What retro things have you done today?

!bluetonic! · 11 Jan 2024 at 12:29

If you go through the motions of manually adding a printer in Win95, via Control Panel, you should see the built in printer options available to you.

Anything HP DeskJet/Laserjet or a Canon BubbleJet from the era?

Cyber-Mav · 12 Jan 2024 at 08:29

picnic said:
Please to report the re-capping has given the BBC Micro a new lease of life

what cap did you replace it with?

picnic · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:02

Cyber-Mav said:
what cap did you replace it with?

I bought a kit from http://www.retroclinic.com/

There are two options, I went with the full kit. I bought directly, rather than through eBay, as it saved a couple of quid. Hardest bit was getting the mains socket out of the PSU housing.

!bluetonic! · 12 Jan 2024 at 18:05

Potentially bought a mint Atari Jaguar off a mate. Not something that was on my radar, but too good an opportunity to refuse?

Retro6 · 14 Jan 2024 at 23:36

I've been tinkering with some old 486 computers plus a very old desk lamp that seems to have a metal toggle switch that is rated for 12 volts but is being used on 240 volts so somebody at some point has replaced the toggle switch for a 12 volt one... I wonder if this matters or whether it would be better to hunt down a period correct 240 volt toggle switch?

Probably be safer to look for a 240 volt toggle switch... what are your opinions on this?

drakulton · 15 Jan 2024 at 00:29

Retro6 said:
I've been tinkering with some old 486 computers plus a very old desk lamp that seems to have a metal toggle switch that is rated for 12 volts but is being used on 240 volts so somebody at some point has replaced the toggle switch for a 12 volt one... I wonder if this matters or whether it would be better to hunt down a period correct 240 volt toggle switch?

Probably be safer to look for a 240 volt toggle switch... what are your opinions on this?

It would be safer to get a 240V rated switch. you don't want it getting fused closed.

Look what happened on Apollo 13.

Retro6 · 15 Jan 2024 at 11:54

drakulton said:
It would be safer to get a 240V rated switch. you don't want it getting fused closed.

Look what happened on Apollo 13.

That is true... I was thinking that if its a heavy duty toggle switch it might have been ok as the lamp isn't going to be pulling much current if using an LED bulb. A 240 volt shock going up my arm wouldn't be good, mind you I have earthed it when I replaced the old tatty 2 core cord for a new 3 core braided cable I got on ebay. I can't find any suitable 240 volt toggle switches tho, a lot of them appear to be quite bulky which wont offer much clearance at the base of the lamp once its fitted.

Retro6 · 18 Jan 2024 at 20:49

I've just been browsing ebay looking for another retro project PC. There doesn't seem too be much at all. I'm so glad I got all my retro PC's when I did. Prices have got ridiculous now. I do really fancy an old early 90s small sized CRT monitor but I don't think I'll be wanting to pay too much tho.

I've got quite a few old 90s PC's but all need re-capping... I probably should start looking for a decent de-soldering gun and some replacement capacitors. I have at least 10 old motherboards all needing it and then I can put some of the old 90s PC cases I have to use and build some more 90s PC's I could also do with a zip drive and a couple of extra 5.25 inch floppy drives. I also need to find a 486 processor for another computer I have... I'm sure I will eventually find what I need for a decent price.

I'm surprised that China hasn't caught on to the retro PC market yet. I could just see them producing some really nice ISA Slot boards/cards and stuff for cheap.

Raymond Lin · 19 Jan 2024 at 09:49

Retro6 said:
I've just been browsing ebay looking for another retro project PC. There doesn't seem too be much at all. I'm so glad I got all my retro PC's when I did. Prices have got ridiculous now. I do really fancy an old early 90s small sized CRT monitor but I don't think I'll be wanting to pay too much tho.

I've got quite a few old 90s PC's but all need re-capping... I probably should start looking for a decent de-soldering gun and some replacement capacitors. I have at least 10 old motherboards all needing it and then I can put some of the old 90s PC cases I have to use and build some more 90s PC's I could also do with a zip drive and a couple of extra 5.25 inch floppy drives. I also need to find a 486 processor for another computer I have... I'm sure I will eventually find what I need for a decent price.

I'm surprised that China hasn't caught on to the retro PC market yet. I could just see them producing some really nice ISA Slot boards/cards and stuff for cheap.

Somewhere in the house is..

17" CRT Monitor
PIII 450mhz
A Beige colour Tiny Computer (Tiny, being the brand, like Gateway)
I think it has a basic nVidia card...i forgot what it was
CD-R drive
250mb Zip drive

In my drawer there is an AIT 9700 Pro too, I know where that is.

picnic · 19 Jan 2024 at 13:44

I have at least one Zip drive and a bunch of disks but last time I tried it I failed to get it to work? I suspected it was because the PC/OS was too new, is there a good idiots guide as to what OS supports them these days? Of course it could be it's suffering from that click of death or whatever it was caused. If that's the case is there a user repair option or just bin it?

Kurgen · 19 Jan 2024 at 13:56

picnic said:
I have at least one Zip drive and a bunch of disks but last time I tried it I failed to get it to work? I suspected it was because the PC/OS was too new, is there a good idiots guide as to what OS supports them these days? Of course it could be it's suffering from that click of death or whatever it was caused. If that's the case is there a user repair option or just bin it?

I have had my Zip drive working from Windows 98, XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 with no issues.

picnic · 19 Jan 2024 at 14:17

Kurgen said:
I have had my Zip drive working from Windows 98, XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 with no issues.

Oh, that does make it sound that my drive is dead then? Was that natively or did you install some drivers?

Kurgen · 19 Jan 2024 at 14:37

picnic said:
Oh, that does make it sound that my drive is dead then? Was that natively or did you install some drivers?

well mine is internal IDE so it just works with no drivers. External ones i assume would need a driver

Kurgen · 19 Jan 2024 at 14:38

if its is IDE make sure the jumpers are correct for Slave/Master/Cable Select

picnic · 19 Jan 2024 at 14:59

I'll have another go, pretty sure it's an internal drive. Thanks.

Retro6 · 19 Jan 2024 at 17:08

picnic said:
Oh, that does make it sound that my drive is dead then? Was that natively or did you install some drivers?

Sometimes old drives in general need a bit of TLC, taking apart rails cleaning with some IPA on a cotton swab and lubricating and heads cleaned. I've had success with bringing back dead optical drives and 3.5 inch floppy drives back to life. Also any old belts will need replacing.

!bluetonic! · 20 Jan 2024 at 10:57

I received my Atari Jaguar and SNES at a reasonable cost from a mate. And then gone for broke with an SD card drive for both and I treated them to Scart leads too.

Retro6 · 20 Jan 2024 at 18:09

I wish they made a Minidisc drive for computers. I think Minidisc is fantastic and was a brilliant invention. I still use Minidisc to this day.

!bluetonic! · 20 Jan 2024 at 20:34

Retro6 said:
I wish they made a Minidisc drive for computers. I think Minidisc is fantastic and was a brilliant invention. I still use Minidisc to this day.

They did..

LGR Oddware - MiniDisc Data Storage: Sony MDH-10

Mini Discs aren't just for audio! Turns out that Sony had computer storage in mind for MDs as far back as 1993, well before the later Hi-MD format. Let's try...

youtu.be

I jumped onto the Minidisc bus with a portable unit, a hifi add-on and a car player. I can see the appeal.

Nemiyen · 20 Jan 2024 at 22:02

!bluetonic! said:
I received my Atari Jaguar and SNES at a reasonable cost from a mate. And then gone for broke with an SD card drive for both and I treated them to Scart leads too.

Is the Jaguar one the Game Drive by Retro HQ? I've not looked in a while so wasn't sure if there's an alternative out there now.