The $69 PicoIDE Is A Game Changer For Vintage Computing
YouTube video by ctrl-alt-rees
As the #PicoIDE campaign on Crowd Supply enters its final hours (www.crowdsupply.com/polpotronics...), @ctrl-alt-rees.com has come out with a fantastic video all about the PicoIDE! And wow it looks good in that baby AT case. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG_t...
04.03.2026 16:18
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Magic smoke released (IBM PC XT)
"There's your problem!"
Magic smoke released.
Of course, it happened right after I screwed the cover on.
04.03.2026 01:46
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Indeed! Faulty since new, or nearly new.
02.03.2026 23:23
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Quick fix: An unusual Commodore VIC-20 fault
YouTube video by Adrian's Digital Basement Extras
I just released another video on my extras channel.
This time. a mint Commodore VIC-20 with an unusual video fault:
youtu.be/YuxpjbKaHwI
02.03.2026 21:07
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Use Apple TechStep without TechSteap hardware: Mac's built in diagnostics
YouTube video by Adrian's Digital Basement
My original video:
youtu.be/W1biFIdQZDw
And the information required to run the diags: (Manually)
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
02.03.2026 19:47
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Reconnaissance Software Reveals Every Problem With This Apple Macintosh SE30
YouTube video by Rudy's Retro Intel
A while back I made a video where I figured out how to run the built in ROM diags on a Mac SE/30 over its serial port. I documented the work and some smart folks have turned that work into an easy to use program that anyone can use:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K48v...
Great resource to fix a bad Mac!
02.03.2026 19:44
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That is freaking cool! What a neat hidden gem.
18.02.2026 19:04
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Screen saver patterns on an Apple Lisa
I tried backspace during the screensaver and it's really awesome!
How many different modes are there?
18.02.2026 18:29
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I know myself and in six months I'll have forgotten the change and then think my Mac Plus keyboard is broken. Hahaha!!
18.02.2026 18:12
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Keyboards without arrow keys also have no keypad. LOL Good find though, unfortunately this could be helpful if this was the only keyboard I used. It seems to only use 1 and 2 to scroll. I bet it would seriously confuse me if I went to use a keyboard with arrow keys and found they didn't work.
18.02.2026 18:10
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Franklin Ace 1000/1200 Keyboard Repair (Keytronics Foam and Foil)
YouTube video by Adrian's Digital Basement Extras
I don't normally post about my own videos on the socials, but I thought I'd share a video I just made live on my extras channel.
I'm starting to do more small/quick things over on the extras channel, so just trying to spread the word a bit.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0SJ...
18.02.2026 07:59
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Ah cool! My one request for this bootloader would be to allow selection of images using something other than arrow keys. It's really awesome though!
18.02.2026 07:56
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Indeed -- the classic "We'll try to do better in the future" ...
18.02.2026 07:55
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EDS was Ross Perot's company! Bought by GM in 1984. What does that machine look like (in the case)
16.02.2026 07:04
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Awesome find! Tose are some wild looking phones. I remember the Grand Prix and the HotLips phone. Amazing!
16.02.2026 06:59
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"Plaza 2" by Northwestern Bell Phones
Plaza 2 by Northwestern Bell Phones, Handset
Plaza 2 by Northwestern Bell Phones, underside
SKU 70119
Plaza 2 by Northwestern Bell Phones, handhold to pick up the device
An interesting phone I stumbled across: The Plaza 2 by Northwestern Bell Phones.
I couldn't find any information on this phone, so I thought I'd share photos of this ugly two line phone.
Of course it works perfectly, has a nice sounding electronic ring and has a nice sounding heavy handset.
16.02.2026 06:22
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The power switch/toggle thing is unintuitive and hard to use on this, something that was changed from the Ultimate 64 single button.
Verdict: I like it, although it's not for me. (I prefer using original hardware.) If you already have an Ultimate 64, I don't see any reason to upgrade. 2/2
03.02.2026 21:51
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One of the new Commodore 64 computers, with a lot of RGB lights.
Got to spend some time with one of the new Commodore 64 machines at last night's PDX retro meet-up.
While I prefer the OG C64 color scheme, the clear keyboard substrate/PCB is nifty. The UI feels exactly like the older Ultimate 64: a little confusing and daunting to someone not used to it. 1/2
03.02.2026 21:51
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Pretti Good reason for a national strike
βπΌ
27.01.2026 05:13
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Not sure what you mean. Is it surely a combination of dust and a reflection? I think the phone is using some HDR mode for video which looks ... Odd when played back.
27.01.2026 05:10
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Quick fix: Amiga 2000 Green screen / crashing
YouTube video by Adrian's Digital Basement Extras
I posted a new "Quick-Fix" video over on the Extras channel.
I actually post stuff over there randomly, so you might want to subscribe to be alerted to the random releases :-)
This crashing Amiga 2000 had me briefly stumped until I found the culprit:
youtu.be/ti2MoLQ0aXs
27.01.2026 01:17
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Exactly! There so many examples throughout history -- and people here are just blind to it or choose to ignore it.
26.01.2026 21:21
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What was the first video card?
YouTube video by Tech Time Traveller
A great distraction to what's happening in the US:
An excellent history lesson from Brad on what is actually the first home computer video card. It's probably not what you think!
youtu.be/8NwL0A4Vaww?...
26.01.2026 05:03
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So awesome!! Sad to have missed all the fun.
25.01.2026 21:29
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Thank you, I needed a chuckle after looking at the news from Minneapolis.
25.01.2026 21:18
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Alex Pretty, who was killed by federal officers.
I'm sitting here crying.
Watching the footage and reading the accounts of what happened to Alex Pretti has broken me...
25.01.2026 21:12
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I have a border router on order. (For Threads) I'm slightly skeptical it's better but that's because I'm so brow beaten from Zigbee.
At least you can have multiple routers! Unfortunately a big move would be expensive. I've been using Zigbee stuff since 2012... So I have a lot of it.
23.01.2026 05:38
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Yes I hear that! I hope it's a great show in Montreal. Maybe there can be another for Canadians out west too. (Who do not want to cross the border)
For me, when I visit Montreal I like it to be when the weather is nice: -)
23.01.2026 05:36
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I'd avoid it, if you can. It's by far the worst system for adding devices. It's super unreliable. (Just inherently)
23.01.2026 05:33
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