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Retronaut

@retronaut-tech

I produce a Retro-Computing centric Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@RetronautTech pop in for retro computing and console tech fun

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20.08.2025
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Latest posts by Retronaut @retronaut-tech

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Retronaut custom designed Sidekick 64's are now on sale on Ebay. Features new case design, with blue LED lighting. Supplied ready to use...

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12771495...

04.03.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Sidekick64: The Journey from PCB to Ultimate C64 Cartridge!
Sidekick64: The Journey from PCB to Ultimate C64 Cartridge! YouTube video by Retronaut

In my previous video, I showed you how a Sidekick64 cartridge for the Commodore 64 could transform your vintage C64. Now, the full journey of bringing this project to life. Starting with the assembled PCBs, adding custom LEDs and through the creation of a custom-designed case.
youtu.be/91smH5nj3Rw

01.03.2026 10:55 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Sidekick 64: The Most Versatile C64 Cartridge Ever Made?
Sidekick 64: The Most Versatile C64 Cartridge Ever Made? YouTube video by Retronaut

Sidekick 64
Today, I'm show-casing the Sidekick64, a Commodore 64 cartridge that’s a time machine and a synthesizer rolled into one. If you’ve ever wanted to give your Commodore 64 superpowers, this is the hardware upgrade you’ve been waiting for.
youtu.be/HKOvU7Dwpxc

28.02.2026 13:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

No price, as its not a product as yet. Just a concept for now ;)

08.02.2026 00:24 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
An Exciting New Retro Monitor Product at Kickstart Jan 26
An Exciting New Retro Monitor Product at Kickstart Jan 26 YouTube video by Retronaut

Kickstart Jan 2026 showcased a NEW retro πŸ“Ί Monitor product! What is it? Well, If you’re rocking a Commodore 64, 128, or Amiga, you almost certainly NEED a shiny new 1084sx Monitor to complete that retro picture. Join me and Leigh, as we discuss this exciting new project.
youtu.be/XxuvEtgfbPU

06.02.2026 12:15 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
Unfinished Business: Fixing the Amiga Piccolo SD64's Passthrough!
Unfinished Business: Fixing the Amiga Piccolo SD64's Passthrough! YouTube video by Retronaut

After a 33 year itch, FINALLY my Amiga 2000 has my dream Piccolo SD64, giving high resolution 24bit graphics! But that itch is not fully scratched, because it's passthrough is not working. Can I use my stock video with the passthrough? Lets dive in and see what I find out! youtu.be/NfjvKdlIg_M

31.01.2026 12:56 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Can a Piccolo SD64 Scratch a 33 Year Itch? Will it fulfil My Amiga Dreams
Can a Piccolo SD64 Scratch a 33 Year Itch? Will it fulfil My Amiga Dreams YouTube video by Retronaut

33 years ago I had a dream: a 24-bit graphics card for my Amiga 1500, the key to taking my 3D graphics to the next level! There was just one tiny problem… a Β£3,000 price tag. Fast-forward 33 years and against all odds, a Piccolo SD64 has fallen into my hands β€” but It’s untested!
youtu.be/bqqmQgWlQX0

11.01.2026 13:37 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Can a Piccolo SD64 Scratch a 33 Year Itch? Will it fulfil My Amiga Dreams
Can a Piccolo SD64 Scratch a 33 Year Itch? Will it fulfil My Amiga Dreams YouTube video by Retronaut

I have a new video, on scratching a 33 year long itch. Finally, I have my hands on a Piccollo SD 64 video card for my Amiga 2000. Does it work? Find out, Sunday 11th.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqqm...

08.01.2026 20:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Big Red Arrow Club Gets Festive: Holiday Quiz Challenge
Big Red Arrow Club Gets Festive: Holiday Quiz Challenge YouTube video by Big Red Arrow Club

Join me, Retronaut and a host of Youtubers, as we dive into the 2025 Big Red Arrow Christmas quiz! It's a LOT of fun, and features a reveal of a NEW Sonic The Hedgehog game...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2nb...

26.12.2025 00:10 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah, now I see. Yes, I can see how you might think that TV was in my mind. Nope, as I explained in my other post... its more to do with the Argonauts + technology = Astronaut = Retronaut

24.12.2025 13:30 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Powering Up Peril: Restoring Classic IBM 5150 & 5160 PCs
Powering Up Peril: Restoring Classic IBM 5150 & 5160 PCs YouTube video by Retronaut

Here, I kick off renovating three early IBM PCs: One IBM 5150, two IBM 5160 (PC/XT) and a classic IBM 5153 CGA monitor. We'll assess their condition, and talk about those infamous tantalum capacitors that love to fail explosively. First step, can we power the 5150 up?
youtu.be/Vgp8Rqn0GSY

21.12.2025 13:50 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Sorry, what was the inspiration?
The inspiration was twofold, I mentioned to my friend, when we were both young and frisky "Do you think Im a sexonaut?" a naut in my mind being an "explorer" (don't ask...). And of course you have the hyperspace section in Space Odyssey, with RETRO of course!

21.12.2025 13:49 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Designing a GPU Bracket in Fusion | First 3D Print
Designing a GPU Bracket in Fusion | First 3D Print YouTube video by Retronaut

My XP era Dell Dimension E520 upgrades, left it's graphics card, a Zotac GT 730 with no PC slot bracket. This meant it would wobble and possible even come out of its slot. But my new Bambu Lab H2D and Autodesk Fusion have come to the rescue!
youtu.be/y1TdXfYtIVk

11.12.2025 20:08 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
First 3D Printer, A Bambu Labs H2D. Does It Fly or Flop?
First 3D Printer, A Bambu Labs H2D. Does It Fly or Flop? YouTube video by Retronaut

First 3D Printer, A Bambu Labs H2D. Does It Fly or Flop?
youtu.be/DFpducXlFmY

07.12.2025 18:35 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
ProDOS: Why This Changed Everything for Apple II Users
ProDOS: Why This Changed Everything for Apple II Users YouTube video by Retronaut

Join me in this ultimate guide to the Apple II's ProDOS. Why did it take Apple so long to replace AppleDOS, a DOS only suited to the simpler DiskII system. What did ProDOS finally bring to the legendary Apple II and why did it become indispensable to all Apple users?
youtu.be/NjSWDV4UbiI

30.11.2025 21:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

An interesting vid on how a US Uni has a dedicated retro computing lab, to help history students get direct access to working machines. Its official, retro is a THING!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPjw...

20.11.2025 12:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends!
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends! YouTube video by Retronaut

My latest video at the Cambridge Centre For Computing History features a number of Mini-Computer emulators, and a few real ones to boot!
youtu.be/Pc4iFZBmFWs

20.11.2025 11:41 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends!
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends! YouTube video by Retronaut

If your into Dragon 32 computers, my latest video has a short interview with enthusiast, Tony Jewell...
youtu.be/Pc4iFZBmFWs

20.11.2025 11:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends!
Computer Gaming History Exhibition: A Celebration with Friends! YouTube video by Retronaut

Lets head in to the Retro Computer Festival 2025 (Gaming Edition) at the Centre For Computing History. The event promised to show an array of gaming history, from the early mainframe days, through to the 80s pomp of the home micro revolution, the Amiga and the consoles vs PCs
youtu.be/Pc4iFZBmFWs

19.11.2025 17:58 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Apple II Storage: The ULTIMATE Timeline Deep-Dive (From Disk II to SuperDrive!)
Apple II Storage: The ULTIMATE Timeline Deep-Dive (From Disk II to SuperDrive!) YouTube video by Retronaut

The Apple II family was a pioneer! This deep dive celebrates its storage history: From the revolutionary Disk II system and the birth of micro-hard disks, through the essential UniDisk 5.25 era, all the way up to the high-density drives of the IIe and IIGS
youtu.be/lq0O5LTbNiY

16.11.2025 17:22 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Unleashing the Legend: The Apple II and the Disk II!
Unleashing the Legend: The Apple II and the Disk II! YouTube video by Retronaut

We're diving into titan of micro-computing: the legendary Disk II system for the Apple II. Designed by Steve Wozniak, it wasn't just another peripheralβ€”it was a seismic shift in engineering ingenuity. Its streamlined, cost-effective design propelled the Apple II to greatness.
youtu.be/AC_3EuEEPzE

28.10.2025 12:51 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Getting Video out from a Vintage Apple IIe in 2025
Getting Video out from a Vintage Apple IIe in 2025 YouTube video by Retronaut

Continuing our series on using an Apple IIe in 2025, today we are getting video working. Use a vintage monitor to get that authentic CRT look? Or do we use a modern flat screen? Or maybe a modern Apple II video card? Watch on to see the options you can use in 2025!
youtu.be/6aFeQvIktN8

15.10.2025 11:06 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Amiga 40th Kickstart Event: with Exclusive Commodore News!
Amiga 40th Kickstart Event: with Exclusive Commodore News! YouTube video by Retronaut

Are you interested in the NEW Commodore? Well, my latest video contains an exclusive statement from David Pleasance, the OG Commodore UK MD, about the new Ultimate 64 and the future of Commodore. Oh, and a whole galaxy of Amigas and other retro micro love 😍

youtu.be/udrnSDVbbhw

11.10.2025 18:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks for the love ;). I hope to have the next chapter in this series out pretty soon. Cheers!

11.10.2025 18:43 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
How can I use an Apple IIe in 2025
How can I use an Apple IIe in 2025 YouTube video by Retronaut

youtu.be/9NO-3ABb00k
In this short series, we are going to kit out my bare-bones Apple IIe to make it fit for "modern use". Using an Apple IIe can be fun but also a little challenging in 2025.

29.09.2025 15:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I attended the Sept 28th Kickstart Amiga event in Ottershaw UK over the weekend. Lots of fun as per usual and custom Amiga builds dominated the day to a degree. A video is in the edit and will be released shortly!

29.09.2025 15:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Amiga, Boing Ball Buddies - Amiga retro computing video fest - YouTube Do you like Amiga computers, yeah? Me Too! So click here to see my selection of videos on a plethora of vintage Amiga Computers

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

23.09.2025 13:32 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Repairing two leaking-cap Commodore CD32 Consoles - YouTube CD32's are notorious for leaking capacitors. Little did I know when I agreed to repair a friends CD32 that these leaking caps can lead to the machine not wor...

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

23.09.2025 13:31 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Left For Dead Dell Windows XP Resurrection - YouTube A Vintage Dell E520 was left on a roadside, destined for landfill? Ready to be ground to metal dust. But does it have a possible 2nd life, as a vintage retro...

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

23.09.2025 13:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
5 Super Upgrades for a Vintage Dell E520 Gaming PC
5 Super Upgrades for a Vintage Dell E520 Gaming PC YouTube video by Retronaut

5 Super Upgrades for a Vintage Dell E520 Gaming PC
youtu.be/VVTMMuy-a3s

20.09.2025 12:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0