Four-Phase systems - The Creator, the Company and the System IV/70 Computer - Part 1 CelGenStudios 2024-04-27 | In 2022 I came across a computer I had only heard of once before in my life. A year and a half later I think I've gone through enough of what remains known on the Internet to talk a little more about what I found. This is the System IV/70 ("Four-Seventy") computer and this is the remarkable history behind the microprocessor that makes it run, the AL1. Lets talk about everything Four-Phase and go through what lives inside my system.Ken Shirriff's blog on AL1 and it's importance in the early world of microprocessors alongside the Texas Instruments TMX1795 can be found here - http://www.righto.com/2015/05/the-texas-instruments-tmx-1795-first.htmlMore information on Lee Boysel and the early history of microprocessing can be found here along with more details on the famous courtroom demonstration: https://ece.engin.umich.edu/stories/lee-boysel-the-early-history-of-microprocessingAn early brochure from Four-Phase Systems covering their computer, it's optional capabilities and its software options is available here - computerhistory.org/brochures/d-f/fourphase-systems-incHigh-resolution (multi-megabyte) photographs of all the boards seen today in the video are now available on Bitsavers - http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/fourPhase/Pictures/11001131-C_BACKPLANE_and_CHASSIS(Thank you Bitsavers for archiving this!)Interestingly, Four-Phase Systems seem to of fallen into a historical black hole. Almost no systems still exist and likewise documentation, software, hardware and technical papers are hard to come by. I have been working on efforts to help locate and digitize items as I can (affordably) come across them before the system becomes completely extinct but I'm always willing to find more. If you wish to reach out to me regarding Four-Phase systems I can be reached by email, an ongoing thread on the VCfed forums or other archival operations such as Bitsavers or the Vintage computer Federation are willing to help in whatever way we can.Finally I would like to credit the Museum of Information Technology at Arlington and the Four-Phase Facebook users group both for providing information and photos, along with other former employees who wish to remain anonymous. Without your historical momentos there would be much, much less to research about this otherwise forgotten machine.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Xerox CAT - The Earliest of the Trackpads CelGenStudios 2024-10-12 | While its known that Xerox used the Mouse for the Alto, what's considerably less remembered is that in 1980 Xerox experimented selling a word processor with what I can tell is the earliest trackpad designed to move a cursor with your fingers and to do so in a shipping commercial product. (IE: anyone who could afford it could buy one). At a notable expense I've come into ownership of one. Not the whole system, so I can't demonstrate it working. Just the pad and the interface board.In this video I will try to explain why if you search for what the first trackpad is you will run into a confusing mix of history, how with no evidence I suspect this was a pet project of someone at PARC and we look at the hardware itself.I will be truthful right now that while I have attempted to research this and get as much as my information correct, there are many holes in what I could find and I will likely of made a mistake or two. I am more than willing to read anything you wish to add to what I've found in the comments.For more information on the Xerox 860, the Digibarn has a page on their machine - digibarn.com/collections/systems/xerox860/index.htmlHere is a very old (but somewhat recently uploaded) video of the same system. By the sounds of it, the museum's curator, Bruce Damer is behind the camera - youtube.com/watch?v=jybrwHfiV1sRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Deep-Dish Dash - To VCF MidWest and Back in 2024 CelGenStudios 2024-09-29 | *Caution - This video contains flashing and rapidly alternating images*With California in the rear-view mirror and confidence nothing could go wrong, the 1982 AMC Eagle was once again packed with everything needed and off it went to Schaumburg Illinois for VCF MidWest, stopping briefly in the Eagle's home turf of Kenosha Wisconsin.This half-hour long video consists of the over 72000 still images taken once every five seconds over the entire trip, played 30 per second.The Vintage Computer Festival is an annual event that takes place throughout the United States. It brings together hobbyists, speakers and vendors all with one thing in common: We love old tech.For more information, please refer to the official website of the Vintage Computer Federation - vcfed.orgThe Eagle Wagon from the American Motors Corporation is the official vehicle of CelGenStudios. Ask your local Used Car lot for more information today!Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
From the Pocket to the Car - Motorolas DynaTAC Car Kit CelGenStudios 2024-09-29 | For the businessman or individual always on the go but not wanting to be fussing with his mobile telephone while driving OR owning two different mobile telephones, Motorola offered its customers a car kit that not only stored their phone in a secure location while charging the battery but converted it into a fully-featured car phone as well, with hands-free speakerphone and external antenna connectivity.I was lucky enough to stumble across (most of) one and seeing how there's no mention of these kits anywhere online, lets go through what came in the package and how it went together.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
The Silent Knight 7341 Keypad Controller - BCD Keypads Made Easy CelGenStudios 2024-09-15 | While rummaging through boxes of junk at the VCF MidWest Free Pile I came across this plastic box that solved a LOT of problems for me. I'll explain what it does and then demo how you easy it is to wire up and set the code.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
California Cannonball - To VCF West and Back in 2024 CelGenStudios 2024-08-12 | *Caution - This video contains flashing and rapidly alternating images*The trip to California is a long one. If you mount a GoPro to your windshield and let it take a photo every five seconds, you end up with over 37000 still images. If you take all of those and play them back at 30 frames a second, this is what you get.The Vintage Computer Festival is an annual event that takes place throughout the United States. It brings together hobbyists, speakers and vendors all with one thing in common: We love old tech.For more information, please refer to the official website of the Vintage Computer Federation - vcfed.orgThe Eagle Wagon from the American Motors Corporation is the official vehicle of CelGenStudios. Ask your local Used Car lot for more information today!Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
AMC ET-501 - Engine Computer Diagnosis in the 1980s CelGenStudios 2024-07-20 | We have it pretty easy now for diagnosing Engine Management problems. AMC on the other hand decided to make it hard, then release this handy tool to solve it. Lets go through the AMC/OTC collaborative effort that was the ET-501 Fuel Feedback System Tester, what comes in the kit and how it all works.I have scanned and uploaded the manual for the tool to the Internet Archive. you can find it here: archive.org/details/amcet501instructionmanualThe 4 and 6 cylinder diagnostic ROMs have also been dumped and uploaded to the same place: archive.org/details/amcet501romimages(When burning them to now EPROMs, be aware of pin orientation!)About ten minutes into the video I mention the later Bendix and Renix computers used in Jeep/Renault vehicles at the time for fuel injection. Neither do I own vehicles that use those systems or the diagnostic tools that were available for those near the end of AMC's life but I have been given access to training laserdiscs which discuss it and the MS 1700 diagnostic tool. You can find that here: archive.org/details/8981-321-171/Side1.mp4Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Cartel CT-1000 - The Bluetooth Car Kit that wants to be a Car Phone CelGenStudios 2024-07-06 | Car Phones have long gone the way of the Dodo and now roam the planet as static props in luxury classic cars. There have been modern takes on adapting these old phones to work with modern phones but only once that I can find was there ever a commercial product that gave you the look and feel of a car phone while actually being just a hands-free Bluetooth device. Lets take a look at the rather expensive and uncommon CT-1000 and see if it lives up to the name.Cartel Mobile Solution's Website (as of 2016. The last year the site was still up) - web.archive.org/web/20160625043103/http://www.bluecarphone.com/index.phpA simplified guide and the wiring diagram for the CT-1000 can be found here - archive.org/details/ct1000-instAs far as I can tell, this is the full Users Manual provided by CarTel and submitted to the FCC - archive.org/details/car-tel-ct-1000-user-manualHere's UselessPickle's finished Bleutooth adapter for the Mitsubishi DiamondTel - youtube.com/watch?v=52AuhS5Jq0QAgain, I'm not downplaying in the video that he should of done something better or more common and therefore his work is not interesting. (or at least in editing I felt I was sounding too negative) The fact remains nobody has tried this on their own before him and succeeded. 1 is more than 0. I still strongly appreciate and respect the work he put into how clean it is. Good job!Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Tantalum hunting with a Thermal Imaging Camera CelGenStudios 2024-06-22 | Tantalum is never fun to deal with because when it shorts and DOESN'T explode you end up with a whole bunch of them running parallel in the same circuit. With the ever dropping price of thermal imaging cameras however using only a current limiting bench supply we can easily isolate the problem capacitor. Let me show you how using this hard drive from an IBM 5150.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
All about Timing - Correcting and Adjusting your 258s Spark Advance. CelGenStudios 2024-05-25 | We trust a mechanic to know what they are doing. After all, they went to school for this. Sometimes mistakes are made and they are hard to notice.In this video I discover that a previous (and poorly done) engine installation had the engine broken in and run (part of this is my fault for reasons I explain in he video and I won't deny that) with a mere 5 degrees of spark timing BTDC. On an AMC straight-six with no computer this is "okay" but a 258 with Computerized Engine Control needs 15 degrees (or a few degrees less as you go up in altitude) or as it turns out, the engine runs but wow it feels anemic.We'll be following AMC Service Bulletin I.S. 12E, instead of the 1982 AMC Technical Service Manual to check and adjust the engine timing. You can find it on the Internet Archive.archive.org/details/is-12-e/mode/2upThis bulletin is especially important for 1982 model vehicles (not jsut the Eagle!) as I have found the instructions commonly shared from the TSM results in an unacceptably incorrect timing. We'll be using a Sun Modular Engine Analyzer and its variable timing light to more easily show what I'm doing. For you at home all you need is a handheld precision tachometer and a standard induction timing light. I strongly advise against the old fashioned "set the ignition timing with a vacuum gauge" method. A second person to assist is also strongly suggested, especially for in-Drive idle adjustments, which must be done after the timing is adjusted.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Four-Phase systems - The Expansions, the Cables and the Future - Part 2 CelGenStudios 2024-05-11 | The second and last part of our look through my System IV/70, it's IV/90 expansion, the NP-80 Peripheral Controller and the many cables and lesser bits and pieces I own. Unfortunately due to missing major components I will not be able to demonstrate the system further at this time or in the foreseeable future.If you have not seen Part 1, you can find it here - youtu.be/un5THZYmqHEAll currently known to exist (as of May 2024) documentation, schematics and component photographs (enclosures, boards, cables etc.) can be found here on Bitsavers - http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/fourPhaseLike I mentioned in the video, archiving everything at this point is essential, considering there is nearly nothing left. If you cannot reach me by email you can always reach me through X, the VCFed Forums and of course there are the countless other old tech gurus who may also be able to assist with many of them also having their own means which they can be contacted.(Big shout-out here to fellow YouTuber Forgotten Machines!)I would like to thank the Four-Phase systems Facebook Group for providing photographs and some images in this series along with their insight into the company and they products they made. I would also like to thank the Museum of Information Technology at Arlington (MITA) for additional support, plus a thank you to the other folks who put their two cents in however asked not to be mentioned.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
May 1 have a Drink? - Vending Spring Startup CelGenStudios 2024-05-01 | I'll be honest. I have not actually run this machine for two years. Too busy playing financial catch-up to bother keeping the machine stocked and running. This year however I think I've caught up enough I can do exactly that. I'll give it a quick one-over, then load it up.(PSA: Really this video is just me seeing how well the cheapest lavalier microphone on Aliexpress sounds when plugged into a HERO2. It's actually really good compared to the internal mic!)
Those Automotive Coffee Makers and Beverage Warmers - Are they really All That good? CelGenStudios 2024-04-13 | I've seen them in second hand stores and garage sales for as long as I can remember. It seems everyone's dad had one at some point but given how they feel incredibly cheap are they really all that good? Lets take one that can make drinks AND heat food and put it to the test.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Building a Spinning Sign Out of a Table Lamp CelGenStudios 2024-03-30 | So I got an idea for my table that requires a sign that is illuminated and spins. A lampshade will do the job perfectly, but somehow I need to make it spin. Watch how I solved this problem.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Breakfast with John CelGenStudios 2024-03-20 | This was something jokingly mumbled to me on IRC a while ago and decided sure why not. It's not creepy or weird...okay well it's a little weird....but I wasn't paid to look stupid like this on camera for them.I also got to eat waffles and pop-tarts! :DRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Johns Big Bedroom Reno CelGenStudios 2024-03-16 | I'll be honest. Living at home at times feels like you're living in a basement suite. While I still want to find a bigger and place to live, over the last ten years back at home I've neglected to properly setup my bedroom. In this nearly two hour long video you'll watch as I begin the two monthlong job, run into countless obstacles, make on-the-spot design changes and in its completion replace one dimly lit room with a dedicated workspace and a much brighter sleeping area. Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Locking action of Mechanical slot reel - Bally Mechanism CelGenStudios 2024-03-13 | Recorded using a Kodak Ektapro EM-1000 high-speed camera.
Flight of Sparrow CelGenStudios 2024-03-13 | Recorded on a Kodak Motion Corder SR-1000 high-speed camera.
Disengagement of centrifical AC motor start brushes in electric motor CelGenStudios 2024-03-13 | Recorded on a Kodak Motion Corder SR-1000 high speed camera.
Alignment of symbols on mechanical slot reel CelGenStudios 2024-03-13 | Recorded using a Kodak Ektapro EM-1000 high speed camera.
Kodak EktaPro Hi-Spec imager repair - Can I fix it? CelGenStudios 2024-03-02 | This image processor was dead on arrival but the deal was too good to pass up. Can I make it work?Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
That thing everyone wishes of unreliable electronics CelGenStudios 2024-02-22 | There exist products that from day 1 you just never loved. They were unreliable. They broke too often. The parts were expensive or they were just too flimsy for their own good.Then along comes one day and you FINALLY find something. ANYTHING. SOMETHING that replaces it and peace is restored in the universe again. There is just one last thing to do.If the audio gets muted, it's O Fortuna. You aren't missing much. Just dub it with another tab or something.
Kodak EktaPro EM 1000 - Kodaks Affordable High-Speed Camera from the 90s CelGenStudios 2024-02-17 | High-speed cameras are still several thousand dollars. Thankfully that's pennies compared to the cost of the first solid-state imagers that emerged on the market at the end of the 80's and starting into the 90's. The EktaPro EM 1000 came in at around $100000 (varying by configuration) and provided 1.2 seconds of record time at 1000fps. Today they can be found for a few hundred if you are lucky. Lets take a look at my base model machine and then I will show you some of the footage I've taken with this unit so far.Through this video I repeatedly mention fellow Youtuber and engineer Tesla500 for inspiring me years ago to investigate buying one of these imagers. Since he has already gone through his already, look below for more videos from him:-His teardown of the image processor and the imager head: youtu.be/PYyF39AnKG0-A later video in which he does a teardown of the remote control and tests the imager itself: youtu.be/L75LxwbOHVo-He alludes to a more higher-end imaging processor at one point called the Hi-Spec. Same design but a new durable rackmount enclosure. You can watch his video on that here: youtu.be/FQ76svFv5v8Finally, his main channel and all of his video are directly available from here: youtube.com/@tesla500/videosThe source of the crash tested footage is available here from CrashNet1 - youtu.be/FQ76svFv5v8For more information on the Ektapro TR, which was the earlier tape-based system, Mikes Electric Stuff talks about it...and his efforts to reinvent the wheel in an attempt to make everything work again. - electricstuff.co.uk/ektapro.htmlThe primary source of the Artemis I lunch footage is NASA, however can be found from various sources on Youtube, including NASA themselves. There is a *LOT* of footage.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
1960s Target-Holding Mechanism from Underwood CelGenStudios 2024-02-03 | This thing is exactly how it sounds. Holds something on a stick. thing is, there's more inside than it being a fancy thing to hold a target. Lets open it up and see how it also works.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
2022 & 2023 Summary: Where did all the time go?? CelGenStudios 2024-01-01 | After missing last year it's time once again to summarize the year, plus last year! Let's also answer a few questions from you as well!Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Canon L2 - The Super weird and Super Expensive Camcorder I wanted 20 Years Ago CelGenStudios 2023-12-25 | Back when I first started shooting videos in the early 2000's I wanted to get *one* camera. The Canon L2 Professional Camcorder is perhaps the most high-end camera that was ever released to the Consumer and Prosumer market. After 20 years of trying to get one I finally did!Let's go through the very fancy Pelican case and see what kind of a camera and accessories I bought for $350CAD, then lets talk a little on two markets that ended up really making this camera a must-have for top-end Hi-8 users.(Update: YES I am ware I bungled the zoom factor when mentioning the VL-EOS adapter. It is *NOT* 2x magnification. It is *5x*. Five-times magnification. I wasn't running on a script here, so the numbers got mixed up in my head...)A review from The Chicago Tribune in 1994 can be found here - chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-09-09-9409090260-story.htmlAnother fantastic review from a wildlife photographer in 2007 can be found here - http://pawildlifephotographer.blogspot.com/2007/12/important-milestone-in-videomaking.htmlUnexpectedly, Dave's Retro Video Lab did a video on the L1 a week earlier. We both ended up pretty much covering the same topics but if you wish to hear more details about the functions of this camera, I recommend you watch his video - youtube.com/watch?v=PC9gYFLx-G4(Seriously! I was editing this video and only when I was halfway through did I discover he had thrown a video up earlier that morning!)Cathode Ray Dude also did a good video covering the technical aspects (and a better job explaining for optical differences and zoom caveat) a few years. You should check it out - youtube.com/watch?v=FrqVyLH3f9wThe issue of Popular Electronics seen in the video is form October 1991. IT has a good 3-page review of the L1 that covers most of the L2 as well. World Radio History has provided it in digitized from from their website - worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/90s/91/PE-1991-10.pdfRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Olympus C-2100UZ - My Digital Camera from the 2000s CelGenStudios 2023-12-23 | I got lucky early on and found this second hand for a steal. This was my first serious digital camera and what started me off as a shutterbug. Years later I found another one in the box!Lets go through what's inside and talk a bit more about the quirks from this Year 2000 camera.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
The Morse Electrophonic Console Hi-Fi - No Bang for No Bucks. CelGenStudios 2023-12-09 | I spotted this driving home one day for free on the side of the road. It was everything I could imagine from a cheap 70's hi-fi.That is to say it was incredibly cheap and tacky. It had also been mostly ruined by the rain.Lets take a look around and plug it in before I hesitantly send it off again to the Department Store in the Sky.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Visual Indication - How I solved a camera issue with colored lights CelGenStudios 2023-11-25 | The "12-minute limit" has a number of reasons why it exists but they all equal being annoying if you are trying to maintain consistency with lengthy videos.Here's a stacked visual indicator I built to help me out.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
The DIGIMAX 3D Object Digitizer - Make 3D Models from Physical Objects! CelGenStudios 2023-11-11 | A surprising find at the 2023 Interim Computer Festival! This lathe-looking device lets you mount a physical object and draw it out in 3D. From there can we do much else with it? Lets look over the hardware and the software.A special thanks is in order to fellow creator Adrian's Digital Basement for offering me the chance to work with this neat device and getting the demo vehicle setup and to Mac84 for generously helping on sourcing the software and the documentation. Check out both of their channels below for more neat old tech stuff!youtube.com/@UCE5dIscvDxrb7CD5uiJJOiw youtube.com/c/Mac84Mac84 has also put copies of the documentation as well as both the Amiga and MS-DOS version of the software on the Internet Archive.archive.org/details/Impulse-digimax-software-disks-and-manuals-for-amiga-and-PC-ms-dosRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
How a Video Starts CelGenStudios 2023-11-11 | I typically don't script my videos, but generally there's still some setup required.Here's how behind the scenes nearly every video starts, beginning with clearing and cleaning to the sync clap.(This video is also a test to see how the 60p mode works. ;) )Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
More Card Processing - The IBM 024 Keypunch and the IBM 056 Card Verifier CelGenStudios 2023-10-28 | With the next point after this being the landfill, I take one last big purchase and buy two more desk-sized machines, exclusively for handling punched cards. They both need their obvious maintenance but lets look them over and see what is going on inside.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Jobo CPP2 Film and Print Processor - Agitator Motor Does Not Work CelGenStudios 2023-10-14 | Don't you just hate it when you loan something out and it comes back broken and missing parts of it?Yeah, that happens to me too. In this case it was an extremely expensive piece of processing equipment. Lets go through the control unit, eliminate the "usual suspects" and figure out a solution.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Keytronic Foam and Foil Pads - How to Make Them Yourself CelGenStudios 2023-09-30 | There are many computers and terminals out there in the world still that use keyboards and buttons manufactured by Keytronic. These devices use a capacitive surface with a soft foam backing in place of a more complicated switch mechanism. With time these assemblies fail and need to be replaced.In 2023 there is two or three major vendors selling replacement pads. The most notable of the group is Texelec. Due to the success of their product I have found that availability can at times not be assured. If you are looking to re-pad a quantity of keyboards the cost can also add up quickly.For those of you who do not mind the extra effort or sourcing the materials and tools here is a method I developed several years ago which initially I used on my Apple Lisa and subsequently another half dozen machines over the years. While the "feel" of the key might be different, I just don't care. I need working keyboards.Please note that in the video I list sources for the foam and the Mylar sheets. While availability might be a problem where you live and work, these materials should at least be a good reference for you to find a substitute.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
VCF MidWest 2023 - As seen through a Camcorder CelGenStudios 2023-09-17 | Here is two days of VCF MidWest in Elmhurst Illinois, as seen through a Sony DSR-PD170 fitted with a cheap Century fisheye lens and an excessively sensitive microphone.(this time with the audio gain turned down!)For more information on the Vintage Computer Festival, check out the links below:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vintage_Computer_Festivalvcfed.org/eventsRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Keytronic Pad Punching - Visual Demonstration Supplement CelGenStudios 2023-09-03 | Just a short video I can embed places.
The Future is Now (John Discovers how to use Google, Wikipedia and Youtube) CelGenStudios 2023-09-02 | This Information Super Highway and World Wide Web is going to Change EVERYTHING!(Seriously, think about how people in 1993 saw the future, then apply it to what I'm doing in this video. This was stuff so fresh it was still hot from the oven. Here I am using the exact same concepts decades later and either they are exactly as they were proposed, or it's a new iteration and we've superseded the original idea with something better)I sit down at my desk on September 1, 2023. I want to read Popular Science, but I want to look at it 30 years agoSo I open a window on my computer and look through a graphical index of issues, sorted by decade and month within the decadeI choose September 1993. It opens the entire issue on my screen. Now I can scroll through the pages with my mouse. If I was on my tablet I could use my finger.I find an advertisement for "Beyond 2000". It's on the Discovery Channel. Hmm, that sounds like something neat to watch.So in the same program I open a "tab" and use a "search engine" to look across the Internet for more information on this TV series. I pull up a description and photographs from various episodes. Finally I choose from a list an entire episode and watch it full-screen
IBM System/32 - The Arrival and Assembly CelGenStudios 2023-09-02 | At last! :DAfter casually keeping an eye out since 2004* I finally came across a System/32! At this point it's more of a collectors piece (and a big one at that) but this finally fits into the slot that I left open for a 70's era IBM system that is both small and still somehow functional in a residential environment.Actually getting it in the house is something for another day, but for now lets put this machine back together after I had to pull it apart to transport it. I'll show you around and explain some of the hardware along the way!The Corestore's FIRST System/32 - http://www.corestore.org/32.htmThe Corestore's SECOND System/32 - http://www.corestore.org/32-2.htmAll the documentation you could ever dream of for the System/32 - bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/system32*(Don't ask why at 14 years old I wanted an IBM computer like this. It was a weird time for me...)Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
VCF West 2023 - As seen through a Camcorder CelGenStudios 2023-08-19 | Now Available in HD - youtube.com/watch?v=77bHHDdayrcI was given a challenge.In 2019 I took a tube camera and VHS-C tape machine to LTX. In 2023 I was told it's easy to shoot HD, so why not use a MiniDV camera instead?Alright, lets do this. Here is two days of VCF West in Mountain View California, as seen through a Sony DSR-PD170 fitted with a cheap Century fisheye lens and an excessively sensitive microphone.For more information on the Vintage Computer Festival, check out the links below:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vintage_Computer_Festivalvcfed.org/events/vintage-computer-festival-westRemember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Road Trippin - Do I have a 300W Inverter that Doesnt Suck? CelGenStudios 2023-08-05 | When you have requirements beyond a laptop charger, DC automotive inverters start to get weird. I just need an inverter that can do peak 300 watts, a stable voltage and most importantly, a locked line frequency.I'm going to pull out a bunch in inverters (most of then are junk) and find out which one will be "good enough" for this road trip to VCF West.Keep in mind this video will NOT dig deep into the science of AC inverters and the alternate universes of pure sine wave, semi-sine or chopped.Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Sun Modular Engine Analyzer 1500 - Setup and Operation CelGenStudios 2023-07-26 | Since the main video on this is almost an hour long I made this second video that's a more manageable at eleven and a half minutes long.In this video We'll just make the connections and perform most of the tests.Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Sun Modular Engine Analyzer 1500 - Old Fashioned Engine Diagnostics CelGenStudios 2023-07-22 | Before there was the magic of OBD there were very few ways to track down engine running and performance issues on their own. This machine was often rented or leased to shops to help speed up diagnosing these issues. Some places bought them outright for many thousands or tens of thousands of dollars each. Today not a lot of people know how they work or what they do and generally if you can load it into a car they sell for nothing (in 2023) so lets go on an adventure to pick it up, go over the components of the unit and attach it to a vehicle to demonstrate how it works.I mention in the video that scanned copies of the manual, service manual and leaflets for the various accessories are available online. Follow the link below to the Internet Archive.archive.org/details/engine-analyzer-manuals/42-000%20EZ%20Reference%2025763-1Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
The Japan Trip - 2023 Edition CelGenStudios 2023-07-08 | Completely unexpected, almost entirely unplanned and yet again I manage to find the time to go second-hand shopping and find some cool stuff. Let's see what I got!Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Reverse-Engineering the Security Module in a Mastervoice Butler in a Box CelGenStudios 2023-07-05 | For as little time as I've had with the Butler, I'm amazed how much effort they put into making sure a discarded or stolen unit was unusable. A "PIN" is required to unlock the unit whenever it is powered on after a battery failure. That PIN is almost never written on the unit itself and probably hides in a black brick of potting compound found inside every unit. I've taken care of the de-potting process already. After some analysis, here is what I have discovered so far. I doubt Mastervoice cares about me digging into their product like this. At least, not 30 years later. :PRemember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Hughes Probeye - A Thermal Imaging Camera From the 70s CelGenStudios 2023-06-24 | While this looks like some sort of surveyor's tool or perhaps a device for marine navigating by stars, this orange box is in fact the oldest thermal imager I have ever seen. For reasons I will explain in the video we will not be able to try it out but lets go over it anyways to see how it works.In this video I do however demo what it *should* look like if it it WAS working. Credit due where credit is deserved to youtuber "Snowhorse420" for uploading those clips.youtube.com/watch?v=GSUpjyMSIDcyoutube.com/watch?v=HOqDMWbFNFIA copy of the manual can be found here - archive.org/details/hughes-probeye-650-instruction-manualFull documentation for the mentioned IR filter assembly can be found here - archive.org/details/probeye-filter-643-d-4111-instructionsRemember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Joes Hot Dog Stand - Rebranded, poorly built junk CelGenStudios 2023-06-10 | Normally I don't like to do product reviews on modern products but this one was so dumb I thought why not, lets have some fun.There was nothing fun about this. It was a pile of flimsy plastic, poor design considerations and terrible to clean. This is Joe's Hot Dog Stand. I don't recommend it unless you want a throwaway appliance.Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Dana Speedostat - Control Cable and Potentiometer Replacement CelGenStudios 2023-05-27 | Under normal circumstances the cable exiting the vacuum servo should *never* be pulled on or allowed to support the weight of any object. When it is, often you will either break the cable and destroy the potentiometer that serves to tell the controller where the cable positioning is.There are no substitutes for many of these parts. Lets pull several servos apart to repair my cruise control.Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
Pre-Paid Electricity - The Smith Coin-Operated kWh Meter CelGenStudios 2023-05-13 | As a resident of North America I never expect to pay for electricity before I use it. Other places however are a different story. In this video we will talk about one particular style meter that used to be commonplace in Great Britain and pull it apart to see how it works. Will it work on 120v?Remember to follow me on Twitter at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
