repair 17:18 Card 1 Success 21:09 Card 1 Enhancements 22:15 Card 3 Repair 24:13 Overclocking and Benchmarks 25:09 ConclusionRestoring and Upgrading a Gigabyte GA-586ATV Socket 7 Motherboard!vswitchzero2023-02-03 | Today I’ll be restoring and upgrading a Gigabyte GA-586ATV motherboard. What was supposed to be a quick upgrade quickly became more involved as is so often the case when working with retro hardware. Join me as I replace some imploding capacitors, sort out a replacement RTC module and give this 25 year old motherboard some much needed TLC.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:37 A Tour of the GA-586ATV 04:45 Testing the Board 05:57 RTC Woes 07:48 Let the Restoration Begin! 10:52 Multiplier Woes 14:17 Final Touches 15:27 Conclusion
Audio track is “Sky Skating” by Geographer.Repairing the Train Wreck 3Dfx Voodoo 2!vswitchzero2023-01-18 | After some successful repairs, I’m all energized and ready to face my nemesis – the train wreck 3Dfx Voodoo 2. After a failed attempt to repair this badly damaged Creative CT6670 over two years ago, I’m ready to apply what I’ve learned since then to finally get it fixed. Will I be able to get this train back on the tracks? Or will I be defeated yet again?
My previous repair video on the Diamond Monster 3D II with lots of information on troubleshooting and debugging tools: youtu.be/tRFucW4uB5k
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:51 Damage Overview 03:50 Trace Damage Repair 06:18 SMD Capacitor Replacement 07:56 The Test 09:51 Inspection and TMU Pin Repair 11:33 A Clue in the Logging! 12:33 DAC Crystal Replacement 14:42 DAC Power Woes 16:23 Toasty Chip 17:03 Ferrite Bead Replacement 20:45 Finally Fixed! 25:34 ConclusionTroubleshooting and Repairing a 3Dfx Voodoo 2!vswitchzero2023-01-09 | Today I’ll be troubleshooting and attempting to repair an 8MB Diamond Monster 3D II. Join me as I explore some of the debugging tools available to help narrow down the problem and break out the soldering iron to get this legendary card up and running again.
A list of 3Dfx Voodoo/Voodoo 2 environment variables: mdgx.com/3dfx.htm
The 3dfx Glide2 SDK for DOS/Win32 V2.43 (for debugging purposes): http://falconfly.3dfx.pl/reference.htm
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:47 The Diamond Monster 3D II 04:08 Initial Testing 05:41 DOS Debugging 09:46 Strategy 11:48 What’s Next? 13:27 Problem Identified 15:26 The Repair! 18:01 Success! 19:49 ConclusionThe 3Dfx Voodoo 2 - Taking 3D to the Next Level!vswitchzero2022-11-24 | The original 3Dfx Voodoo Graphics accelerator completely transformed the world of 3D gaming, but by late 1997 the competition was beginning to heat up. How do you improve on such a legendary card? You double down on EVERYTHING. The Voodoo 2 improves upon the original in pretty much every way and even allows two cards to work together in SLI for truly next-level 3D performance.
A huge thank you and shout out goes to Alexander in Germany for his very generous channel donation. Thank you again!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:47 A Look at the Voodoo 2 05:38 A Big Thank You! 06:38 Scan Line Interleaving 08:38 SLI Challenges and Scaling 09:58 Test Setup and Drivers 11:57 Benchmarks 14:10 Some Classic Games 19:41 Conclusion
The closing audio track is an original called “Prelude to Space” by Bertrand Guégan. You can find more of his work here: soundcloud.com/bertrandgueganVBIOS Bit Rot? Saving a Pair of Matrox AGP Cardsvswitchzero2022-11-11 | When not one but two of my recently purchased Matrox cards turned out to be dead, I discovered that there have been high failure rates reported for the G100 and G200 series cards over the years. They seem to be susceptible to vBIOS degradation (aka Bit Rot) over time leading to unusable cards. Today I’ll be doing some troubleshooting to get these two cards back in operation.
If you’ve got an old video card that just suddenly stopped working, you may want to give it a second look before tossing it into the e-waste bin.
The closing audio track is an original called “Prelude to Space” by Bertrand Guégan. You can find more of his work here: soundcloud.com/bertrandgueganThe 486 Upgrade CPU Showdown!vswitchzero2022-11-08 | Although no one disputes that the “Pentium Overdrive for 486 Systems” was a great performing chip, it may not have been the best choice for everyone. And it was certainly not the only choice when it came to pushing the 486 platform to its limits. Today, I’ll be pitting the Pentium Overdrive up against two very formidable competitors - the AMD Am5x86 and the Cyrix 5x86. To make things even more interesting, I’ll be overclocking all three chips as well. The results may surprise you!
A big thanks to Lee from Nova Scotia in Canada for his recent channel donation that helped with the production of this video.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:50 The Pentium Overdrive 05:50 The AMD Am5x86-P75 10:19 The Cyrix 5x86 14:19 Test Setup 15:54 Benchmarks 25:40 The Verdict 29:08 Conclusion
The closing audio track is an original called “Prelude to Space” by Bertrand Guégan. You can find more of his work here: soundcloud.com/bertrandgueganThe Intel Pentium Overdrive CPU for 486 Systemsvswitchzero2022-10-11 | Back in 1995, Intel released a very special upgrade processor for owners of 486 systems. Despite having a very different architecture and external data bus, the Pentium Overdrive was able to drop right into an existing 486 system and provide next-gen performance. Was it a worth-while upgrade? Or was this heavily modified Pentium processor held back by the aging 486 platform?
In today’s video I’ll be restoring a badly neglected 83MHz Pentium Overdrive and will try to answer that very question.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:35 A Bit of History 02:02 A Special Processor 03:49 A Closer Look at Processor 05:29 It’s Broken 08:23 Does it Work? 10:39 Slowest Pentium Ever? 11:31 Active Fan Monitoring 14:54 Included Software 16:23 A New Cooling Solution 22:46 Benchmarks 24:07 Can it Handle Quake? 25:05 Final Thoughts 26:56 Overdrive Installation Demo
As mentioned, the closing track is an original called “Prelude to Space” by Bertrand Guégan. You can find more of his work here: soundcloud.com/bertrandgueganAn Intel and AMD CPU in the same motherboard at the same time?vswitchzero2022-09-19 | This is the FIC 4386-VC-HD - a 386/486 hybrid motherboard released back in 1992. It has a multi-tiered PGA socket that can be used for a 486 CPU or a math co-processor. Because it has a soldered on AMD 386 DX/40 CPU, it is one of the few boards out there that allows you to have both an Intel and AMD CPU installed simultaneously. Obviously the 386 CPU will be disabled when a 486 CPU is installed, but it is still an interesting sight to behold! There was a lot more flexibility in this era of PC hardware than we see today.Building the Ultimate 486 DOS Gaming Thin Client! #486buildoffvswitchzero2022-09-16 | Today, I'll be transforming a very boring looking 1990s thin-client into a small formfactor DOS gaming powerhouse! The Boundless Technologies Viewpoint TC325 isn't an underpowered modern thin client but a true 486! It has a powerful AMD AM5x86-P75 CPU, great onboard video and even an ISA slot. It's not all smooth sailing though and I have to navigate around several annoying roadblocks to unleash this machine's full potential.
Don't forget to check out the other great #486buildoff videos out there. There are already quite a few posted and I'm sure there will be more in the coming weeks. I will update this with a playlist if one is created but for now you can just search for the #486buildoff hastag in YouTube or on Twitter.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:21 The Boundless Viewpoint TC 325 03:34 A Tour of the Internals 10:46 No Cache, No Battery! 13:01 Solving the Storage Problem 15:41 Solving the Power Problem 18:30 Solving the Sound Problem 20:32 A Quick BIOS Tour 22:06 An Unwelcome Feature 23:36 Performance Benchmarks 26:50 Bio Menace 28:01 Doom II 29:29 Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold 31:04 Descent 32:51 Duke Nukem 3D 34:47 Final WordsDon’t delay! Get those leaky barrel batteries off vintage motherboards!vswitchzero2022-08-30 | Many old motherboards came with batteries for maintaining power to the RTC and to preserve BIOS settings. Many had “barrel” batteries like this one, which are infamous for leaking corrosive electrolyte. This fluid eats away copper traces and other components on the board. Since the batteries are certainly dead by this point anyway, they should be removed without delay. Using a pair of snips is often the easiest way to do this and only takes a second or two.The 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 Repairathon!vswitchzero2022-08-21 | What's riskier than buying a defective 3dfx card? Probably buying three of them! Join me as I attempt to repair three Voodoo 3 3000 cards that I bought as-is on eBay. All three cost about as much a single working one. Did I make a good investment, or am I in way over my head this time?
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 03:05 The Cards 04:27 Repairing Card One 09:25 Repairing Card Two 12:25 Recapping Card Two 17:02 Repairing Card Three 19:23 ConclusionRepairing the Legendary 3dfx Voodoo 5 5500!vswitchzero2022-08-08 | The 3dfx Voodoo 5 5500 was 3dfx' last mass produced and commercially available card. The company failed shortly after its release and it has become highly sought after. Unfortunately, it isn't known for it's reliability and these aging bits of 3dfx history often need to be repaired. In this video, I fix a long list of problems with this as-is, untested card that I got for a great price. With some luck and a bit of patience, will I be able to restore it to its former glory?
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Channel Announcement! 00:45 Introduction 03:07 The Problems 04:00 Disclaimer 05:04 Fixing the Solder Bridges 06:34 Replacing Missing SMD Components 09:50 Testing the Card 11:17 Voodoo 5 Hardware Overview 12:32 Single VSA Mode and Strategy 13:42 SDRAM Memory Replacement 18:45 Almost Fixed? 19:13 More Problems 20:06 LTC1929 Regulator Repair 21:20 Fixed!Repairing the Number Nine Imagine 128 Series II video cardvswitchzero2022-07-08 | Today I’ll be repairing the Imagine 128 Series II card made by Number Nine Visual Technology. The Imagine 128 II was completely state of the art when it was released back in 1996 with excellent GUI acceleration and even some 3D capabilities. I picked one up on eBay recently but it turned out to be defective. Join me as I take a look at this card's unique hardware layout and attempt to get it back into working order!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:11 Hardware Overview 03:37 Easter Eggs 04:07 Testing the Card 05:21 Troubleshooting 06:57 Problem Identified 08:35 The Repair 09:38 Success 10:08 Conclusion
Thanks for watching!The Legendary 3dfx Voodoo Graphics Accelerator #GPUJune2vswitchzero2022-06-24 | For #GPUJune2 this year, I'm taking a look at a very special card - the 3dfx Voodoo graphics accelerator. Released back in late 1996, it completely transformed the world of PC gaming and was a very significant card for me personally. From the moment I first experienced GLQuake back in 1997, I absolutely had to have one. For this video, I built a test platform almost identical to what I had back in 1997 and have a look at the very popular Diamond Monster 3D! I explore some 3dfx tech demos and play some of my favorite glide games from back in the day as well.
Special thanks to Nathan from @PixelPipes for organizing this great celebration of 3D acceleration history! Be sure to check out the official GPUJune2 playlist for many other great videos from some amazing YouTubers!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 02:20 3dfx Voodoo Graphics Hardware 05:17 FB, TMU and Memory Architecture 07:54 The Test Setup 08:40 Drivers and 3dfx Tech Demos 10:54 Turok Dinosaur Hunter 13:04 Forsaken 14:59 Quake 2 17:44 Need for Speed 2 SE 19:11 MDK 21:39 Final WordsThe original 3dfx splash screen from 1996! #shortsvswitchzero2022-06-21 | If you ever played some of the original 3dfx glide games back in the mid-nineties, this iconic 3dfx intro splash screen is no doubt familiar to you! Although it could be disabled, it was always a nice reminder that your 3dfx Voodoo card has just kicked in. This one is the original logo from back in 1996/1997. It was eventually updated to 3dfx's newer orange logo in later driver updates. #shortsSupra Fax Modem connecting to a BBS at 9600 baud #shortsvswitchzero2022-06-10 | This is a Supra 14.4 external fax modem - not to be confused with the popular car made by Toyota! I've been doing some testing with my Supra 14.4 Fax modem on a voip line. It does appear to connect properly at 9600 baud, but I can't get it to work reliably. More testing and tweaking will be needed.
#shortsMy Daily Use 486 Build - Part 3vswitchzero2022-06-02 | Welcome to part three (the final episode) of my adventures building a 486 for my daily gaming use! It’s one thing to cobble a bunch of parts together on a test bench, but it’s another to build a properly functioning AT tower system. In this episode I go over some of the more practical aspects of building old AT systems including power supplies, cabling, batteries, and I/O connectivity. After I get the system built, I have a look at the monitor, speakers and peripherals. And finally, I try out a few of my favorite classic DOS games on the system.
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out part one and two to learn more about my goals for the system, the components I chose and the testing and benchmarking I’ve done.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:44 Heatsink and Fan 01:43 Battery Pack 03:40 The MHz Display 05:45 The Power Supply 09:37 IO Connectivity 10:44 Motherboard Mounting 13:00 Building the System 15:55 The Final Setup 21:55 Some DOS Gaming Classics 28:12 Conclusion
Music track is "Sky Skating" by Geographer.Repairing The Legendary Gravis Ultrasoundvswitchzero2022-05-06 | I never owned a Gravis Ultrasound back in the day, but always wanted to get one to explore the very different and interesting sound experience they provide. Unfortunately, they've become ridiculously expensive over the years, so I could never bring myself to buy one. So rather than shelling out a huge amount of money, I bought a broken one instead! Will I be able to repair it? Or was buying this defective card a big mistake?
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:15 A Brief Look at the GUS 05:45 The Test Setup 07:15 Software Woes 08:50 Testing the Broken Card 12:25 The Plan 14:11 Spring Cleaning 15:51 Problem Identified 17:43 A Sketchy Workaround 18:39 The Proper Fix 20:17 Replacing the Crystal 21:52 The Result 22:43 Fixing it Again 24:15 Upgrading the DRAM 24:46 Final Words
Music track is "Evergreen" by Georgrapher.Repairing the FIC 4386-VC-HD Hybrid 486/386 Motherboard!vswitchzero2022-04-18 | Is it a 486 or a 386 board? It's both! Today I'll be repairing a damaged 486/386 hybrid board. This is the FIC 4386-VC-HD motherboard that I bought as-is on eBay. After a repair attempt gone wrong by the previous owner, several components will need to be replaced.
Here's my video on RTC modules and my experience constructing the nwX287: youtu.be/XA8YFiDVbCM
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:05 A Look at the Board 03:25 The Damage 05:44 A Special Mention 06:30 The Plan and the Tools 10:21 Desoldering the DS1287 11:28 Desoldering the Capacitor 12:31 Replacing the Capacitor 14:05 Installing the Socket and RTC 15:57 The Moment of Truth 16:30 Troubleshooting 17:43 Success and ConclusionMy Daily Use 486 Build - Part 2vswitchzero2022-04-06 | After a few weeks of distraction, I'm back with part two of my adventures in building a 486 for my daily gaming use! Be sure to check out part one where I go into detail about the parts I'll be using and my goals for the build. Today, I'll be building it on my test bench and will be doing some performance tuning and testing with several different 486 CPUs. I'll be tweaking the cache, memory and my VLB card and will be running a whole suite of benchmarks. I'll also be doing the opposite of performance tuning - trying to slow the system down sufficiently for speed sensitive games. Stay tuned for part three where I'll finally get the system properly built and do some gaming!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 03:11 Changes to the Build 05:55 Baseline Benchmarks 08:51 Tuning the Memory 10:02 Tuning the Cache 10:58 Tuning the VGA Card 13:40 Benchmark Result Overview 15:37 CPU Comparison Results 19:31 Choosing a CPU! 22:37 Slowing the System Down 24:30 ConclusionUnboxing a bunch of retro motherboards, CPUs and more!vswitchzero2022-03-10 | Time for another quick unboxing video. Every once and a while you see a great deal you can't refuse! Today I take a look at some retro motherboards, CPUs and other parts I recently acquired. Hopefully these parts will come in handy for future projects and videos.Upgrading the Full Yes 82430I to 512KB of SRAM Cache!vswitchzero2022-03-09 | After de-cachifying my poor "Full Yes" 430FX board - yes, that's got to be one of the coolest names in motherboard history - I get it back up and running. Rather than replacing the cache with similar chips, I'll be upgrading it from 256KB to 512KB and providing some information and history on SRAM and caching in general.
You find more detailed information on the board in my socket 7 buildoff video here: youtu.be/WC3YWTGbCP4
You can also see part one of my daily 486 gaming rig series here: youtu.be/Med-6Q9ROUI
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **Overclocking the AMD Am5x86 486 processor to 160MHz! #overclockingbuildoffvswitchzero2022-03-01 | For the #overclockingbuildoff I will be pushing the legendary AMD Am5x86 processor to 160MHz on my ECS UM4981 VESA local bus system. This board doesn't officially support the CPU, so it required a bit of extra work to get it going to its full potential. Despite it's confusing name, the Am5x86 is not a Pentium Overdrive competitor, but rather a true 486 processor with an already incredibly high default clock of 133MHz.
Please be sure to check out the other #overclockingbuildoff videos that will be released by others over the coming days and weeks. I'm sure there will be some very interesting reveals!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:45 The AMD AM5x86-P75 03:48 ECS UM4981 AIO Motherboard 05:05 CPU Installation and Jumpers 07:41 First Bootup and Problems 09:50 Benchmarks at Stock Clocks 13:13 Switching to a 40MHz FSB 14:37 Benchmarks at 160MHz 17:00 Modified BIOS and L1 WB Cache 19:05 Result Summary and ConclusionsMy Daily Use 486 Build - Part 1vswitchzero2022-02-14 | Welcome to my adventures building a 486 for my daily gaming use! As a retro PC hardware enthusiast, I have a habit of tearing my systems apart and swapping parts around all the time. This year, I have made a commitment to put together a system that'll stay assembled at all times for my day to day gaming use. In part 1, I take a close look at all of the parts for this build. Stay tuned for the assembly, benchmarking and some gaming in the next part!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 02:47 The ECS UM4981 Motherboard 08:01 486 CPU Options 11:30 Memory Options 12:17 VESA Local Bus VGA Cards 15:00 Compact Flash Storage 16:08 Pro Audio Spectrum 16 and MIDI 27:02 Plextor Caddy-Load CD-ROM 28:52 Intel Pro10 Network Card 29:28 AT Case and Power Supply 31:10 ConclusionNext-level RTC module Upgrade! Replacing the Dallas DS12887vswitchzero2022-01-17 | I have several old motherboards waiting for RTC replacements. Rather than buying new DS12887 modules, I decided to solder up one of Necroware's awesome RTC replacement modules. Unlike traditional RTC modules, the coin cell battery is accessible and can be easily replaced. In this video, I go over the parts required and my experiences constructing it.
Note: Check out Necroware's comment below. I used square pin headers for my first module, which work but really aren't the best choice. Look out for the thinner round pin headers instead.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **Building an AMD Thunderbird Gaming Rig - Geforce 3 and 3D Labs Wildcat III! #socketabuildoffvswitchzero2022-01-07 | This is my contribution to the #socketabuildoff - an early AMD Thunderbird gaming build! This system is based on the popular ASUS A7V133 and the VIA KT133A chipset. In this video I'll be going over the parts, playing some games and running some benchmarks. In addition to the GeForce 3 Ti200, I'll be trying out an AGP Pro video card - the absolutely massive 3DLabs Wildcat III 6110!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:35 ASUS A7V133 Motherboard 07:44 The AMD Athlon 700 10:40 PC133 SDRAM 11:11 CPU Cooler 11:34 Nvidia GeForce3 Ti200 13:55 3DLabs Wildcat III 6110 16:57 Creative Sound Blaster Live! 18:47 Western Digital WD400 HDD 19:47 Case, PSU and Final Build 21:51 Booting up! 22:35 Games and Benchmarks 28:35 Gaming on the Wildcat III 31:18 Wrap up
Thanks for watching! Be sure to check out all of the other great #socketabuildoff videos. You can search for the hashtag in YouTube to find more.DOS 6.22 in a VMware Virtual Machine! #DOScembervswitchzero2021-12-14 | I wanted to do something a little different for #DOScember this year - installing MS-DOS 6.22 in a VM! In this video, I go through VM creation, DOS install, setup, memory management and more! And of course, it wouldn't be a retro DOS video without seeing Doom running at least once.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Intro 03:14 Creating the VM 12:03 Installing MS-DOS 15:47 CD-ROM Setup 25:35 Mouse Setup 27:33 Network Setup 35:47 Memory Management 43:57 Sound Setup 46:30 Doom and ConclusionBooting up and testing my newly repaired 430VX motherboard!vswitchzero2021-12-02 | I picked up this 430VX board for the #sockettome7 buildoff but didn't realize it had a non-socketed RTC module. In the end I had to use a different board, but I finally got around to repairing this one. In this video I take a quick look at the new RTC socket, repaired surface mount capacitor, a new S3 ViRGE and a COAST module for a cache upgrade.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Intro 03:14 Creating the VM 12:03 Installing MS-DOS 15:47 CD-ROM Setup 25:35 Mouse Setup 27:33 Network Setup 35:47 Memory Management 43:57 Sound Setup 46:30 Doom and ConclusionUnboxing a pair of classic Pentium processors with retail coolers!vswitchzero2021-11-18 | I got a great deal on these two CPUs from a seller on eBay. Unfortunately, they arrived too late to be included in my #sockettome7 build. I put together this quick video to have a look at them and compare the Pentium 200, 133 and my old Pentium 120 with retail heatsinks.Building a high-end 1995/1996 Socket 7 Gaming PC! #sockettome7vswitchzero2021-11-15 | This is my contribution to the #sockettome7 build off! Although "Super Socket 7" systems get a lot of interest these days, I'm going to look at the total opposite end of the spectrum - Intel's very first socket 7 CPU and chipset. I'll be building a high-end gaming system from around 1995/1996, including a 3Dfx Voodoo card for 3D acceleration and a Sound Blaster 32 with 2MB of add-on memory for soundfonts!
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Intro 00:58 Intel's 430FX Chipset 04:52 The Intel Pentium 133 05:55 Video Cards 07:40 Sound Blaster 32 PnP 10:16 Fujitsu IDE Hard Drive 11:11 3Com EtherLink III Network Card 11:37 Analog Modem 12:21 Case and Power Supply 14:24 Configuring the VFD MHz Display 15:39 The Assembled Build! 18:40 Booting the System 19:08 SB32 Sound Font Loading 20:05 Heretic MIDI Tests 22:14 Games 27:39 BenchmarksBoot Up Floppy Seek #shortsvswitchzero2021-11-11 | #shortsWindows 98 Installed in Under 2 Minutes - Timelapse!vswitchzero2021-11-01 | This is a timelapse screen capture of the Windows 98 Second Edition installation process. This was done on a real time-correct system with parts available for purchase in (or around) the year 1998. The system consisted of the following:
Intel Celeron 300A CPU (300MHz) 128MB of PC-100 SDRAM Asus P2B Slot-1 Motherboard and Slotket adapter 3dfx Voodoo Banshee AGP Video Card (16MB) Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 Value (ISA)
Fujitsu 14GB 5400 RPM HDD Toshiba DVD Drive 235W PSU and Aopen Case
Music is "8-Bit Dreamscape" by "The Whole Other".Building a 1998 Gaming Rig! Part 2 #Slot1BuildOffvswitchzero2021-10-27 | This is part two of my contribution to the #Slot1BuildOff. I've had these parts for a long time and the build-off gave me the push to finally get it put together! In this video I will swap out a Pentium II for one of the best overclocking CPUs in history - the Celeron 300A. I'll also show the completed build, get Windows 98 installed and play some games and run some benchmarks! And finally, I'll see if the Celeron 300A can handle a 50% overclock.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 00:29 Installing the Slotket and Celeron 300A 04:11 The Completed Build 06:29 Installing Windows 98! 06:47 Hardware Failure 07:30 Installing Windows 98 (Again) 08:57 GLQuake 10:12 Need for Speed High Stakes 11:45 Quake 2 12:43 Half Life 2 13:29 3DMark 99 13:55 GLQuake Timedemo 14:25 Overclocking the Celeron 300A 15:34 Conclusion
Be sure to check out the other great videos in the #slot1buildoff playlist!
*Music during Windows 98 install is "8-Bit Dreamscape" by "The Whole Other".Building a 1998 Gaming Rig! Part 1 #Slot1BuildOffvswitchzero2021-10-19 | This is part one of my contribution to the #Slot1BuildOff. I've had these parts for a long time and the build-off gave me the push to finally get it put together! In this video I will go over the parts and talk a bit about why I picked them and provide some background and history as well.
** My Blog: vswitchzero.com Follow me on X/Twitter: https://x.com/vswitchzero Mastodon: https://bitbang.social/@vswitchzero
If you enjoy my channel, please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/vswitchzero **
00:00 Introduction 01:10 The ASUS P2B Motherboard 03:36 Intel Pentium II 400MHz 05:39 The "Slocket" and the Intel Celeron 300A 07:55 128MB of PC100 SDRAM 08:31 The Ensoniq 3dfx Voodoo Banshee 10:49 Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 12:09 Intel Pro/100 PCI Network Card 12:31 Hard drive and Storage Options 13:23 Aopen ATX Case
Be sure to check out the other great videos in the #slot1buildoff playlist!Using Synology Active Backup for Business with VMware vSphere/ESXivswitchzero2021-03-24 | Synology's Active Backup for Business is a free backup tool included with many of their higher end "plus" series NAS units. Today I'm taking a look at its integration with VMware vSphere and ESXi. In short, it is an excellent tool that provides features you'd expect to see from enterprise "paid" backup solutions.