Nice find
Soldato
2407 is a nice screen, had one a few years back
Nice find
Pretty happy with them. All work, no dead pixels, colours look good. Although my desk looks a little crowded at the moment with 6 monitors on it.
Barely enough space for my keyboard and mouse. Got to say that the 2407 in portrait mode is comedy gold. Really nice for reading websites though.
Soldato
I got the barrel battery replaced on my 386 motherboard by a friendly member of a facebook retro hardware group. I also saw a Voodoo 2 in the flesh for the first time. I must say, this set up looks kind of cool now with its sideways mounted CF card! I also mounted my Gotek floppy emulator in the case so it isn't loose in the case. All I need now is to put a mount for an AT power switch somewhere and I can close the case up for good!
Retro Gaming takes me right back to messing about with memory managers back in the day, some games or sound don't work at 100%! When it works, its amazing!
Particularly frustrating that I got some games working previously before a reformat; I really need to stop being lazy and take notes.
Anyway, I'm testing rather than playing games at the moment. To cheer myself up and reassure all is not lost, I fired up No One Lives Forever (1&2).
I never bothered to purchase NOLF at release. In hindsight, I can see why NOLF games are so much in demand at GOG; both look awesome and play really well!
Particularly frustrating that I got some games working previously before a reformat; I really need to stop being lazy and take notes.
Anyway, I'm testing rather than playing games at the moment. To cheer myself up and reassure all is not lost, I fired up No One Lives Forever (1&2).
I never bothered to purchase NOLF at release. In hindsight, I can see why NOLF games are so much in demand at GOG; both look awesome and play really well!
Soldato
I've got a week off work so I made a comparison between the various sound cards I own to get some practice at Lightworks. This took a suprisingly long time to record, edit in Audacity (really nice an easy to use) and then edit into a video in Lightworks (quite counter intuitive to use!).
However I've found I have so much stuff that I am building up PCs and tearing them down again within a week to try out something else or getting a hankering for a different era of games. I have three cases, 2 working CF cards and adapters, 3 PSUs so it's a lot of half built PCs lying around! My man cave is always a mess. It's really winding me up that I can't stick with a build for a while and have somehow become spoilt for choice* even though I don't think of myself of a collector or anything.
So I've decided to have a clear out and keep a few basic builds.
DOS: 386 Build with CT2950
DOS and W9x: Slot 1 650MHz / 500MHz (which I downclock to 300MHz and run without a fan); Voodoo 3, GF4 MX 440; CT3910
XP/7: S775 C2D, Geforce GTX645, 3GB RAM, Audigy 2 ZS
I have yet to find a game that the 386 is too fast for. The Slot 1 PC is fast enough for all DOS games and W98-specific games; if a game is so demanding it doesn't run well on the Slot 1, It'll be new enough to run under XP. If the XP PC is too slow it'll be new enough for Windows 10.
Being sold:
Lucky Star 5I-VX2B Socket 7 with a Pentium 100MHz and 32MB RAM
MSI MS6191 Slot A with 800MHz Athlon and 256MB RAM
VIA C3 800MHz Soldered CPU thing with 256MB RAM
An uninteresting Socket 754 / 3000+ / 512Mb set up
An unintersting Socket 939 with PCI-E/ 3200+ / 1GB set up
A bunch of PCI and AGP graphics cards
A bunch of PCI and ISA sound cards
A few CPUs
SDR and DDR RAM
Just not sure if I want to sell them here or on eBay! Claw back some of that eBay retro hardware tax I've paid over the last couple of years!
*some collectors seem to have hundreds of parts categorised and stored whereas I have a few dozen not categorised... I am no collector
However I've found I have so much stuff that I am building up PCs and tearing them down again within a week to try out something else or getting a hankering for a different era of games. I have three cases, 2 working CF cards and adapters, 3 PSUs so it's a lot of half built PCs lying around! My man cave is always a mess. It's really winding me up that I can't stick with a build for a while and have somehow become spoilt for choice* even though I don't think of myself of a collector or anything.
So I've decided to have a clear out and keep a few basic builds.
DOS: 386 Build with CT2950
DOS and W9x: Slot 1 650MHz / 500MHz (which I downclock to 300MHz and run without a fan); Voodoo 3, GF4 MX 440; CT3910
XP/7: S775 C2D, Geforce GTX645, 3GB RAM, Audigy 2 ZS
I have yet to find a game that the 386 is too fast for. The Slot 1 PC is fast enough for all DOS games and W98-specific games; if a game is so demanding it doesn't run well on the Slot 1, It'll be new enough to run under XP. If the XP PC is too slow it'll be new enough for Windows 10.
Being sold:
Lucky Star 5I-VX2B Socket 7 with a Pentium 100MHz and 32MB RAM
MSI MS6191 Slot A with 800MHz Athlon and 256MB RAM
VIA C3 800MHz Soldered CPU thing with 256MB RAM
An uninteresting Socket 754 / 3000+ / 512Mb set up
An unintersting Socket 939 with PCI-E/ 3200+ / 1GB set up
A bunch of PCI and AGP graphics cards
A bunch of PCI and ISA sound cards
A few CPUs
SDR and DDR RAM
Just not sure if I want to sell them here or on eBay! Claw back some of that eBay retro hardware tax I've paid over the last couple of years!
*some collectors seem to have hundreds of parts categorised and stored whereas I have a few dozen not categorised... I am no collector
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Getting angry.
My HP Thin client using XP, plays Midi fine, ATI drivers scale great. Just a bit under powered on some games.
Whereas my Thinkcentre with XP and extra grunt, Nvidia 730 GT - 4:3 scaling option is none existent with NV drivers (fortunately my monitor can scale) still pee's me off.
Now trying to run CoolSoft Virtual Midi Synth or Roland Sound Canvas VA (through my Sound Blaster SBX) it fails. Talk about temperamental. When it works it is awesome, super smooth and sounds brilliant.
Whereas the Thin client has no hassle with all sorts of sound (Midi etc) and works a treat.
Driving me nuts. Another reformat is looming.
My HP Thin client using XP, plays Midi fine, ATI drivers scale great. Just a bit under powered on some games.
Whereas my Thinkcentre with XP and extra grunt, Nvidia 730 GT - 4:3 scaling option is none existent with NV drivers (fortunately my monitor can scale) still pee's me off.
Now trying to run CoolSoft Virtual Midi Synth or Roland Sound Canvas VA (through my Sound Blaster SBX) it fails. Talk about temperamental. When it works it is awesome, super smooth and sounds brilliant.
Whereas the Thin client has no hassle with all sorts of sound (Midi etc) and works a treat.
Driving me nuts. Another reformat is looming.
Capkit arrived for my Amiga. I know what I'm doing next weekend then.
Also started hunting around for a couple of thin clients for a project I've been asked to do. Friend from uni wants a couple of arcade machines playing some of his and his soon to be wifeys favourite arcade games at his wedding, in July.... Thanks for the advanced warning. Luckily he's going to help out and had a proper workshop with nice tools, compared with my shed and tools acquired on the cheap as and when I needed them. Got a planning session with him to find out what he wants to play on them and if he wants upright, cabaret, bartops or cocktail. God I hope he wants bartops, just for ease of building and transport.
Also started hunting around for a couple of thin clients for a project I've been asked to do. Friend from uni wants a couple of arcade machines playing some of his and his soon to be wifeys favourite arcade games at his wedding, in July.... Thanks for the advanced warning. Luckily he's going to help out and had a proper workshop with nice tools, compared with my shed and tools acquired on the cheap as and when I needed them. Got a planning session with him to find out what he wants to play on them and if he wants upright, cabaret, bartops or cocktail. God I hope he wants bartops, just for ease of building and transport.
Soldato
I bought an Aimtrak light gun. Loved playing Point Blank in the arcades!
Oooh Point Blank... Far too much money spent in those. A innovative gun game that isn't just kill everything.
Aimtrak's are ok. Input lag is quite high and accuracy is ok once you've fiddled with it a lot. It's essentially the same system as Wiimotes use. They feel absolutely lovely however, because they are pretty much proper arcade guns shells.
I've gone for a pair of these with recoil. Not cheap, but performance looks very impressive.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sindenlightgun/the-sinden-lightgun/
I've got a couple of old gun shells from a Point Blank machine that was being scrapped and I'm hoping to transplant the guts of the Sindens into them.
Soldato
Yeah my friends and I played it in the pub quite a lot, and then on what I think was the PSX. The falling leaf was a great level.
I didn't go for the recoil version as you need to buy a separate power lead, and I just know it would get misplaced.
Ah yes, the insane levels... Loved them. For me, it was the coin toss one.
Last summer I purchased an IBM ThinkPad X31. CMOS battery died within a couple of days. Today I got around to replacing said battery and it fired up perfectly.
It's a little beaten up, the previous owner must have burned the midnight oil quite literally, only the laptop bears scars of wax or similar?! Now cleaned up it looks much better.
For pre-2000 games, its great, the 12" 4:3 aspect screen is ideal for Doom, Diablo etc. The laptop has loads of potential, small enough to chuck in a bag. I have ordered 2GB ram and a new (3rd party) battery. I am considering upgrading the HD, 40GB and never been defragged in its life! Might try the SSD route later, but for now, the HD seems fine.
It's a little beaten up, the previous owner must have burned the midnight oil quite literally, only the laptop bears scars of wax or similar?! Now cleaned up it looks much better.
For pre-2000 games, its great, the 12" 4:3 aspect screen is ideal for Doom, Diablo etc. The laptop has loads of potential, small enough to chuck in a bag. I have ordered 2GB ram and a new (3rd party) battery. I am considering upgrading the HD, 40GB and never been defragged in its life! Might try the SSD route later, but for now, the HD seems fine.
I continue to restore my X31. For the last few days used Autoglym Rubber & Vinyl restorer on the lid, a few coats, and the rubber coating is looking like new. Still keeping the matt look and the splash marks (Wax/Coca Cola) stains are receding.
Just ordered a new keyboard, now waiting for both to turn up. The original battery still holds around 3-4 hours - very impressive given its age!
I did purchase a glass screen protector to hide some scratches on the screen (you cannot see when the laptop is on). The protector proved a nightmare to fit and an oversight on my part - very glossy. The seller mentioned the sizing is specific to X31 but the measurements were off and had overhang - inevitable air bubbles, so binned.
For retro mobile gaming the X31 is amazing.
Just ordered a new keyboard, now waiting for both to turn up. The original battery still holds around 3-4 hours - very impressive given its age!
I did purchase a glass screen protector to hide some scratches on the screen (you cannot see when the laptop is on). The protector proved a nightmare to fit and an oversight on my part - very glossy. The seller mentioned the sizing is specific to X31 but the measurements were off and had overhang - inevitable air bubbles, so binned.
For retro mobile gaming the X31 is amazing.
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Soldato
My partner has her friend around for the weekend. We went to the Lyndhurst, a village in the New Forest. They were looking in a boring shop so I walked out and into the next shop along without really looking and it turned out to be a charity shop - but a charity shop with a gold mine of old PC games!
I left behind Tiberian Sun + an expansion, Red Alert + 2 expansions (played them a lot), two Star Trek games, Worms 1 and 2... and Barbie Adventure.
I left behind Tiberian Sun + an expansion, Red Alert + 2 expansions (played them a lot), two Star Trek games, Worms 1 and 2... and Barbie Adventure.
Soldato
My partner has her friend around for the weekend. We went to the Lyndhurst, a village in the New Forest. They were looking in a boring shop so I walked out and into the next shop along without really looking and it turned out to be a charity shop - but a charity shop with a gold mine of old PC games!
I left behind Tiberian Sun + an expansion, Red Alert + 2 expansions (played them a lot), two Star Trek games, Worms 1 and 2... and Barbie Adventure.
Very nice find!
This was my haul from the car boot today. £6.50 spent total £4 of that being for the big box.
Won an auction for a IBM XT and noname clone but when I turned up at the sellers house they had found me some more computers to take . Been working on them over the weekend.
One of the PCs is a SFF 386SX made by Arcos (Acer?) and works to a degree. Given it a clean and it looks okay now. The PC is circa 1992 and the case is well thought out at the time. No tools needed to open up the case and the components are easy to remove. The case has pull out feet so it can be tipped on its side. Popped in 4MB of 30pin SIMMs and the PC boots up. However, the RTC is a Dallas Time Chip which has failed so cannot boot into the HDD because the BIOS doesn't recognise it or any other components including the CPU. The RTC is soldered to the board so will have to return to the PC another time.
Cleaned up the XT and thought I'd risk turning it on. Turned on but after a short period on time one of the capacitors blew quite spectacularly. Turned the PC off immediately. After reading around found that there are a couple of capacitors known to fail of which one the failed one is one of those capacitors. Will have to remove the motherboard and replace the capacitors another time.
. Been working on them over the weekend.One of the PCs is a SFF 386SX made by Arcos (Acer?) and works to a degree. Given it a clean and it looks okay now. The PC is circa 1992 and the case is well thought out at the time. No tools needed to open up the case and the components are easy to remove. The case has pull out feet so it can be tipped on its side. Popped in 4MB of 30pin SIMMs and the PC boots up. However, the RTC is a Dallas Time Chip which has failed so cannot boot into the HDD because the BIOS doesn't recognise it or any other components including the CPU. The RTC is soldered to the board so will have to return to the PC another time.
Cleaned up the XT and thought I'd risk turning it on. Turned on but after a short period on time one of the capacitors blew quite spectacularly. Turned the PC off immediately. After reading around found that there are a couple of capacitors known to fail of which one the failed one is one of those capacitors. Will have to remove the motherboard and replace the capacitors another time.
Playing David Leadbetter's Golf by Microprose, a truly underrated gem in my opinion. In the US known as David Leadbetter's Greens by Microprose.
It failed to work with vanilla Dosbox, however Dosbox Enhanced Community Edition works a treat.
Microprose first foray into golf, its a bit sparse from a foliage perspective (playing golf on the moon), only it was the first 3D golf game! Whilst Links was the first game to provide photo-scenic gameplay; It came at a cost - you had to wait for each scene to be rendered. Whereas, with Microprose Greens, once up and running you can watch your shot in real time and using the replay function, watch as your ball hits a tree or plugs into a bunker.
I installed my version from disk, and for the complete retro experience, now need to dig out the manual (every time) to answer the anti piracy questions.
Once I got bored of the peace and tranquility of golf, fired up Quarantine
A bonkers game, still no clue as to what I am supposed to be doing, but runs brilliantly - pixelated goodness.
It failed to work with vanilla Dosbox, however Dosbox Enhanced Community Edition works a treat.
Microprose first foray into golf, its a bit sparse from a foliage perspective (playing golf on the moon), only it was the first 3D golf game! Whilst Links was the first game to provide photo-scenic gameplay; It came at a cost - you had to wait for each scene to be rendered. Whereas, with Microprose Greens, once up and running you can watch your shot in real time and using the replay function, watch as your ball hits a tree or plugs into a bunker.
I installed my version from disk, and for the complete retro experience, now need to dig out the manual (every time) to answer the anti piracy questions.
Once I got bored of the peace and tranquility of golf, fired up Quarantine
A bonkers game, still no clue as to what I am supposed to be doing, but runs brilliantly - pixelated goodness.
I think Arcos are a French company, they made hand held video players and more recently mobile phones. Never knew they made PCs but I'd not heard of them in the days of 386sx CPUs