Many regard Apple's Newton PDA from 1993 as the company's first foray into touchscreen computing. It turns out that the company had even greater ambitions -- but the project met an unfortunate fate just at the last minute. Sources: Cupertino aerial footage by The Bureau (https://www.thebureau.co)."Apple Delivers a True Mac With Its Pricey Portable," InfoWorld, October 23, 1989.Apple office photos courtesy Tom Gilley and Tom Erickson."Apple, Toshiba plan multimedia PDAs," InfoWorld, June 29, 1992.Compaq LTE 286 photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laptop_Compaq.JPGToshiba J3100 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba_J-3100GT.jpgPair of Toshiba laptops photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba_T1000SE_and_Toshiba_DynaBook_J-3100SS_20191208.jpgWilliam Shepherd with Mac Portable on Space Shuttle photo: https://images.nasa.gov/details/s41-04-035Apple Valley Green 6 photo: https://pwaec.com/commercial/apple-computer-valley-green-6Japan aerial footage courtesy Hosiden."Getting to the point," Computerworld, October 28, 1991.Alan Kay photo courtesy Viewpoints Research Institute."A New Approach to Linear Filtering and Prediction Problems," R. E. Kalman, https://courses.cs.duke.edu/compsci527/cps274/fall11/papers/Kalman60.pdfALCM footage courtesy the United States Air Force.Marc Porat and John Sculley photo: https://commoncog.com/c/cases/general-magic/"PDA Players Partner Up," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993.Apple Newton "Cadillac" prototype photos: "Iconic" by Jonathan Zufi and https://www.flickr.com/photos/abeles/41532814601"Apple drops into electronics field with nebulous Newton," InfoWorld, June 1, 1992."Apple makes moves to squash Newton's bugs," Computerworld, September 13, 1993."Newton: A Step toward the Future," Macworld, August 1992."The Macintosh Computer," Computer Chronicles, season 2, episode 10.Larry Tesler photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larry_Tesler_Smiles_at_Whisper.jpeg"The Future of the PC," Fortune, August 26, 1991."Price wars will hurt Apple's '94 revenue," InfoWorld, June 14, 1993."Restless Sculley steps down as CEO of Apple," InfoWorld, June 21, 1993."Apple cuts could sidetrack focus," Computerworld, July 12, 1993."MacWorld San Francisco," Computer Chronicles, season 11, episode 19."Apple stock plunge prompts lawsuits," The Wisconsin State Journal, July 29, 1993."Apple cuts jobs, rethinks Enterprise Systems division," Network World, July 12, 1993.Photos from World PC Expo 1996: http://nerd.jp/events/19xx/E960907/index.htmlPC Watch Japan article about PenLite prototype at World PC Expo in 1996: https://web.archive.org/web/19990822181440/http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/pc/docs/article/960907/apple.htm"Apple upgrades Newton OS, MessagePad," InfoWorld, January 23, 1995."Would you know my name?," Computerworld, November 1, 1993. 00:00 - Introduction 02:04 - A Mac in your pocket 04:10 - A new user interface paradigm 12:24 - Touchscreen development 16:48 - A cool idea not fit for sale 20:36 - The birth of PenLite 25:36 - Chasing bugs 28:30 - Reading your writing 30:54 - Competition from colleagues 33:36 - Ready to launch until it wasn't 38:03 - A lasting legacy ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (https://soundcloud.com/LAKEYINSPIRED). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Over the years, Apple has whipped up a number of prototype products that never made it to production. Usually these get destroyed and remain unknown...but this one managed to survive, and needed some help to get working again. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Counterfeit and reproduction video game cartridges are nothing new, but shady sellers keep trying new tricks to pass them off as legitimate. I picked up a pair of Nintendo 64 games that should have been real...but definitely weren't. N64 label damage photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/n64/comments/16ns0cp/what_are_my_options_for_replacing_the_label_on_an/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

My Prusa Mini has been a great 3D printer, but over the years it had gotten slightly annoying to have to swap a USB flash drive whenever I needed to move files to it. For just a few bucks and a couple minutes' worth of work, though, I was able to connect it to my WiFi network! Prusa Mini WiFi module installation guide: https://help.prusa3d.com/guide/installing-wi-fi-and-prusalink-mini-_316781 Google Spreadsheet of compatible modules: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ql2TmS8O5Bkuf9SRhfP67RRD1isdThyN96f9M2KdSg4/edit#gid=0 The WiFi module I bought (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3w4qkCn ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Kensington's Turbo Mouse and Expert Mouse trackballs have been around for decades. I picked one up, expecting an easy fix -- but its design rendered it e-waste instead. Sources: Expert Mouse 8-ball photo: https://twitter.com/TubeTimeUS/status/1370496347363667971 Expert Mouse Pro photo: https://imgur.com/LiceKS6 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Solid-state hard drive replacements like the BlueSCSI are quite popular among vintage Mac enthusiasts. But can you eke more performance out of it simply by changing the way you format the drive? My 3D-printed SE and SE/30 bracket: https://www.printables.com/model/813709-mac-se-and-se30-bluescsi-v2-expansion-port-bracket Sites like the Macintosh Garden are a great place to find vintage software like the hard drive formatting utilities shown in this video: https://www.macintoshgarden.org Sources: BlueSCSI: https://bluescsi.com Another comparison of multiple drivers using period-correct hardware: http://www.euronet.nl/users/ernstoud/bnchmrks.html Disk Jockey: https://diskjockey.onegeekarmy.eu The Macintosh Bible 6th edition, page 150. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I suspected the battery in my Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones was on its way out. But it ended up being a different issue entirely, and fixing it cost a fraction of what Bose would have charged for a replacement -- with no special tools or skills required! The C&K replacement switch (they're cheap, buy one or two spares): https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/c-k/JS207011SCQNR/6071286 My favorite spudgers: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/menda-easybraid/35622/657780 Replacement QuietComfort ear pads (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3Txqif5 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

At first glance the MicroNet SANcube looks like a big external FireWire hard drive. But it has an unexpected trick up its sleeve... Sources: Apple Lisa photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Museum_(Prague)_Lisa_II_(1984).jpg SANcube product page: https://web.archive.org/web/20020203200857/http://www.micronet.com/products/sancube.html 10/100 Ethernet hub photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Netgear_DS108_Hub_(2).jpg "Crowning our new switch leaders," NetworkWorld, May 10, 1999. FireTape 50 press release: https://web.archive.org/web/20020606193508/http://www.sancube.com/press/pr003.html Nissan Cube photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nissan_Cube_(Z12)_%E2%80%93_Frontansicht,_25._August_2013,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg "Ampex to Acquire MicroNet," The Los Angeles Times, July 1, 1998. Ampex building photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ampex_corporation.jpg "MicroNet Close Doors," https://www.storagenewsletter.com/2023/01/18/history-2001-micronet-close-doors/ "Former MicroNet employees rally to save the company," https://www.macworld.com/article/164312/micronet-8.html "Fantom Drives acquires MicroNet," https://www.macworld.com/article/160738/micronet-6.html FireWire extender photo: https://www.spectratech.gr/Web/Gefen/www/EXT-FW-1394BP.jpg Fibre channel switch photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ML-QLOGICNFCCONN.JPG ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The PowerBook 150 sucks, ask me how I know. Sources and links: PowerBook 150 display repair pieces: https://www.printables.com/model/769361-macintosh-powerbook-150-repair-brackets CNC Kitchen threaded insert soldering iron tips: https://cnckitchen.store/collections/soldering-tips-and-sets BlueSCSI: https://bluescsi.com Replacing the Internal Disk of a Powerbook 150 with a CompactFlash Card: https://www.csse.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/hardware/pb150/PB150_and_CompactFlash.html "Macintosh: File System Specifications & Terms," https://web.archive.org/web/19990429190101/http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n8647 "Apple cuts cost with latest PowerBook," InfoWorld, July 18, 1994. "PowerBook Adds to Bottom Line," MacUser, September 1994. "Macintosh PowerBooks 100, 140, and 170," Macworld, December 1991. PowerBook 150 manufactured by Acer: https://archive.org/details/apple-t-shirts/ Sigma Seven Systems' PB Serial Adapter: https://sigmasevensystemsltd.weeblysite.com/product/powerbook-serial-adapter/1 Adding an ADB port to the PowerBook 150: https://web.archive.org/web/20040702050830/https://www.applefritter.com/thefritter/18/adb.html ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Dan Mason (https://ghostenterprise.bandcamp.com/album/new-age-emotion-deluxe-edition). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I haven't been having good luck with old laptop hard drives lately -- and this Toshiba Libretto 50CT isn't helping. Sources: "Libretto 50CT good for executives on the go," InfoWorld, August 25, 1997. Enhanced docking station photos: https://computermuseum.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/libretto-50ct CF to IDE bracket: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5022880 Article about Windows 95 DMF disks: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20050819-10/?p=34513 Raymond Chen's blog story about buying an Egghead store: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20050824-11/?p=34463 Egghead Software store photos: https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/reports/id/43715/rec/5 SanDisk ATCFWCHG utility download: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1862&menustate=0 Transcend industrial CF cards ship in fixed-disk mode: https://www.transcend-info.com/Support/FAQ-399 Libretto RAM module photo: https://www.carousell.sg/p/toshiba-libretto-ram-1243156358/ "New Libretto debuts," Computerworld, November 10, 1997. Libretto 100CT photo: https://www.asinine.nz/2020-05-31/Computer-History/ "Libretto, Take III," PC Magazine, May 26, 1998. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Sony's PCG-505 looks like a pretty typical late-90s laptop at first glance. But it actually had a big impact on the computer industry -- you probably just didn't realize it. Sources: Sony MSX photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_HITBIT_HB-501F_(26555006901).jpg VAIO side speakers photo: https://twitter.com/froyotam/status/1345229366112915457?lang=hu PCG-505G recovery CD image: https://archive.org/details/sysrec_sony-PCG-505G "Trend-Setting Ultraportable," PC Magazine, December 1, 1998. "Mainstream Notebooks," PC Magazine, August 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Suncom Technologies tried to create a compelling alternative for the ordinary computer mouse with its ICONtroller joystick. Problem is, it wasn't really any good. Sources: IBM PC photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/phreakindee/13322878365 "Windows 3.0", The Computer Chronicles, 1990. Microsoft mouse photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microsoft_Mouse_2.1.jpg Kensington trackball next to keyboard photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/o_o/8253121 Kensington trackball photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trackball-Kensington-ExpertMouse5.jpg "Of mice and mobile computers: pointing devices for close quarters," InfoWorld, April 20, 1992. Siemens 486 laptop photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siemens-Nixdorf_PCD-4NCsx.JPG "Portable pointing devices," PC Magazine, October 15, 1991. Suncom ICONtroller Laptop photos: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393790301499 "That's Entertainment!", Popular Science, November 1987. "Traveling Trackballs," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993. "Controller Provides Mouse and Trackball Functions to Laptops," InfoWorld, December 17, 1990. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Replacing the capacitors on motherboards is something vintage computer enthusiasts are all too familiar with -- but that's only part of the problem. CayMac Vintage tweet about Mac IIsi modern replacement PSU: https://twitter.com/CayMacVintage/status/1703878219244396815 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The 1990s saw a fierce battle between manufacturers for high-capacity removable disk storage. But some -- like the Avatar Shark -- lost even before they hit the market. Sources: "A Gig In Your Pocket," PC World, March 1998. "Shark 250," PC Magazine, May 6, 1997. Computer History Museum page on Avatar 170MB drive: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102626593 "Read the Instructions," PC Magazine, February 10, 1998. "Dauphin adds removable cartridge to notebook," InfoWorld, November 2, 1992. "State of the Slate: Pen-based Computers," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993. "Avatar launches hard drive targeted at road warriors," Computerworld, March 17, 1997. "Micron offers Zip as default disk drive," InfoWorld, February 23, 1998. "Shark price tags dive," Computerworld, August 18, 1997. "Watchdog," Maximum PC, December 1998. "A plethora of products," Electronic Design, November 22, 1993. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

There were an increasing number of cheap, proprietary PCs in the late 1990s -- many of which couldn't be upgraded well, or at all. But this Dell Dimension XPS could be almost as good as a custom-built computer. Sources: "Professional PCs," PC Magazine, December 2, 1997. Ensoniq AudioPCI photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensoniq_AudioPCI#/media/File:Ensoniq_ES1370_1.jpg "Company News," The New York Times, December 11, 1997. "Pentium Part II," PC Magazine, June 10, 1997. Pentium Pro photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intel_80521ex200_256k_top.jpg Pentium II commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npoeopfU-IQ Pentium II photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pentium_II_300_Deschutes_-_SL2W8_-_case_removed-4670.jpg "AMD challenges Intel with cheaper MMX chip," Computerworld, April 7, 1997. "Intel's Celeron 266," PC World, May 1998. Slot 1 Celeron photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_Intel_Celeron_Covington.jpg "Celeron CPU Caches Up, Adds Muscle to Basic PCs," PC Magazine, October 6, 1998. "Celeron 300A," Maximum PC Power User Handbook, autumn 2000. Pentium II in box photo: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=Intel_Pentium_II&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop#/media/File:P2box1.jpg Socket 370 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intel_Socket_370_-_open-top_oblique_PNr%C2%B00346.jpg Socket 370 slotket adapter: https://postlmg.cc/4K6p8jmw "Rage 128," Maximum PC, February 1999. 00:00 - Introduction 01:11 - Drives and ports 01:53 - Not quite what it seems 04:35 - Upgrades 06:09 - The Slot 1 story 09:24 - Reassembly and cleaning 11:19 - I should have installed Windows Me on this 12:34 - Video cards kinda sucked back then, but we still liked them 13:31 - passport.mid is the best, fight me 15:40 - It's a good computer ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

When it manufactured personal computers, Sony got a reputation for producing some unique and niche machines. But sometimes they were a bit too niche...and that was the P-series' downfall. Sources: Vaio VGN-P80H recovery image: https://archive.org/details/vaio-vgn-p80h-recovery Vaio VGN-P530H recovery image: https://archive.org/details/sony-vaio-vgn-p530h-recovery-discs Motherboard photo: https://mkser.limagingui.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=212111 Vaio P-series teardown: https://henjinkutsu.com/text/pc/vgn_p70h_hdd2ssd/ First-gen P-series review from CNet: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/sony-vaio-vgn-p588e-lifestyle-pc-review/ Sony laptop catalog: https://archive.org/details/vaio_20211221/page/n5/mode/2up VGN-P70H Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/u7ho72/sony_vaio_vgnp70h_8_screen_micro_laptop_with_an/ Sony Vaio UX photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adelgado/438735997/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

When it comes to vintage electronics, the trope of "replace the capacitors" may be tired, but is still rooted in truth. Problem is, removing surface-mount parts can be time-consuming, expensive, or risky, depending on your approach. Let's explore all of the options, and check out a somewhat niche tool that could be a game-changer. Big thanks to Steve from @Mac84 for helping out with this episode -- be sure to check out his channel! https://www.youtube.com/mac84 If you have a Hakko F-888D soldering station and are curious about the FX-8804 hot tweezers shown in the episode, here's an affiliate link you can use to pick up a set: https://amzn.to/47lNuAU Unsafe 858D-style hot air station forum post: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/deadly-wiring-fault-atten-858d-hot-air-rework-station/?PHPSESSID=eed964ead2f728cf627a3a7c03cf7723 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Apple's Macintosh Quadra 700 from 1991 is a favorite among vintage computer collectors, but not just because it was a good machine during its era. Featured music: "Pick a F**king Car" by Dan Mason: https://businesscasual87.bandcamp.com/album/devil-killer Capacitor list for the power supply: https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/quadra-700-psu-capacitor-list-astec-aa15831.3050/ Sources: Mac IIfx photo: https://oldcrap.org/2019/07/31/apple-macintosh-iifx/ Mac IIfx motherboard photo: https://recapamac.com.au/macintosh-iifx/ "Dual Dynamos: The Macintosh Quadra 700 and 900," MacUser, December 1991. 00:00 -- Introduction 01:23 -- Power supply recap 05:32 -- Testing the old capacitors 06:05 -- PSU reassembly (Dan Mason music feature) 07:38 -- Does the power supply blow up? 07:53 -- Further disassembly and cleaning 09:53 -- Putting it all back together 10:32 -- Overview and performance 13:37 -- It's a UNIX system, I know this 14:11 -- Is good computer yes ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Network-attached storage devices have seen adoption among power users and IT professionals for long enough that some are finding themselves ready for an upgrade. Let's check out a model from Synology that packs a lot of features, and also offers expandability into the future. Synology DS1821+ product page: https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/DS1821+ My standard review disclaimer: Synology provided the unit and upgrades as part of this review, but has had no editorial input into this video, nor was I paid to produce it. The opinions expressed here are exclusively my own. My responsibility to you, the viewer, is paramount. This video has the "includes paid promotion" setting enabled simply because YouTube does not discern product reviews from other forms of paid content. Sources: SMART statistics removed from DSM 7.2.1 support response screenshot: https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/16touyg/dsm_721_with_sm_1000017_completely_ditched_smart/ 00:00 - Introduction 01:06 - Hardware overview 02:31 - Initial setup 03:39 - Software features 04:15 - CPU, RAM and M.2 SSDs 07:25 - Network file copy performance 07:59 - 10 gigabit network upgrade 09:57 - Upgrading from another NAS 12:06 - Drive array expansion 13:21 - Who this NAS is for ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Laptops were gaining popularity in the early 2000s due to increasing selection and falling prices. In the thin-and-light category, Toshiba pulled out all the stops and produced a machine so portable that it rivals even today's laptops. Sources: Portege 2000 extended battery photos: https://www.ebay.com/itm/255963114931 "The Laptop Shell Game," Popular Mechanics, October 2002. "The Notebook Buyer's Guide," Maximum PC, July 2005. "An Intel-Approved Desktop to Go," PC Magazine, August 5, 2003. "RIP Toshiba-Branded PCs, Long Live Dynabook," PC Magazine, https://www.pcmag.com/news/rip-toshiba-branded-pcs-long-live-dynabook "Toshiba Portege 2000," PC Magazine, April 9, 2002. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The AlphaSmart text editing device was originally designed by Apple engineers. When they couldn't get their employer to build it, they decided to do so themselves -- and ended up being a rather clever, long-lived device. Sources: Computer lab photo: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/maclab.html Ketan Kothari photo: https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/ketan-kothari Joe Barrus photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardspics/14799355 Apple Infinte Loop campus photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Headquarters_in_Cupertino.jpg AlphaSmart Pro owner's manual: https://archive.org/details/AlphaSmart_Pro_Owners_Manual_alt "AlphaSmart: A History of One of Ed-Tech's Favorite (Drop-Kickable) Writing Tools": http://hackeducation.com/2015/07/25/alphasmart PC computer lab photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Students_working_on_class_assignment_in_computer_lab.jpg "AlphaSmart Pro 2.1," Macworld, March 1997. "Smart Keyboard for the Classroom," Computerworld, July 6, 1998. AlphaSmart 2000 photo: https://www.journaldulapin.com/2018/03/07/alphasmart-adb/ 3rd-party SmartApplets: https://www.spectronics.com.au/catalogue/smartapplets-for-alphasmart-3000 "Lightweight Note-Taker," PC World, March 2003. AlphaSmart Neo photo and ad: https://hackaday.com/2020/11/05/alphasmart-neo-teardown-this-is-the-way-to-write-without-distractions/ "AlphaSmart files $58 million IPO," MarketWatch: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/alphasmart-files-ipo-as-latest-tech-player Renaissance Learning acquires AlphaSmart press release: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1264388/000119312505129967/dex991.htm AlphaSmart Neo 2 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AlphaSmart_Neo_2.jpg Laptop charging cart photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Classmate_PC_charging_trolley.jpg AlphaSmart Neo discontinued: https://web.archive.org/web/20131114042404/http://www.neo-direct.com/ AlphaSmart 3000 with modded keyboard photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/AlphaSmart/comments/kn84w4/finished_my_3000_mechanical_keyboard_mod/ LazyDog's AlphaSmart keyboard mod kit (no longer being sold): http://tilde.club/%7Ejy4m/alphasmart/index.html and https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=91504.0 Freewrite devices: https://getfreewrite.com ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The Mac Classic wasn't fancy or exciting when it launched in 1990, but Apple sold a ton of them. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: "Macintosh IIsi and Classic Deliver Quality for Lower Price," InfoWorld, November 12, 1990. Mac Classic and SE motherboard photos: https://recapamac.com.au/ TidBITS article about Mac Classic ROM disk: https://tidbits.com/1990/11/19/the-system-in-the-new-machine/ "Mac Classic Appeals to New Market," InfoWorld, December 10, 1990. "How Does Apple Deal with Success?", Macworld, March 1991. "The Mac Option Revisited," ABA Journal, June 1991. "Mac Classic," Macworld, December 1990. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Lenovo's ThinkPad X100e form 2010 went up against a slew of competitors in the netbook market. It was certainly better in some regards, but was held back in others. But with the right OS, could it still find some usefulness today? Sources: Lenovo EOL drivers download page: https://download.lenovo.com/eol/index.html EeePC photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asus_Eee_PC_1001PX_netbook_20180326.jpg CNet X100e review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/lenovo-thinkpad-x100e-review/ ThinkPad-Wiki page on the X100e: https://thinkwiki.de/X100e Laptop Mag X100e review: https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-x100e ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on social media! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

How could I have missed this problem? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I think I screwed up big time. 3D-printable CPU bracket: https://www.printables.com/model/534404-daystar-genesis-mp-cpu-bracket Sources: "The Mac Goes Multiprocessor," Byte, February 1997. Power Mac 9500/9600 motherboard photo: https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Apple_820-0865-A_Power_Mac_9600_Motherboard-0928.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

You might be familiar with Panasonic's Toughbook like of rugged notebook PCs. But in its home country of Japan, the company offers many more models -- so let's check out a smaller, decade-old one from the Let's Note series. Sources: The Conversation's article about fax machines in Japan: https://theconversation.com/japans-love-affair-with-the-fax-machine-a-strange-relic-of-technological-fantasies-168674 "Why WiMax," Computerworld, February 14, 2005. "Broadband On The Go," Popular Mechanics, December 2004. PCMag Toughbook CF-S10 review: https://web.archive.org/web/20111127191937/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393939,00.asp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

In the early 1990s, plenty of people didn't even own computers yet -- but that didn't stop Sony from trying to take books into the digital realm. Sources: "Portable Data Discs," Popular Mechanics, January 1992. Data Discman photo pool on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/groups/1882912@N22/pool/with/6532350055/ Electronics Boutique catalog scan: https://huguesjohnson.com/scans/ebspring92/ Data Discman DD8 authoring software: http://www.robotsandcomputers.com/computers/dd8h.htm ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The majority of vintage Mac enthusiasts focus on restoring original hardware. But here's a way to get the classic Mac OS experience in a device you can fit in your pocket! Instructions overview for installing Mini vMac on PocketCHIP: Download the .zip file from the GitHub repository and find/make a Mini vMac disk image (links below) Install SSH server if it isn't already: sudo apt-get install openssh-server Find the PocketCHIP's IP address: ip addr show wlan0 Connect to PocketCHIP using an SFTP client with credentials chip/chip Create a folder on PocketCHIP and navigate into it Upload the minivmac, MacII.ROM and your disk image file On the PocketCHIP, navigate into the folder you made and make minivmac executable: chmod +x minivmac Then just run it with ./minivmac (provided that your disk image is named disk1.dsk) Sources and links: biosrhythm blog post about MiniVMac on PocketCHIP: https://biosrhythm.com/?p=2688 Mini vMac project page: https://www.gryphel.com/c/minivmac/ GitHub MiniVMac port for CHIP: https://github.com/zzxzzk115/Pocketchip-MacOS-Emulator Mini vMac premade disk images: https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mini-vmac-ready-go "Is This the End for the C.H.I.P.?," Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2018/04/03/is-this-the-end-for-the-c-h-i-p/ Leftover CHIP inventory photos: https://web.archive.org/web/20180918185627/https://bbs.nextthing.co/t/1600-brand-new-pocketchips-for-sale/20800 Suspicion about CHIP selling at a loss: https://www.cnx-software.com/2015/06/07/allwinner-r8-module-datasheet-and-price-is-the-9-c-h-i-p-computer-selling-at-a-loss/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Processor upgrades for Macs in the 1990s were commonplace...but earlier models, like the Mac SE, weren't designed with them in mind. That didn't stop clever third parties from figuring out how to make them work, though, and they ended up offering ridiculous results. Sources: "After the Split at Apple's Core," InfoWorld, September 30, 1985. MacUser, April 1987. Mac SE dual floppy photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_SE#/media/File:Macintosh_SE_b.jpg "More than a Plus," Macworld, April 1987. "...For the Rest of Us," MacUser, April 1987. "Beefing Up the SE," Macworld, September 1987. "News Briefs," InfoWorld, August 27, 1987. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Something that came up occasionally in early reviews of DCC and MiniDisc equipment was that DCC's sound quality was a bit better. The technical specifications of both formats' codecs suggest this is indeed the case, but look closer and things aren't so clear after all. Featured music: "Let Go Of Yourself" by Dan Mason: https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/ill-be-alright "All of My Time" by Seth Nova (this album is seriously underrated): https://businesscasual87.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-heartbreak "Last Chance Branca" by Arc De Soleil: https://open.spotify.com/track/4RUhvuw2tbKCuuj8tv4GMi?si=3436bba13ed34b8c Sources: "Digital Recording Arrives," Popular Science, April 1993. "DCC: The Adventure Begins," Billboard, July 25, 1992. "Now Hear This!," The Morning Call, December 20, 1992. DCC System Description document: https://archive.org/details/philips-dcc-system-description-draft ATRAC whitepaper: https://www.minidisc.wiki/_media/resources/atrac_adaptive_transform_acoustic_coding_for_minidisc.pdf The MPEG FAQ: https://web.archive.org/web/20170104010328/http://www.faqs.org/faqs/mpeg-faq/part1/ MPEG-1 draft standard proposition: https://www.itu.int/wftp3/av-arch/avc-site/1990-1996/Contributions/AVC-0095.pdf "DCC, MD, And CD-I Expected To Drive 1st Consumer CES," Billboard, May 30, 1992. Sony interview with ATRAC developers: https://www.sony.net/Products/ATRAC3/special/developers01.html "The incredible shrinking disc," The Guardian, November 25, 1992. "Sony Revives MiniDisc in Package Deal," Los Angeles Times, August 27, 1996: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-08-27-ca-37950-story.html Dolby patent used in ATRAC: http://www.minidisc.org/patents/pdfs/US05394473.pdf MiniDisc FAQ about Dolby licensing: https://www.minidisc.org/faq_sec_6.html MiniDisc-related patents: http://www.minidisc.org/patents/ "Studios Cautious About DCC, MiniDisc," Billboard, February 11, 1995. "Sony MiniDisc, Philips DCC Downplayed At Winter CES," Billboard, January 21, 1995. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Minneapolis nonprofit Free Geek Twin Cities sometimes sees strange or uncommon technology get donated...here's a look at some that I've run across lately. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

Just because a retro PC that originally shipped in the Windows XP era also offers Windows 98 drivers doesn't mean it's going to be the best experience...and here's a great example. Sources: Unreal Tournament and 3DMark 99 benchmark result charts (and an overall fantastic resource for comparing retro video cards!): http://hw-museum.cz/article/2/benchmark-vga-1998---2001--2011-edition-/2 "An Old Faithful - Dell Inspiron 8200," HWM, May 2002. "Lowered XPectations," Computerworld, November 5, 2001. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Apple's Mac Color Classic from 1993 is my favorite desktop computer, so when one that wasn't working crossed my path, I knew I needed to try repairing it. But even though we have tons of options for fixing and modifying retro computers these days, sometimes the parts you need are still practically impossible to find. Bourns Again filter chip project: https://github.com/alxlab-zone66x/Bourns-601-Series-RC-Network-T-Filters ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I've worked on plenty of retro desktop computers, but for various reasons I haven't been able to keep any of them. It's about time we changed that. Sources: "TDK veloCD 24/10/40," Maximum PC, October 2001. Seagate acquires Samsung's HDD business: https://www.computerworld.com/article/2733273/seagate-completes-acquisition-of-samsung-s-hdd-business.html IBM hard drive photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_0665-30_HDD_2.jpg "WatchDog," Maximum PC, May 2005. "News Industry," Computerworld, June 10, 2002. Intel D845GEBV2 specs: https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel-d845gebv2-brownville-2 00:00 - Introduction 01:47 - Checking out the case 03:48 - The motherboard and CPU 08:00 - Keeping cool 09:01 - An ominous warning 10:12 - A selection of drives 13:37 - You're probably bored by now 14:17 - Sound and video 16:05 - A GPU shootout...or not 17:58 - CaN iT pLaY cRySiS tHo? 19:24 - I found another video card. It still can't play Crysis 20:43 - The beginning, not the end ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

CPU upgrades for computers have been around for decades, and DayStar was a prolific maker of them for Macs. The company advertised that its PowerCache cards could make a Mac IIci from 1989 even faster than Apple's high-performance IIfx...but were those claims actually true? Sources: PowerCache performance explanation: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/index.php?title=DayStar_PowerCache&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop "PowerCache IIci Beats Mac IIfx, MacUser, February 1991. "PowerCache IIci," MacUser, December 1991. "The Accelerated Course," Macworld, July 1991. Macintosh IIfx photos (also a pretty cool site in general!): https://oldcrap.org/2019/07/31/apple-macintosh-iifx/ "Macintosh Quadras: Power but no pizzazz," Macworld, December 1991. "Dual Dynamos: The Macintosh Quadra 700 and 900," MacUser, December 1991. DayStar 68040 card photo: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/File:Turbo040-4.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The 1990s saw portable computing take off in a big way, but manufacturers were still trying to figure out what form factor worked best. While most went with the notebook design we're most familiar with today, a small company from Chicago had another idea. Sources: IBM 5155 luggable PC photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_5155_(1).jpg "HP floors industry with 20MB, 1.3-inch drive," InfoWorld, June 15, 1992. "Smooth as Glass," PC Magazine, May 25, 1993. "HP drops disk drives," Computerworld, July 15, 1996. "Lappro-286 Introduced By Dauphin," InfoWorld, October 24, 1988. "286-Based Portables," PC Magazine, March 13, 1990. "Dauphin 1000-FX Is One of First 486SX Laptops," InfoWorld, June 10, 1991. "Dauphin touts hand-held pen tablet as desktop substitute," InfoWorld, January 25, 1993. "State of the Slate: Pen-based Computers," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993. "Area computer firm wins defense contract," Chicago Tribune, February 8, 1992. "Dauphin's Modular DTR-1: Portable, But No Desktop PC," PC Magazine, September 28, 1993. "Portable Pleasures," Computerworld, October 25, 1993. "PDA market stays shaky but active," Computerworld, August 22, 1994. DTR-2 photos: http://www.spic.net/mirrors/dauphin-dtr-1/www.eskimo.com/%257Etoby/dtr1/pics/index.html "For Pen PC Mogul, a Sword Would Have Been Mightier," PC Magazine, June 27, 1995. "Dauphin Technologies files for bankruptcy; IBM the main debtor," Chicago Tribune, January 4, 1995. "Palmtop sales slow, forcing firm's hand in Chapter 11 filing," Chicago Tribune, January 5, 1995. "Dauphin out of Chapter 11," Chicago Tribune, July 30, 1996. "Dauphin Technology acquires R.M. Schultz," Daily Herald, February 12, 1997. "Marketing Orasis," Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1999. "Hefty handhelds on tap at Comdex," InfoWorld, November 17, 1997. Dauphin Orasis photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/g9462s/behold_my_very_rare_dauphin_orasis_tablet/ GeoVax merges with Dauphin in 2006: https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/01/23/daily26.html?page=all ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Not everyone has the space for a desktop retro PC. So if you're interested in getting into the Windows XP gaming scene, could this 20-year-old Dell laptop be a viable option? Sources: NotebookCheck benchmarks comparison: https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-FX-Go-5200.6944.0.html "The Intel Mobile Tipsheet," Maximum PC, July 2003. "An Intel-Approved Desktop to Go," PC Magazine, August 5, 2003. Pentium 4-M CPU photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/392963414344 Dell TV commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGO6QSC5F ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

As the personal electronics craze exploded in the 1980s, people wanted to take their gadgets everywhere. Sony came up with a product line that promised to hold up to (mostly) anything their owners could throw at them. Featured music: "Disco Soul" and "Liftoff" by Discoholic: https://discoholicmusic.bandcamp.com/album/discoholics-anonymous Sources: WM-F5 photo: https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/design/gallery/WM-F5/ Multicolored WM-F5 models: https://walkman.land/sony/wm-f5 Sports boombox photo: https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/329056 Sports Watchman photo: https://www.larkclub.com/gallery/2014/10586/ Sports Discman photo: https://www.larkclub.com/gallery/2018/35471/ MZ-S1 photo: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f1057635077 Panasonic Shockwave cassette player photo: https://tyo.deedpowerfactor.xyz/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=10823 GPX sports cassette player photo: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1042450239/gpx-sports-cassette-player-radio-and My First Sony box photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125826219756 My First Sony commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n68TnOyoeU0 My First Sony product range photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mawari/30920462624 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The Macintosh IIsi was a midrange model from late 1990 meant to go up against PC clones in business environments. But some of the compromises that its engineers had to make to hit its price point meant for some very interesting quirks. Branchus Creations: https://www.recapamac.com.au and https://www.youtube.com/branchuscreations BlueSCSI: https://bluescsi.com MeowTOAST: https://github.com/Stephen-Arsenault/meowTOAST Hakko FR-301 desoldering iron (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3mNuER6 Sources: MacUser, December 1990. "Can new Macs restore shine to Apple's future?," Computerworld, December 24, 1990. IIsi NuBus adapter card photo: https://www.recycledgoods.com/apple-820-0303-02-nubus-adapter-card-for-iisi/ IIsi NuBus adapter card scan: https://www.applefritter.com/node/2076 DayStar dual-socket PDS and cache card riser photo: https://www.applefritter.com/node/10199 "Mac IIsi," Macworld, December 1990. 00:00 - Introduction 01:52 - Disassembly 03:08 - Recapping the PSU 05:33 - Completely pointless soldering montage 06:04 - PSU surface-mount caps 06:30 - Tanta-lizing motherboard repair 08:23 - Quirks and features, part 1 08:59 - It blew up! (Not really.) 09:37 - Further testing 10:31 - BlueSCSI version 2 11:52 - Tidying up 12:51 - Uh oh 14:51 - Quirks and features, part 2 17:17 - One-slot wonder ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I picked up what I initially thought was a new-in-box retro PC case, but it turned out to be much more -- so let's see what kind of story it has to tell. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org IDE to SD card adapter I used in this episode (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3Zaz4Ac Sources: "Graphics Accelerators," PC Magazine, December 2, 1997. IDE2SD bracket model: https://www.printables.com/model/80829-ide2sd-35-enclosure-with-additional-mounting-optio "Cyrix's 6x86 scoots in cheap," InfoWorld, June 2, 1997. "Packard Bell Multimedia 830," Maximum PC, January 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Sony's Mavica line of digital cameras from the late 90s were compelling due to their use of normal floppy disks instead of expensive flash media. But when photo sizes became too large for floppies, the company switched to another commodity media instead...with interesting results. Sources: MVC-CD1000 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Mavica_MVC-CD1000_CP%2B_2011.jpg MVC-CD200 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Mavica_MVC-CD200_Flash.jpg "The Future of Digicam Tech," HWM, April 2004. "Direct-to-DVD Gets Better," PC Magazine, August 23, 2005. Sony a100 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SonyDSLRAlpha100_VL.jpg Sony a9 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Alpha_A9.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Most personal digital assistants were fairly utilitarian. Sony had other ideas. Sources: "IBM licenses Palm Pilot," InfoWorld, September 22, 1997. IBM WorkPad photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_Workpad_c3.jpg "Palm handhelds get expansion slot," InfoWorld, April 9, 2001. "Palm Leads the Pack," Computerworld, November 22, 1999. "Palm's Mace Is Officially 'Paranoid' About PocketPC," Computerworld, April 17, 2000. "Sony Clie PEG-NX80V," Maximum PC, October 2003. "Sony's Crossover PDA," PC Magazine, October 1, 2003. "Palm Slashes Pricing to Match the Competition," Computerworld, February 10, 2003. "Palm Fights Back," PC Magazine, October 28, 2003. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Throughout the 1990s, Iomega was the darling of the storage industry with its various, successful disk formats. But while technology was rapidly changing at the end of the decade, the company stuck to what it knew best with its Clik/PocketZip disk -- which ultimately would lead to its downfall. Sources: "One Size Stores All," PC Magazine, March 9, 1999. PocketZip disk photo: https://www.fileformat.info/media/clik/index.htm "Zip Drive Death Click Is for Real," PC World, May 1998. "Watchdog," Maximum PC, July 2001. HipZip packaging photo: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/iomega-fotoshow-hipzip-packaging--356910339207778313/ "Ultimate MP3 Showdown," Maximum PC, March 2001. Agfa ePhoto CL30 Clik photo: https://www.journaldulapin.com/2020/11/11/agfa-photowise-click-matos PocketZip USB drive box photo: https://twitter.com/foone/status/1526220163917283329 "Iomega Announces New 100MB PocketZip Drive," https://web.archive.org/web/20040220160701/http://www.iomega.com/about/prreleases/2001/100mb_pocketzip.html "More Room to Store," PC Magazine, January 19, 1999. "Iomega's 10GB Peerless Drive System," Maximum PC, August 2001. "Personal Storage," PC Magazine, March 21, 2000. "Iomega takes Q2 drubbing, plans layoffs," Computerworld, https://www.computerworld.com/article/2582699/iomega-takes-q2-drubbing--plans-layoffs.html "First Looks," PC Magazine, March 2008. "EMC to acquire Iomega," https://www.dell.com/en-us/dt/corporate/newsroom/announcements/2008/04/20080408-07.htm ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

In the fast-paced tech scene of the 1990s, computers were often obsolete after just a few years. As such, Apple's first-generation PowerPC-based computers from 1994 were definitely feeling their age by the end of the decade...but in the case of this Power Mac 7100, third-party manufacturers had other plans. Sources: "Battle for the Desktop," PC Magazine, May 31, 1994. "The Power Mac Arrives," Macworld, May 1994. "Sound and Vision," MacUser, October 1993. "AV Cyclone and Tempest," Macworld, September 1993. PowerPC 601 chip photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_IBM_PowerPC_601.jpg "Long Road to a Native OS," Macworld, April 1995. "Cosmos Carl," The Mac Bathroom Reader by Owen Linzmayer. Carl Sagan photo: https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/carl-sagan "The Missing Links," New Scientist, July 2, 1981. "Cold Fusion," Popular Science, August 1993. Carl Sagan photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Astronomer_Carl_Sagan_in_1987.jpg "Letters," MacWEEK, January 10, 1994. "WYSIWYG," Computerworld, January 10, 1994. Carl Sagan v. Apple Computer, 1994: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17969840709013570950&q=Sagan+v.+Apple+Computer,+Inc.&hl=en&as_sdt=2006 "Code Names Uncovered," Apple Confidential 2.0 by Owen Linzmayer. Apple campus photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Headquarters_in_Cupertino.jpg "G3 Upgrade Cards," Macworld, March 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

In the 80s and early 90s, hard drive space was a precious commodity. But keeping important files on floppies or other removable media carried its own risks. One company promised to double the amount of space your Mac's drive could hold just by installing an expansion card...but did it work? Sources: Seagate ST-225 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seagate_ST-225.jpg "Bobker's Dozen," MacUser, July 1990. "Stac To Use QIC's Data Compression Algorithm," InfoWorld, January 22, 1990. "IBM, Stac sign data compression deal," Computerworld, April 18, 1994. "Pipeline," InfoWorld, August 19, 1991. "SuperDisk offers easy compression of Mac files," InfoWorld, August 5, 1991. "Datran Add-In Doubles Hard Disk's Capacity," InfoWorld, August 8, 1988. Datran DiskDoubler box photo: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/Datran_DiskDoubler_dd2000#/media/File:Datran1.jpg "Stacker Coprocessor Offers Real-Time File COmpression/Decompression Without Sacrificing DOS Compatibility," PC Magazine, March 12, 1991. Symantec headquarters photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Symantec_Headquarters_Mountain_View.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Soundstripe (https://www.soundstripe.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

A common and inevitable problem afflicts first-generation Digital Compact Cassette decks: failing capacitors. The fix wasn't as simple as replacing the faulty parts, though -- until now. DCC Museum: https://www.dccmuseum.com Featured music: "Better Than This" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/sever). Sources: Philips Amsterdam building photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rijnbuurt,_Amsterdam,_Netherlands_-_panoramio_%281%29.jpg Magnavox DCC600 photo: https://spencertified.com/products/magnavox-dcc-600-single-deck-digital-compact-cassette-player-recorder-cassette-player-spencertified ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Apple's Mac OS licensing program from the mid-90s threw open the floodgates for other manufacturers to make Macs. Most decided to pursue budget models and undercut Apple's own offerings. But one company decided to reach for new heights in a major way. Sources: DayStar PowerCache photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/66071596@N00/9105522159 "Power Macs: Full Speed Ahead," MacUser, May 1994. "Scaling the Performance Ladder," PC Magazine, February 22, 1994. "DayStar ships first multiprocessor Mac," InfoWorld, November 13, 1995. "The Power Macintosh Arrives," Macworld, May 1994. "Mac Clones and Copland," Computer Chronicles, 1995. https://archive.org/details/MacClone95 "The New Mac OS Unveiled," Macworld, July 1995. Apple 1 Infinite Loop campus photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Campus#/media/File:Apple_Headquarters_in_Cupertino.jpg "Mac OS 8: Back to Square One," Macworld, November 1996. "The Mac Goes Multiprocessor," Byte, February 1997. "Fueling Photoshop," MacUser, June 1996. "Tsunami hits New York City," InfoWorld, June 19, 1995. "DayStar Pumps Up 9500's," Macworld, November 1995. "Is a chip shortage stalling 604 PowerPCs?," Computerworld, April 3, 1995. "MacBulletin," Macworld, December 1995. "Photoshop at Warp Speed," Macworld, June 1996. Genesis MP 932+ press release: https://web.archive.org/web/19980212164005/http://daystar.com/pages/pr.dystr.932.prcs.html DayStar Genesis MP+ models: https://lowendmac.com/1996/daystar-genesis-mp-plus/ MacWorks Millennium photo: http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2019/08/and-now-for-something-completely.html "Enough is enough!," Computerworld, July 14, 1997. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

A surprising number of competitors to the ubiquitous 3.5" floppy disk duked it out through the 1980s -- but one of them failed exceptionally hard. Sources: "Laptops With Muscle," Popular Mechanics, May 1990. "Six-Pound Zenith Minisport Uses 2-Inch Minidisks," InfoWorld, July 24, 1989. "Inside Track," PC Magazine, February 14, 1989. "Light Minisport Has Hefty Functionality," InfoWorld, July 31, 1989. "ZDS Enhances MinisPort, 20MB Hard Drive, Brighter Screen," H-Scoop, July 1990. (https://archive.org/details/h_scoop_124_jul_90/mode/2up?q=zenith+minisport) Zenith MinisPort HD photo: https://fhl.noblogs.org/2012/07/07/abandonware CF-2 disk media photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3_inch_floppy_disks.jpg Smith-Corona DataDisk media photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/smith-corona-8-data-disks-s61838-1884377612 Smith-Corona laptop word processor ad: https://gameraboy2.tumblr.com/post/691960245819424768/1989-smith-corona-laptop-word-processor Famicom Disk System disk photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bubble_Bobble_Famicom_Disk_System_disk.jpg Famicom Disk System hardware photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nintendo-Famicom-Disk-System.jpg Amstrad CPC64 User magazine: https://magazinesfromthepast.fandom.com/wiki/Amstrad_CPC464_User_Issue_3 "Viability of 2-Inch Media Standard for PCs in Doubt," InfoWorld, July 31, 1989. Canon video floppy disk set photo: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1302474878/canon-vf-50-video-floppy-disks-6x-di Sony Mavica prototype photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_Mavica_1981_prototype_CP%2B_2011.jpg Sony Mavica camera photos: https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/s1054628483 Panasonic video floppy camera photo: https://aucfree.com/items/h437606086 Video floppy disk photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Floppy#/media/File:Video_Floppy_Disk_-_front_(gabbe).jpg "Filmless Photography Arrives," Popular Mechanics, November 1989. Canon FV-540 brochure: https://archive.org/details/TNM_Video_Floppy_Disk_Drive_FV-540_-_Canon_1990_20170828_0031 Sony PJ-100 photo: https://www.sony.com/ja/pressroom/pict_data/pc/1987_pj100.html Sony PJ-100 with disk photo: https://lancelot2.blog.ss-blog.jp/2019-09-15 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The first Mac came with a small built-in screen. The last so-called compact Mac rolled off the assembly line a decade later in 1994, but strangely, was never sold in the US. I finally got my hands on one -- but can I get it working? (And for anyone wondering: The accepted definition of a "compact" Mac is an all-in-one model with screen of 9-10" in size. The iMac, therefore, doesn't count.) Sources: "Compact and Colorful," MacUser, April 1993. Performa 600 photo: https://blog.aventure-apple.com/2019/09/14/bon-anniversaire-les-performa-200-400-et-600 Color Classic II photo: Jonathan Zufi, http://iconicbook.com LC 550 photo: https://www.recycledgoods.com/apple-m1640-macintosh-14-crt-lc550-all-in-one-computer "A Long-Discontinued Mac Still Thrills Collectors to the Core," The New York Times, August 24, 2000. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I was loaned a GPX BD717B boombox to check out. It certainly plays CDs and tunes in radio stations like you'd expect, but its real purpose is rather different. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

It's the mid-90s. Your aging parents are expressing interest in checking out the Internet and e-mail, but aren't savvy enough to handle the complexities of a personal computer. What do you do? Get them one of these. Sources: AOL commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQcCnPWHlLk Getting Started with WebTV video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhzojvS4B5I Computer Chronicles, "Internet TV": https://archive.org/details/CC1416_internet_tv Philips Eindhoven headquarters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips#/media/File:Lichttoren_Eindhoven_1.JPG "Tuning In to the Web," PC Magazine, February 18, 1997. Philips WebTV box photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/195465249997 "Microsoft to Buy WebTV, Blending PC's, TV's and the Internet," The New York Times, April 7, 1997. Computer Chronicles, "Web Surfing on your TV": https://archive.org/details/WebSurfi2001 "The Dish That Does More," PC Magazine, February 22, 2000. "Finds For Your Home," Log Home Living, December 2001. Dreamcast WebTV disc photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/403390882698 Gateway commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duwqWCNuEmI Circuit City commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpVWSQ3Zy0 The Kids' Guide to the Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A81IwlDeV6c RCA RW2110 box photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175342067696 RCA MSN TV photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284938486057 RCA MSN rear ports photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/304704025847 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

I thought the battery in my Bose SoundLink Color II speaker had finally failed...but as it turns out, there's a free and easy fix! ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

CPU speeds have come a long way in the last 10 years or so, but I wondered if it was possible to get a modern level of performance out of a computer that was well past its prime. Could buying -- and upgrading -- a 2013 Mac Pro actually be a better value than buying a new computer? Featured music: "Waterfront" by Duett (https://duett.bandcamp.com/album/leisure) Sources: "Cheesegrater" Mac Pro upgrade guide: https://blog.greggant.com/posts/2018/05/07/definitive-mac-pro-upgrade-guide.html tonymacx86 Buyer's Guide: https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/building-a-customac-hackintosh-the-ultimate-buyers-guide/ "Apple admits the Mac Pro was a mess," The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15175994/apple-mac-pro-failure-admission "Apple pushes the reset button on the Mac Pro," TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/04/apple-pushes-the-reset-button-on-the-mac-pro/?ncid=rss "Apple Says It Is "Completely Rethinking" The Mac Pro," BuzzFeed News: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/johnpaczkowski/apple-says-it-is-completely-rethinking-the-mac-pro Mac Pro 2019 internal component photos: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Pro+2019+Teardown/128922 Mac Pro on wheels photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mac_Pro_2019_on_wheels.jpg OpenCore Legacy Patcher: https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher Thumbnail fire image: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/bonfire-flame-element-realistic-burning-fire-image_18833860.htm 00:00 - Introduction 01:32 - Initial benchmarks 02:24 - Upgrade parts 04:11 - Completely necessary installation montage 06:33 - SSD and RAM swap 07:12 - Performance differences 08:33 - Architectural limitations 11:17 - A better, but still flawed, successor 11:55 - Punching above its weight ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Sony's MiniDisc audio format, to some, feels just as futuristic now as it did when it launched in November 1992. And that's perhaps why it's seeing renewed interest -- it's got a retro feel with modern usability. Let's explore the options for getting into the audio media that took over Japan, but was a bit too ahead of its time for most everywhere else. Featured music: "Oh No" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/forever-nothing) Sources and links: Aiwa MiniDisc battery adapter: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2772028 SonicStage on Windows 10: https://www.minidisc.wiki/guides/sonicstagew10 Web MiniDisc Pro guide: https://www.minidisc.wiki/guides/webminidisc 00:00 - Introduction 01:14 - Format overview 07:15 - Prerecorded discs vs recording your own 09:29 - Home component recorders 11:29 - Portable recorders -- the SP era 14:09 - Playback-only portables 16:13 - Battery considerations 20:35 - Portable NetMD -- the best option for most people 23:55 - HiMD, a niche and expensive choice 25:11 - Options for blank media 27:29 - Recording to NetMD with a modern computer 29:27 - The future of MiniDisc and summary ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Among the different disk formats battling for attention in the 1990s, the LS-120 SuperDisk looked like it could be the true successor to the floppy...but ended up going nowhere. Sources: "Insite's Floptical Drive to Increase Storage Capacity," InfoWorld, August 15, 1988. "Floptical Disk Drive Delivers 21MB of Storage," PC Magazine, May 26, 1992. Insight floptical drive photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/first-version-insite-i325vm-floptical-1861732315 3M floptical disk photo: https://www.podatkovnimediji.com/1991/04/10/floptical "486 Group to Discuss High-Density Drives," InfoWorld, April 3, 1989. "Iomega's Floptical Drive: 21MB on One Disk," PC Magazine, June 29, 2993. "High-Capacity Floppies Are Drives of the Future," InfoWorld, September 12, 1988. "Is Iomega's Zip Tomorrow's Floppy Disk Drive?" PC Magazine, June 27, 1995. "Vendors vie for floppy territory," Computerworld, July 8, 1996. "New Superfloppy Contender," PC Magazine, October 6, 1998. Caleb UHD144 disk photo: https://obsoletemedia.org/caleb-uhd144/it-disk-with-cover Boxed Caleb UHD144 drive photo: @foone on Twitter "Caleb Technology Releases Monster Floppy," Computerworld, April 3, 2000. "Sony and Fuji add third high-capacity drive to the fray," InfoWorld, October 27, 1997. Sony HiFD disk photo: https://obsoletemedia.org/hifd Fuji HiFD disk photos: https://newsbeezer.com/japaneng/next-generation-floppy-disk-hifd-which-was-delayed-for-a-long-time-sweet-memories-file033-engadget-japanese-version "Floppy Disk Drives," PC Magazine, March 9, 1999. "Sony's 200MB Floppy Disk Drive," PC Magazine, May 4, 1999. "Digital Point & Shoots," American Photo, July-August 2000. Panasonic PV-SD5000 photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125378568476 "Inside Track," PC Magazine, February 23, 1999. LS-240 drive photos: https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/q1051530662 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Space battles 01:14 - The floptical option 02:33 - Good technology, bad implementation 03:03 - The launch of a super disk 03:35 - A battle on two fronts 06:36 - A glimmer of hope 09:23 - SuperDisk, take 2 10:07 - If not for Zip... ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Apple's Macintosh Quadra 605 was the runt of the litter when it was released in late 1993, a simple machine for basic productivity. But that doesn't mean it isn't capable of much more -- it just needs some help by way of a few modern upgrades. Mac LC top cover reinforcing brackets: https://www.printables.com/model/287776-mac-lc-top-case-latch-reinforcing-bracket Mac LC PDS SD card bracket: https://www.printables.com/model/287778-mac-lc-pds-sd-card-bracket-for-bluescsi Sources: LC 475 photo: https://twitter.com/garthbeagle/status/1485426033897590786 FirstTech storefront photo: https://www.theitsage.com/firsttech-minneapolis-apple-computer-specialist Performa 475 photo: https://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/apple-mac-performa-475 Mac LC III motherboard photo: https://recapamac.com.au/macintosh-lciii Garrett's Workshop (replacement VRAM): https://www.tindie.com/stores/garrettswrkshp Joe's Computer Museum (external BlueSCSI): https://jcm-1.com/shop "Macintosh Quadra 605," Macworld, March 1994. BlueSCSI project page, links to sellers, and resources: https://scsi.blue Disk Jockey app for modern Macs: https://bluescsi.onegeekarmy.eu/diskjockey Quadra 605 resource page: http://quadra605.mcdonnelltech.com 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - A productivity workhorse 02:29 - An easy repair? 04:29 - Short on memory, big on storage 05:35 - An indispensable retro Mac tool 07:05 - Brittle plastics 09:15 - Two for the price of one 10:54 - A convenient hard drive solution 12:39 - Killer features 14:52 - Gotta have more cowbell 16:10 - Brittle plastics, part 2 16:48 - One for you, one for me ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

When most people think of personal digital assistants, they remember handheld devices with touchscreens or keyboards not too different from today's smartphones. REX pushed the boundaries of what an information organizer could be, but was it successful? Sources: Casio Digital Diary photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casio_Digital_Diary_SF-R20_open.JPG REX desktop dock photo: https://www.applefritter.com/content/bringing-rolodex-rex-3-back-life "Small Wonder," PC Magazine, December 2, 1997. Electronics Boutique catalog scan: https://huguesjohnson.com/scans/EBChristmas97/pc-productivity.html Radio Shack organizer photo: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1191584 REX in packaging photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/255686800109 "REX: The Next Generation," PC Magazine, September 22, 1998. "Xircom Buys Rex Organizer and USB Businesses," https://techmonitor.ai/technology/xircom_buys_rex_organizer_and_usb_businesses "Smallest PDA Gets Bigger Inside," PC Magazine, February 6, 2001. "Xircom unveils world's smallest PDA," InfoWorld, November 27, 2000. REX 6000 photo: https://twitter.com/mroach/status/1154094719150018561 "Motorola nets itself a Starfish," InfoWorld, July 20, 1998. "Intel buys modem maker Xircom for $748 million," InfoWorld, January 22, 2001. "Intel discontinues Rex organizer line," https://web.archive.org/web/20020220213235/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/08/21/financial1857EDT0353.DTL Citizen DataSlim-2 box photo: https://static.mercdn.net/item/detail/orig/photos/m53769095700_3.jpg Citizen DataSlim photo: https://aucfree.com/items/l515042610 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

We're all familiar with PC case mods...but I can't say I've ever seen someone mod a Mac like this before. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

Apple's official Mac licensing program in the mid-90s only lasted a bit over two years, but some companies came out with clones so compelling they almost put Apple out of business. MeowToast 1/2AA battery adapter (not always in stock): https://www.etsy.com/shop/GeekyBitRetroPCParts Music featured at 18:26 by Dan Mason: https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/void Sources: "For Apple, Clones and Competition," New York Times, December 29, 1994. "Power Computing swamped by Mac demand," Computerworld, November 4, 1996. "Mac OS Systems," MacUser, September 1996. "Power Computing Widens the Gap," Macworld, September 1996. PowerTower Pro cache module photo: https://www.recycledgoods.com/power-computing-corp-power-tower-pro-225-apple-clone-225-45-mhz-processor-3-2-gb-hhd-128-mb-ram-tower/ "Quantum Leap," Macworld, July 1998. "275MHz Mac Powerhouse," Macworld, September 1997. "Apple Eliminates the Top Clone Vendor," Macworld, November 1997. Computer Chronicles Mac clones episode: https://archive.org/details/MacClone95 "The Vast Mac Expanse," Macworld, December 1996. Power Mac 8500 photo: https://www.mediaarchaeologylab.com/collection/apple-power-macintosh-8500180-f8f54c2 "Apple misses mark; reports $708M loss," Computerworld, April 21, 1997. "Why Apple Pulled the Plug," Macworld, November 1997. Micropolis hard drive photo: https://imgur.com/PuaMB "Double Troubles Send APS to Chapter 11," https://www.wired.com/1998/02/double-troubles-send-aps-to-chapter-11/ "LaCie to Purchase APS," https://tidbits.com/1998/03/09/la-cie-to-purchase-aps-2/ "Power Computing offers clones with a difference," InfoWorld, October 30, 1995. Power Computing Mac OS 8 CD photo courtesy Action Retro: https://www.youtube.com/actionretro "Apple shoots its clones and tries to go it alone," InfoWorld, September 8, 1997. 00:00 - Introduction 00:31 - One fast Mac 01:46 - Someone's been in here... 02:24 - Hard drive upgrade from a competitor 04:23 - Lots of RAM 05:10 - Add-in PCI cards 06:32 - Modular CPU card 07:18 - Something's missing... 07:49 - Time for more upgrades 09:15 - Modern PRAM battery replacement 11:37 - OS installation and peripherals 13:25 - These benchmarks suck 14:23 - Putting the power back into this PowerTower 16:01 - The Mac clone drama 19:13 - Death of a clone maker 20:38 - USB problems 21:23 - This thing was pretty badass in its day ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Around the turn of the millennium, prices on computers fell dramatically and interest in exploring the Internet grew sharply. But not everyone wanted to deal with the hassle and confusion of using a PC just to surf the Web...so along came 3Com's Audrey. Sources: AOL commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQcCnPWHlLk Audrey Hepburn photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/colorizedimages/37350960041 Audrey in kitchen photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajturner/415882380/ "Chic Internet Access With 3Com's Audrey," PC World, December 2000. Yellow Audrey photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/petsroar/6148745064/ Mint green Audrey photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gadge/35071532151/ Black Audrey photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/extrea/2080003799/ "The Bad, the Ugly, and the Just Plain Dumb," PC Magazine, September 4, 2001. "Second Looks," PC Magazine, September 20, 2001. "Are PCs Toast? Internet Appliances Arrive," PC World, November 2000. eMachine tower photo: https://never-obsolete.tumblr.com/post/685257509122998272/emachines-etower-500is Circuit City commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpVWSQ3Zy0 "Strictly For the Web," Popular Science, November 2000. "Compaq pulls iPaq Internet Appliance," https://www.computerworld.com/article/2586632/compaq-pulls-ipaq-internet-appliance----for-now.html Gateway commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duwqWCNuEmI "3Com spins off Palm Computing division," NetworkWorld, September 20, 1999. "3Com exits the enterprise," InfoWorld, March 27, 2000. "'Net apps latest casualties of 3Com," NetworkWorld, March 26, 2001. "3Com woes mounting," NetworkWorld, March 5, 2001. "3Com taps Huawei for 'comeback' try," NetworkWorld, June 16, 2003. "Hewlett-Packard to Acquire 3Com," The New York Times, November 11, 2009. Audrey software shell photo: https://web.archive.org/web/20041017094935/http://www.sowbug.com/audrey/owned.jpg Audrey Unofficial Hack FAQ: https://web.archive.org/web/20020602143516/http://www.3rdmoon.com/crusso/audrey/ "Technology Sell-Off May Bring Shakeout of Dot-Com Concerns," The New York Times, April 17, 2000. 00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - Family, meet Audrey 01:50 - A simple Internet appliance 02:52 - But also a personal organizer 04:49 - Reviews and impressions 05:25 - A total flop 07:01 - A flawed product with strong competition 08:51 - The downfall of 3Com 10:10 - A quiet legacy ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

You might be familiar with the amazing modding scene around retro game consoles. Turns out, there's a similar cottage industry for classic iPods...and this time, we'll explore some of what it has to offer. Sources and Links: Elite Obsolete Electronics: https://eoe.works iFlash CF and SD adapter photos: https://www.iflash.xyz iPod mSATA photo: https://www.alphr.com/audio/1001325/how-to-revive-your-old-ipod-classic-with-an-ssd 3000mAh battery photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/IpodClassic/comments/fyw1kl/will_iflash_quad_and_3000mah_battery_fit_without iPod storage limits by model chart: https://www.iflash.xyz/store/iflash-compatibility 00:00 - Introduction 00:26 - iPod problems 02:54 - I bought some parts 06:00 - Take apart 09:33 - Removing the front panel 12:04 - Clickwheel replacement 14:50 - Front panel installation and problems 18:54 - Removing the battery and headphone jack 21:18 - Back panel installation 22:05 - Flash storage options 25:42 - Battery considerations 28:36 - Does it work? 28:59 - Plastic wrap ASMR 29:18 - I talk too much, sorry :-( ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Among its quirky siblings, the ThinkPad 240 was perhaps the most "normal" of IBM's subnotebook models in the late 1990s -- but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy to repair. Sources: ThinkWiki 240 page: https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:240 "IBM's 3-Pound ThinkPad," PC Magazine, July 1999. "A Bumper Crop Of Notebook PCs," Computerworld, November 15, 1999. "Connect Anywhere," PC Magazine, August 1999. 00:00 - Introduction 00:27 - A pair of broken laptops 02:38 - Teardown 06:04 - Damaged USB port 08:45 - Plastics and display repair 10:50 - OK fine, I'll install Windows 98 this time 14:08 - Up and running 15:08 - passport.mid rules!!! 16:33 - Why didn't anyone buy these? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

They're ubiquitous today, but desktop LCD monitors used to be exotic and expensive. While most others relied on CRTs, Apple jumped on the bandwagon with flat-panel technology and produced a model that not only provided compelling image quality, but an equally stunning design. Sources: "Light, Slight and Stylish," PC World, August 1999. Original Studio Display next to blue & white model: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andyapple2/50782093741/ Original Studio Display photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/mEgTlQV "Studio Display," Macworld, August 1998. "Power Macintosh G3's," Macworld, April 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Towards the end of the 1990s, computers dropped in price rapidly as more and more people wanted to jump on the Information Superhighway. But with their low cost came low specifications, and Biostar's EasyNow PC is a perfect example. Sources: Maximum PC, November 2002. "Comdex: Net PCs, appliances take center stage," CNN: http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/15/comdex.netapp.idg/index.html "AMD intros EasyNow PC platform," The Register: https://www.theregister.com/1999/11/17/amd_intros_easynow_pc_platform/ Advent E-Go 2 PC specs: http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/advent/pc/ego2.htm Biostar EasyNow photos: https://akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/hotline/991120/custompcworld.html More photos: https://imgur.com/a/fgEOH8e Comdex Fall 1999 photos: https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/comdex22.htm Japanese coverage of the EasyNow with LCD monitor: https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991116/amd.htm and https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/gentry.htm Fujitsu Celvin photos: https://es.wallapop.com/item/pc-retro-fujitsu-siemens-celvin-1998-730500037 Fujitsu specs and useful info: https://web.archive.org/web/20021222083734/http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/Boards/Motherboards/BioStar/M5SAF/M5SAF.htm SiS driver download page: http://w3.sis.com/download 00:00 - Introduction 00:39 - This thing looks like a...um... 00:58 - Specifications 02:50 - Power supply problems 03:58 - Take apart 09:09 - Probing for polarity 11:47 - Power supply hacking 15:29 - It didn't work 17:35 - Setting it up and power on 19:57 - Exploring the BIOS 21:54 - Windows Me is fine. Fight me 23:07 - Installing drivers 25:08 - BIOS WTF 27:37 - This computer sucks for a reason ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Usually when people need a faster laptop, they just buy a new one. But in the late 90s, some Apple PowerBook owners took a different approach. Thank you to viewer Hrushka (https://www.instagram.com/hrushcollects) for sending these upgrades to show off! Sources: "PowerBook 1400/117," Macworld, January 1997. "Apple's Next-Generation Systems," Macworld, January 1998. Nupowr G3 1400 eBay photos: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284881211952?hash=item42543e5230:g:LcsAAOSwcXthZHRF "G3 Upgrades for PowerBooks," Macworld, March 1999. Performa 6400 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Performa_6400.jpg "X Arrives," Macworld, November 2000. "Vimage Drops Mac Upgrade Business," Macworld, November 1999. MacsOnly's report on Interware bankruptcy: https://web.archive.org/web/20010624110958/http://macsonly.com/arch1200.html Blog with some history on Interware/Vimage and ultimate bankruptcy: https://web.archive.org/web/20080322031236/http://www.zone6400.com/VIMAGE.html "What's Hot," Macworld, May 2001. "Newer Technology rises from the ashes," MacCentral: https://web.archive.org/web/20020803065308/https://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0205/14.newer.php "Interex enters bankruptcy," Wichita Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2000/01/31/story2.html "OWC acquires CPU upgrade maker PowerLogix's assets," Macworld: https://www.macworld.com/article/179112/powerlogix-28.html ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Most who are familiar with Sony's MiniDisc know it as a portable music playback format. But the MDCC-2000 had a much more unique purpose. MDCC-2000 operating instructions (PDF): https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/W000/W0006658M.pdf Sources: Stenography photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mgifford/15792067707 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Some game console mods add the simple ability to play backups or dodge region locks. This one, however, makes using the GameCube a whole lot more convenient. Hand Held Legend GameCube parts: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/game-cube In this episode, the Xeno modchip, SD2SP2 module, and Swiss boot disc were featured. Hand Held Legend provided the parts shown in the video at no cost, but no money changed hands and the opinions expressed here are solely my own. As a policy I do not produce sponsored content. RMC - The Cave's GC Loader installation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lpDX7F2zRU Featured music: "Commute" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/electric-elevator-2-second-floor). Sources and links: Swiss GitHub: https://github.com/emukidid/swiss-gc Xeno GC wiki: https://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=XenoGC Game icon pattern image by gstudioimage: https://www.freepik.com/vectors/neon-game 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - Console disassembly 02:30 - Xeno modchip 04:19 - Swiss boot disc 06:30 - Completely unnecessary reassembly montage 08:25 - SD2SP2 module 09:39 - Alternative mod options ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Sometimes, looks can be deceiving. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

My JBL Control 1 Plus speakers are about 30 years old and have an intermittent fault. In the process of fixing them, though, I found incandescent light bulbs attached to their crossovers...and the reason why is very clever. Jan Beta's Control 1 foam surround replacement video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqkOdF3LTuU Sources: Yamaha NS-10 photo: http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3387511 Yamaha NS-10s in studio photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:REC_STUDIO_GC.jpg JBL Pro III photo: https://en.audiofanzine.com/active-monitor/jbl/Pro-III JBL L150 photo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/42/86/fe4286c540ddf179d06b6c9879e45bf2.jpg Voice coil photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_coil#/media/File:Loudspeaker_voice_coil,_three_inch_diameter.jpg Magnepan input terminal fuse photo: http://hifiup.com/shops/6058 JBL Control 5 photo: https://en.audiofanzine.com/passive-monitor/jbl/Control-5/medias/pictures/#id:2345881 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

A very common problem with the N64 controller is that its thumbstick wears out and becomes loose. But while some game console repairs or mods can be daunting, this one is something practically anyone can do. Hand Held Legend replacement thumbstick: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/n64/products/joystick-for-n64-controller-in-the-style-of-joystick-for-gamecube?variant=39266413510790 Disclosure: Hand Held Legend provided the part shown in the video at no cost, but no money changed hands and the opinions expressed here are solely my own. As a policy I do not produce sponsored content. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Lakey Inspired (https://soundcloud.com/LAKEYINSPIRED). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Consumer demand for laptops was growing dramatically in the late 90s, but some were becoming tired of lugging around a large, heavy computer. In 1998 Microsoft hatched a plan to help drive inexpensive, lightweight notebooks -- and Sharp delivered quite a unique model. Sources: "Jupiter enters PC orbit," InfoWorld, January 12, 1998. HP 360LX photo: https://www.cnvintage.org/d/236-win-ce-2-0 Sharp HC-4600 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/24865385021 NEC palmtop photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_PC#/media/File:NEC_MobilePro_400_2.jpg Vadem Clio photo: https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18677871/ "Sharp Mobilon TriPad and Vadem Clio," PC Magazine, December 1, 1998. "Vadem Clio," Maximum PC, March 1999. "Three Looks, One Notebook," Popular Science, January 1999. "Lag in apps holds back sexy Clio," InfoWorld, November 9, 1998. "IBM's Winning Jupiter H/PC," PC Magazine, June 8, 1999. IBM WorkPad Z50 photos: https://www.sohu.com/a/336499835_120156943 "Smaller Isn't Better for Some Handheld Users," Computerworld, August 2, 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Of course most people just use their smartphone for listening to music. But some want a more dedicated, distraction-free device -- and Apple produced a number of iPod models over the years that fit the bill nicely. Let's take a look at the iPod family and talk about which ones are great even today, and which should be avoided. Sources: Firewire/USB Dock cable photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/ipod/comments/omdlpk/rare_find_today_an_official_apple_firewireusb/ iPod Shuffle battery photos: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPod+Shuffle+1st+Generation+Battery+&+Logic+Board+Replacement/427 iFlash CF and SD adapter photos: https://www.iflash.xyz Video chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:12 - 1st and 2nd Generation 05:51 - 3rd Generation 08:41 - 4th Generation 10:58 - iPod Mini 13:34 - 5th Generation 15:33 - iPod Nano Series 26:11 - iPod Nano Problems/Considerations 30:50 - 6th Generation (iPod Classic) 34:55 - iPod Shuffle Series 44:46 - Buying Recommendations ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The initial vision for Apple's Macintosh platform was to make computers accessible for the masses. But in order to grow, Apple needed to get businesses to want to use the Mac...and as such, the platform needed to evolve. Sources: NuBus specification sheet: https://web.archive.org/web/20190926203937/http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ti/nubus/2242825-0001_NuBus_Spec1983.pdf NuBus IEEE abstract: http://web.mit.edu/6.033/2005/wwwdocs/dp1/nubus12.pdf "National Semiconductor Steps Into Add-On Mart With Card," InfoWorld, June 29, 1987. "ROM Upgrade to Fix Bug in Mac II Bus," InfoWorld, October 26, 1987. "For the Best of Us...", MacUser, April 1987. "The New Macs, " Computer Chronicles, 1987: https://archive.org/details/TheNewMa1987 Macintosh SE photo: https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/restoration-macintosh-se-with-water-damage.291/ "After the Split at Apple's Core," InfoWorld, September 30, 1985. "3-D Program for Mac II Offers Color Animation," InfoWorld, July 27, 1987. "Mac to receive Autocad version," Computerworld, May 16, 1988. "Universities Say Mac II Nears Workstation Ideal," InfoWorld, March 16, 1987. "Macintosh IIx Moves Ahead In Apple's Orderly Evolution," InfoWorld, February 6, 1989. Mac IIfx photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageApple/comments/ftfgps/looking_to_buy_mac_iifx_ram_anyone_have_any_they/ "The Mac IIfx: Fast Times at Apple Computer," MacUser, May 1990. IIfx motherboard photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/lf6RWwJ "Power At a Price," Macworld, May 1990. "Apple's Special fx," Byte Magazine, April 1990. "Mac Ripens," Computerworld, March 2, 1987. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

Sony's VAIO computer line had a number of laptop models that were nothing like what the competition offered. But its Japanese-exclusive PCG-U1 and U3 subnotebooks were just as interesting on the inside. Sources: PCGA-BP3U battery photos: https://batt.co.jp/products/detail/2866 "Transmeta debuts Crusoe," InfoWorld, January 24, 2000. Transmeta Crusoe photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transmeta_TM5600.jpg PC Magazine, November 21, 2000. Transmeta Crusoe photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_Transmeta_Crusoe_5800.jpg "Transmeta chip may hold key for computing's future," Computerworld, January 31, 2000. "The Truth About Transmeta," Maximum PC, May 2000. "Troubles for Transmeta," PC Magazine, January 2, 2001. Compaq TC-1000 series photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Compaq_tc1100#/media/File:HP_TC1100_(1).jpg "Transmeta Bets on LongRun2," InfoWorld, August 23, 2004. "Intel takes on Crusoe with single-watt chips," InfoWorld, June 19, 2000. Transmeta Efficeon photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_Transmeta_Efficeon_8600.jpg "Why Transmeta Failed," Maximum PC, June 2005. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).

The computer industry was swept by the CD-ROM and multimedia trend in the early 90s -- and Apple saw it as a prime opportunity to differentiate its computers. Let's check out some of the accessories the company produced at the time -- including one particularly unique portable device. Special thanks to Mac84 (https://www.youtube.com/c/mac84) for contributing some footage! Sources: Computer Chronicles CD-ROM episodes: https://archive.org/details/cdroms_2 and https://archive.org/details/CDROM10.3 Performa 600 photo: https://madeapple.com/macintosh-performa-600-600cd AppleCD SC photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-apple-applecd-sc-plus-scsi-1857857104 AppleCD SC with SE/30 photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageApple/comments/l2mp4w/applecd_sc_apple_cdrom_explorer/ "Apple Begins Shipping CD-ROM Player for Mac," InfoWorld, May 16, 1988. "AppleCD SC," Macworld, November 1988. "Apple's CD-ROM bundle is smaller, less expensive," InfoWorld, July 20, 1992. "AppleDesign Powered Speakers," PC Magazine, January 9, 1996. "Apple bundles PC peripherals," InfoWorld, September 13, 1993. MediaVision Pro Audio Spectrum 16 card photo: https://www.wavetable.nl/used-to-own/mediavision-pro-audio-spectrum-16 "A CD Photo Album for Your TV or Computer," Popular Science, December 1990. Photo CD photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kodak_Photo_CD_PCD_Master.JPG "Electronic Bridge to the Future?" Popular Photography, December 1990. "Kodak puts photos on compact disc," InfoWorld, October 5, 1992. Photo CD commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_riXLowyhU Philips Eindhoven headquarters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips#/media/File:Lichttoren_Eindhoven_1. Philips CD-i deck photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CD-i_with_disc.JPG Philips CDF-100 photos: https://www.ebay.com/itm/373888390783 Kodak PCD-880 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kodak_photocd_hg.jpg "Apple nurtures multimedia," InfoWorld, April 5, 1993. PowerCD bundled media photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/apple-powercd-circa-1993-optical-1814856958 PowerCD presentation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGlnuSVWmj8 Grey PowerCD photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple-powercd_hg.jpg Kodak PCD-860 photo: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/harvesting-cdm9-44-laser-assemblies.378032/ Pippin console photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandai-Apple-Pippin-Console-FR.jpg PC Magazine, May 12, 1992. Myst box photo: https://macintoshgarden.org/games/myst ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

There are signs that the humble, 40-year-old compact disc may be poised for a comeback. Interested in getting involved with the format yourself? A retro portable CD player is the easiest (and cheapest) way to do so -- let's check out a variety of models so you can know what to look for! Sources: 2021 CD sales article: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/14/22976557/cd-sales-increase-2021-recording-industry-association-of-america 2021 CD sales article: https://www.stereogum.com/2172153/cd-sales-increase-2021-adele-taylor-swift-bts/news Sony D-2 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jaytilston/4824196183 Technics SL-XP7 photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/wy220 Sony D-250 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/21476504@N05/4737823935 Sony D-150 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/34019036@N05/4934600814 Sony basic inline remote photos: https://yahoo.aleado.com/lot?auctionID=u218774448 Sony D-EJ775 remote control photo: https://www.grelly.uk/itm/sony-walkman-cd-d-ej775-complete-lcd-remote-earphones-manuals-power-supply-224807155108 RCA CD player photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/184522529804 Audiovox CD player photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/324720932639 Craig CD player photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/323378457393 Store housewares photo: https://trillingtruevaluehardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/housewares-feb-003-scaled.jpg Flea market CD photo: https://pixy.org/src2/647/6470717.jpg Used CD store photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-turtle/2681954451 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

In 1998, Apple completely changed its image with the launch of the iMac. A year later, the company brought its professional users along for the ride. Sources: "Now Power Mac G3 Series Offers Solid Speed Boost," Macworld, January 1998. G3 beige desktop photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macintosh_G3_DT.jpg Macworld, July 1998. "Apple beats estimates," InfoWorld, January 18, 1999. "SCSI Vs. FireWire," Macworld, March 1999. Wacom ADB graphics tablet photo: https://jp.mercari.com/item/m11167037725 15" LCD Studio Display photo: https://www.mac27.net/15-studio-display-blueberry Games shown: Quake III Arena Unreal Tournament Descent 3 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

There have been a number of absolutely amazing upgrades for retro gaming consoles, especially handhelds like the Game Boy line. But hardware like replacement screens and shells are only half the picture -- brand new software titles can help these old consoles feeling fresh. TGVirtual's games and titles: https://www.tgvirtual.com Incube8 Games: https://incube8games.com ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

In the mid-90s, frequent travelers wanted laptops that were small and light, but this often meant giving up a comfortable keyboard. But IBM came up with a clever idea, and produced one of the most interesting -- and sought-after -- subnotebooks ever made. Sources: "Don't Judge a Notebook by Its Cover," CIO Magazine, June 1, 1995. "Benchmark Tests: Subnotebooks," PC Magazine, August 1995. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

In the late 1980s, laptop computers were starting to gain popularity as their performance was improving and their size was decreasing. But Apple's first entry into the market wasn't exactly a graceful one. Sources: Toshiba J3100 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba_J-3100GT.jpg Data General One photo: https://twitter.com/mwichary/status/762023368589574144 Numeric keypad photo: https://estatesales.org/online-auctions/1989-apple-macintosh-portable-computer-61578585 IBM 5155 luggable PC photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_5155_(1).jpg Original battery photo: https://estatesales.org/online-auctions/1989-apple-macintosh-portable-computer-61578585 Rebuilt battery photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rebuilt-apple-macintosh-m5137-1901037165 Mac Portable motherboard photo: https://www.theregister.com/Print/2010/11/09/macintosh_portable "The Macintosh Portable," Macworld, November 1989. "ClearPoint Ships Memory Upgrades for Mac Portable," InfoWorld, August 27, 1990. Mac Portable in-box battery charger photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/363685845507?hash=item54ad5d9a03:g:iXIAAOSwyDth3KZh "Mac to Go," MacUser, November 1989. "Apple Delivers a True Mac With Its Pricey Portable," InfoWorld, October 23, 1989. Computerworld, August 21, 1989. Backlit Mac Portable photo: https://www.retropaq.com/macintosh-portable/ Mac Portable introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzlQdWKmPuE Compaq LTE 286 photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laptop_Compaq.JPG "Macintosh PowerBooks 100, 140, and 170," Macworld, December 1991. An interesting read about the development of the Mac Portable: https://www.retropaq.com/macintosh-portable ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

In the 80s and early 90s, when people needed to make their data portable and a floppy disk wouldn't do, they often used a SyQuest drive. But in 1994, that all changed. Sources: Syed Iftikar photo: https://www.storagenewsletter.com/2020/09/07/history-1993-exclusive-interview-with-syed-iftikar-founder-chairman-president-and-ceo-of-syquest "Industry hails SyQuest's 3.9-inch hard-disk drive," InfoWorld, December 20, 1982. Seagate ST-225 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seagate_ST-225.jpg Computer Chronicles, "Desktop Publishing, Part 1": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk1xrbwjni8 "The Bernoulli Solution," PC Magazine, September 18, 1984. "The Box Is Full of Air," InfoWorld, July 29, 1985. "Iomega Expands Disk Drive Family With Bernoulli Box II," InfoWorld, September 7, 1987. "The Bernoulli Box from Iomega incorporates new disk technology," InfoWorld, October 10, 1983. Storage product comparison, InfoWorld, April 2, 1990. SyQuest 200MB cartridge photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Syquest-200mb-cartridge_hg.jpg "Iomega adds Zip to the storage market," InfoWorld, April 10, 1995. "Iomega puts some ZIp in removable storage market," InfoWorld, May 1, 1995. "Micron offers Zip as a default disk drive," InfoWorld, February 23, 1998. "SyQuest sues French company over cartridges," InfoWorld, April 12, 2993. "Iomega to market cartridges," InfoWorld, May 9, 1993. "SyQuest enters retail; Iomega debuts software," InfoWorld, May 9, 1994. "SyQuest, Iomega settle dispute over cartridge license," InfoWorld, June 20, 1994. "SyQuest to Cut 60% of Work Force and Post a Loss," New York Times, February 3, 1996. "Mass Data Appeal," PC Magazine, April 22, 1997. "SyQuest charges founder with theft of trade secrets", Silicon Valley Business Journal, https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/1997/07/07/story7.html "Removable Storage," PC Magazine, April 21, 1996. "Zip Drive Death Click Is for Real," PC World, May 1998. "Troubled SyQuest Technology Suspends its Operations", New York Times, November 4, 1998. Computer Chronicles, "Comdex 1998": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD2LhjtcSWI "Storage Companies Found Dead," Maximum PC, February 1999. "Watchdog," Maximum PC, March 1999. "Iomega Sues Castlewood Over Patents, Trademarks," https://techmonitor.ai/techonology/iomega_sues_castlewood_over_patents_trademarks 2GB Jaz cartridge photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iomega-jaz-2gb_hg.jpg External CD burner photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP_C4381A_CD-Writer_Plus_7200_Series-4075.jpg "Oral History of Syed Iftikar," https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102658066 "More Room to Store," PC Magazine, January 19, 1999. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The folks over at Free Geek Twin Cities have accumulated some new-in-box retro PC parts over the years. There's finally enough to build a system with...so let's do exactly that! Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: Audigy 2 LiveDrive photo: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/creative-labs-sound-blaster-audigy2-1791547943 Asus V8170SE video card specs: https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/asus-v8170-se.b1866 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Subnotebooks were designed with portability in mind, and sometimes came with compromises...but this Toshiba from 1997 took things to a whole new level. Sources: Hard drive photo: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Toshiba+Libretto+50CT+Teardown/2090 Popular Science, September 1997. InfoWorld, August 25, 1997. Maximum PC, June 1999. Libretto battery and docking station photos: http://laptop.pics/toshiba-libretto-70ct Enhanced docking station photos: https://computermuseum.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/libretto-50ct ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

This Apple Mac IIci was stored in a garage or attic and ended up with rodents living in it. Can I get this absolutely filthy retro computer from 1989 working again? Mac floppy drive restoration walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LWfjsvc8OA BlueSCSI: https://scsi.blue Sources: MacUser, November 1989. Byte, October 1989. Computerworld, October 9, 1989. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

It's 2008. You just bought a fancy new video card for your prebuilt PC, but the PSU isn't powerful enough. And it's a weird size, so you can't buy a new one. Booster X5 to the rescue! ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

In the early to mid-2000s, netbooks became very popular due to their small size and low price...but that also usually came as the cost of low performance and few features. But while this Sony VAIO packs a netbook form factor, it makes relatively few compromises. Special Sony FireWire/i.Link cable photos: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Vaio-External-CD-RW-DVD-Combo-Drive-PCGA-CRWD1/321760645734 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

Apple's Mac OS licensing program from the mid-1990s seemed like a good idea at first, but ended up almost killing the company...because machines like this PowerBase 180 were just too good of a value. Useful links: Mac Driver Museum (has Apple CD-ROM driver 5.3.1): https://vintageapple.org/macdrivers/disk.shtml Apple CD-ROM Driver Reference: https://siber-sonic.com/mac/Vintage/CD_DVDdriver.html Sources: Macworld, April 1996. MacUser, April 1996. PC Magazine, March 28, 1995. Low End Mac PowerBase: https://lowendmac.com/1996/power-computing-powerbase/ Macworld, October 1996. Sonnet G3 upgrade card photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mthorsen/4138691789/sizes/l/ Macworld, January 1997. MacUser, October 1996. Apple Infinite Loop entry sign photo: https://allaboutstevejobs.com/pics/pics_places/cupertino/apple_infinite_loop Macworld, November 1997. Motorola StarMax tower photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/oQeVlD2 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

CAD and 3D printing have found many uses, but they can be especially helpful to the retrocomputing community for tackling annoying, tricky problems. Let's see how a couple of simple parts can get a Macintosh PowerBook 1400's CD-ROM drive looking new again. PowerBook 1400 drive bezel bracket models: Thingiverse, https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5176310 PrusaPrinters, https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/106933-powerbook-1400-cd-rom-drive-bezel-brackets PowerBook 500 battery blank model: Thingiverse, https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5177482 PrusaPrinters, https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/107774-macintosh-powerbook-500-series-battery-blank ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Groovy Kaiju (https://soundcloud.com/groovy-godzilla/metro-extended). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The music industry has embraced the popularity of retro audio media...but a few independent artists have branched out to release their tracks on a format I wouldn't have expected. Strudelsoft: https://strudelsoft.bandcamp.com/merch FrankJavCee's "I Love Hating You" EP: https://frankjavcee.bandcamp.com/album/i-love-hating-you 3D Blast: https://3dblast.bandcamp.com/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The popularity of retro handheld gaming seems to increase every year, with better and better mods becoming available for the likes of Game Boy consoles. But with an established reputation for creating amazing FPGA-based consoles, does the Analogue Pocket represent the pinnacle for the format? Analogue Pocket product page: https://www.analogue.co/pocket While Analogue provided me with a Pocket and accessories at no charge for this review, no money changed hands and the opinions expressed here are purely my own. I have a strict policy against paid reviews or sponsored videos as my viewers' trust is of paramount importance. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

This PowerPC portable from the mid-2000s was petite yet powerful, and remains a popular machine among retro Mac collectors. But when the hard drive in mine started to fail, I had a choice to make. Source: Macworld, May 2005. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Video technology has come a long way in the last few decades. Let's spend some time checking out a prosumer Canon MiniDV camcorder -- is it still usable today? If you're interested in more retro video technology content, these two channels are worth checking out: video99.co.uk, https://www.youtube.com/c/video99couk Cathode Ray Dude, https://www.youtube.com/c/CathodeRayDude Sources: Popular Mechanics, November 2002. Maximum PC, August 2004. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Apple's products these days have more or less become impossible to upgrade. But it wasn't always that way, as this mid-90s Mac PowerBook 540c demonstrates. Sources: 540c PPC sticker image: https://paizhang.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/7793_20.jpg "PowerPC Portables," Macworld, November 1995. MacUser, May 1997. NUpowr upgrade card photo: https://www.sekaimon.com/itemdetail/224473321377 In-box NUpowr upgrade photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/203165067257 "New & Notable," MacUser, May 1997. SeeWorld MonsterDrive page, 1997: https://web.archive.org/web/19970327220627/http://www.seeword.com/MonsterDrive.html FWB Hard Disk Toolkit CD-ROM photo: https://archive.org/details/Hard_Disk_Toolkit_Version_2.54.2_14-01228-601_FWB_Software_1998 Quadra 605 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macintosh_quadra_605_warm.jpg PowerPC Upgrade Card photo: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/File:500ppc1.jpg "More PowerBook 5300 Woes," Macworld, February 1996. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (http://www.soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The IBM ThinkPad 235 was a Japan-exclusive subnotebook from the late 90s...that you could buy elsewhere in the world under a different brand name. Sources: Laptop Pics page on the ThinkPad 235: https://laptop.pics/chandra ThinkPad 235 specifications page (Japanese): https://www.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/3/760/MBL98063/index.html Popular Science, April 1998. Epson Endeavor TK-300 photo: https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980713/epson.jpg PC World, November 1997. PC World, May 1998. "Where in the world is Nimesh Desai?", Peter Golden, EDN. https://www.edn.com/where-in-the-world-is-nimesh-desai PC Magazine, January 1998. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I got an original Nintendo DS with a broken screen hinge -- let's see what's involved in replacing the housing to make it look new again. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Usually we think of VCRs as boxes that hook up to the TV in the living room. This Sony GV-500, though, is quite a bit smaller. Sources: CCD-G1 photos: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Sony-CCD-%E2%80%93-G1/dp/B00F5U8444 Billboard, August 31, 1985. Sony EV-C3E photo: https://shop.kusera.de/Sony-Video-8-Video-Cassetten-Recorder-EV-C3E-PAL VHS camcorder photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RCA_VHS_shoulder-mount_Camcorder_(lighter_filter_NR_etc).jpg Sony Betamax VCR photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sony_Betamax_video_recorders#/media/File:Sony-Betamax-Recorder.jpg Betamax and VHS tapes photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Betamax_tape#/media/File:VHS_vs_Betamax_size.jpg Video Walkman ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O16Kun6HBII GV-D1000 photo: https://utopiacam.com/en/shop/gv-d1000/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

1997 was a turbulent year for Apple -- it marked solid technological progress but also financial and leadership troubles. Let's fix up a laptop that played a quiet but important role in helping to turn the company around. Sources: G3 Kanga prototype photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageApple/comments/q2p472/kanga_dvt_unit/ "Fastest Laptop Yet," Macworld, January 1998. "High-End Notebooks," PC Magazine, January 1998. "Help Wanted: Apple CEO," MacUser, October 1997. "Amelio Ousted," Macworld, September 1997. "Apple names Steve Jobs as interim chief executive," InfoWorld, September 22, 1997. "Apple's Next-Generation Systems," Macworld, January 1998. "Apple's G3 systems speed ahead," InfoWorld, December 22, 1997. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

This base-model iMac from 2013 was slow and occasionally failing to boot. Could replacing its hard drive with an SSD give it a new lease on life? Teardown photos courtesy iFixit. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Technology -- and the access to information that it brings -- has long been considered a huge benefit to education. An organization with lofty goals and noble intent tried to change the world with a $100 laptop, but found out the hard way that doing so is much more complicated than it seems. Sources: Mess of AC adapters photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XO#/media/File:OLPC_laptop_charging.JPG Solar panel photo: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/File:XO_and_SolarGorilla.jpg Clamp charger photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FreeplayClampCharger.jpg Steve Jobs photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Jobs_Headshot_2010-CROP2.jpg Nicholas Negroponte photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicholas_Negroponte_USNA_20090415_cropped.jpg "The $100 Laptop Moves Closer to Reality", The Wall Street Journal, November 14, 2005. OLPC with Windows XP boot screen photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nirak/2366816727 "Microsoft to Try Windows XP Out on OLPC in January," https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=3960505 Asus EeePC photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asus_Eee_PC_1001PX_netbook_20180326.jpg Engadget XO-1.5 article: https://www.engadget.com/2009-04-18-xo-generation-1-5-promises-some-beefed-up-internals-while-we-wai.html XO-1.5 motherboard photo: http://wiki.laptop.org/images/9/93/XO-1.5_Motherboard_Bottom_C1.jpg XO-1.75 laptop photo: http://wiki.laptop.org/images/e/e2/XO-1.75_siblings.jpg XO-1.75 laptop photo: http://blog.laptop.org/2012/09/04/are-you-working-with-xo-laptops-that-need-an-upgrade/xo-1-75-2/ The Verge article about the XO-4: https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/6/3844532/olpc-xo-4-convertible-linux-laptop-pictures-video Psivewri's XO-4 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvXeq_wkWwI Nicholas Negroponte TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_negroponte_one_laptop_per_child_two_years_on "The Charisma Machine" by Morgan Ames: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/charisma-machine ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Apple's Macintosh Performa line debuted in 1992 with three models aimed squarely at home users. At Free Geek Twin Cities I found a Performa 400 and its monitor, complete with their boxes -- so let's check them out! Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: Performa 200 photo: http://www.alessandrorighi.com/my-computer-collection/performaPerforma 600 photo: https://madeapple.com/macintosh-performa-600-600cd/ Dayton's store photo: https://vintagenewsdaily.com/inside-the-daytons-grand-forks-in-the-early-1980s-through-amazing-pics/ Marshall Field's store photo: https://www.toledoblade.com/business/retail/2005/09/21/Marshall-Field-s-name-to-vanish/stories/200509210037 Apple IIe card photo: https://www.ebay.com/p/20028923609 Apple IIe card with box: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e3/cf/61/e3cf6150668b05d33c96a726f17ffec5.jpg Macintosh LC setup photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Museum_(Prague)_Macintosh_LC_(1990)_(cropped).jpg Macintosh LC dual floppy photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macintosh_LC_(original)_-_front.jpg Performa 637CD box: https://www.reddit.com/r/Appleboxes/comments/jcmjhv/retro_90s_macintosh_performa_boxes/ Performa 200 photo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/90/ef/ca90ef57efd5378991ce47c593f1033f.jpg Best Buy ad: https://geekologie.com/2011/09/21/best-buy-ad.jpg- ---------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

In the mid- to late 1990s, tablets and e-readers weren't exactly common...and Sony's Japan-only DATA EATA models were perhaps the most unique of them all. Sources: PDF-W77 press release: https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/199907/99-0727A/ PDL-K77 auction photos: https://www.mercari.com/jp/items/m10609716165/ PC Magazine, November 2, 1999. Memory Stick photo: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81tNPOIzmXL._AC_SL1500_.jpg PC Magazine, December 1, 1999. Intuos 2 tablet photo: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/715720319/intuos2-wacom-tablet-medium-platinum?show_sold_out_detail=1 Sony PDF-5 photos: https://www.microsoft.com/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=176 Sony PDF-HD7 press release: https://www.sony.com/ja/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199612/96CI-143/ Sony PDF-V55 brochure: http://bbyamato1971.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2010/12/14sonypdf-v55da.html ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

IBM's ThinkPad line was generally considered very professional and business-like, much like IBM in general. But occasionally the company managed to inject some clever, or even whimsical, features into its products -- and the ThinkPad 760 series was one of them. Sources: Vintage IBM ad: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/55/cd/92/55cd9278bc279cdb68de367f04ce8411.jpg ThinkPad 701C photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ThinkPad_701_(3).png LGR's ThinkPad 701C video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRVJCtREW38 Gameport adapter cable: https://www.ebay.com/p/22024029495 Video adapter cable: https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Vintage-Video-Conversion-Adapter-P-N-85G1880-FRU-85G1897-/184402336569 ThinkPad 760 series promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pln2BnafiVE ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

There have been several options over the years for installing an illuminated screen in the Game Boy Color. But the Retro Pixel version 2 kit from Funnyplaying is no doubt the best I've seen so far. Retro Modding Game Boy Color parts: https://www.retromodding.com/collections/game-boy-color Infinity for GBC project: https://www.infinitygbc.com ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I've previously checked out big, old servers -- but this one is quite different. HP 9000 K-class service manual (PDF): http://ftp.parisc-linux.org/docs/platforms/A2375-90004.pdf Sources: HP9000 K-class CPU board photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP-HP9000-K-Class-CPU-PA-RISC8200-200MHz-A3641-60022_02.jpg HP PowerTrust UPS: http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=1078 HP ThinLAN AUI transceiver photo: https://4gte.com/products/hp-agilent-26841b-thinlan-transceiver/ Modem Distribution Panel photo: https://www.ebay.com/p/1000238970 HP 9000 Workstation with graphics display photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP-HP9000-710-Workstation_04.jpg HP-UX CD photo: https://archive.org/details/hp-ux8.07forhp9000s7xx IBM RS/6000 server photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_RS6000_h70.jpg IBM POWER CPU card photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Power-cpu.jpg Sun SPARC CPU photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sun_UltraSPARCII.jpg Sun E450 photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/5W4gGef HP 9000 series workstation running Debian Linux photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP-HP9000-C110-Workstation_21.jpg HP 9000 series workstation running NeXTSTEP photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HP-HP9000-715-Running-NeXTSTEP_02.jpg HP press release from early 1997 with list prices: https://engineering.purdue.edu/ECN/Support/KB/Docs/HpMain/kclass.txt ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

Sometimes retro computers can be difficult to restore. But in the case of this Sony VAIO PCV-V300G all-in-one -- and many other VAIO models -- there's a very simple reason why it's more challenging to get working than it should be. If you happen to have any Sony VAIO restore discs in your collection, please upload images of them to the Internet Archive to help out others. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

A while ago, I picked up several portable cassette players in need of repair. Most of them were made by Sony...except for this one. Featuring music from "I'm Not Going Anywhere" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com/album/im-not-going-anywhere) and "Last Words" by Wizard of Loneliness (https://music.businesscasual.biz/album/last-words). ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I picked up one of Apple's first laptops, a PowerBook 170, that was mostly complete with its original box. And while it doesn't appear to have suffered any abuse, the past 30 years have still taken their toll. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: Macworld, December 1991. MacUser, December 1991. Data recovery clean room hood photo: https://www.sentryair.com/blog/product-review/fume-hoods/portable-clean-room/portable-clean-room-hoods-for-data-recovery/ PowerBook 180 tunnel vision photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/Rt3iUdq?nc=1 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

My Lexar portable SSD suddenly failed after four years of occasional use...can we figure out why? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

I picked up an original Sony PlayStation Portable, and while it looked to be in good shape at first glance, turning it on revealed a big problem. Sources: PSP custom firmware photo: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/806285139522198717 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

To some, laptops should be as portable as possible. But in the case of this ThinkPad subnotebook from 2007, fans of its form factor went to extreme measures to keep the machine usable over a decade later. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: HWM, February 2008. Middleton's BIOS: https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Middleton%27s_BIOS ThinkPad X60 in docking station photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/gabi2s/the_portable_thiccpad/ ThinkPad UltraBay hard drive module photo: https://www.carousell.sg/p/hdd-caddy-for-thinkpad-1005253205/ UltraBay adapter with hard drive: https://store.flagshiptech.com/ibm-lenovo-thinkpad-92p6557-60gb-4-2k-ultrabay-slim-2nd-hard-drive-assembly/ X61 display upgrade photos: https://geoff.greer.fm/photos/x62/ X61 display upgrade guide: https://ithinkpad.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/x6xipsguide/ X62 motherboard and left ports photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/2Ei3kMc X62 motherboard in bottom case; closeup of mSATA drive: https://web.archive.org/web/20180314140017/https://forum.51nb.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1650395&extra=page=1 PCper X210 mod article: https://pcper.com/2018/07/51nb-thinkpad-x210-mod-review-from-an-alternate-reality/ ThinkPad X62 photo: http://mikejmoffitt.com/articles/0048-x62-sxga60.html X61 Hackintosh: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thinkpad_X61_with_Mac_OS_X.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I was given a bag of Nintendo Game Boy Micro parts, with no idea as to their condition. Can I cobble together any working consoles? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

By the early 1990s, the humble compact cassette was starting to show its age. Electronics giant Sony developed what it believed to be the best successor to tape -- but so did a former business partner. Special thanks to: Viewer Asaf for loaning several MiniDisc portables and accessories; V-Sync Co. Ltd. for providing archival photos; and to fellow YouTubers LGR, Geek Therapy Radio and Computer Clan for video clips. Due to YouTube video description character limits, I've posted the complete list of media credits, sources, and additional research material on my Patreon page -- it's freely available for all to access: https://www.patreon.com/posts/minidisc-media-51723152 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL), Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com), Lakey Inspired (https://www.soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired) and Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I picked up a Sony DTC-690 Digital Audio Tape deck that seemed like it only needed an easy fix. But as they say, looks can be deceiving. If you're curious about the DAT format and its history, I previously explored a portable deck in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0D3c5qN__k Sources: Popular Science, August 1986. Billboard, September 6, 1986. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

In spring 2020, Free Geek Twin Cities had to close for safety reasons -- but while it wasn't open to volunteers, it still pulled off a major renovation of its thrift store area. Now that it's open again, let's take a look at the variety of tech -- both modern and retro -- that's now on display. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org My documentary about FGTC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0JIOqjsfnE ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Apple's Titanium PowerBook G4 from 2001 was a much different laptop than the one it replaced. But despite it being a good value, it had a big problem that ultimately resulted in its demise. Sources: PC Magazine, February 2000 Macworld Magazine, May 2001 PowerBook G3 Zip drive photo: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/274344917007-0-1/s-l1600.jpg Titanium G4 photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/annaui/3718909840, https://www.flickr.com/photos/waleedalzuhair/8077827105, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jakehall/195153682, https://www.flickr.com/photos/randyorr/4955539 and https://www.flickr.com/photos/randyorr/4955431 PC Magazine, July 2002 Macworld, February 2003 17" PowerBook G4 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Powerbook_G4_17%22_1.67ghz_Late-2005.jpg 12" PowerBook G4 photo: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/12-powerbook-g4-score.1970344 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

This Sony MZ-R37 MiniDisc recorder has seen better days. While I may not be able to get it looking brand new again, can I at least get it looking decent? Sources: MZ-R37 box photo: https://www.datistics.de/minidisc-schaetzchen-sony-mz-r37-mit-digital-addiction/ Blue MZ-R37 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25506374@N04/43824611195 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I previously explored a small DOS-based computer designed to run the display system in commercial kitchens and restaurants. You told me to run Doom on it, so let's do exactly that. For the backstory on this hardware, check out the episode where I took it apart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdSJgoP2a88 Sources: KDS photos: https://www.lsretail.com/products/ls-one-for-restaurants and https://ae.bimpos.com/hardware/2/KMS PS/2 splitter cable photo: https://www.techinn.com/f/13748/137485256/startech-6in-ps-2-keyboard-mouse-splitter-cable.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Apple's eMate 300 laptop from 1997 was based on its Newton PDA platform. Its relatively tough exterior meant it was great for schools, but some cost-cutting in its design led to a problem that could kill the machine without warning. My eMate 300 retrospective: https://youtu.be/-_PldKJzEJ8 Replacement eMate display cable: https://www.newtonsales.com/edc.htm Sources: Damaged eMate photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/fhbhakL eMate hinge repair guide: http://www.inventors-emporium.co.uk/pages/newton-emate-hinge.html "eMate 300", Macworld, August 1997. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Often, restoring a vintage portable cassette player can be a challenge. But occasionally, like in the case of this Sony Walkman WM-EX622, things go exactly as one would hope. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

The world of embedded computing devices can often yield interesting component choices. This quasi-computer meant for use in restaurants rocks a clone Pentium CPU that traces its roots back to 1998...and you can still buy it new today. Sources: Kitchen display system photos: https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/benefits-of-kitchen-display-systems-restaurants https://squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/kitchen-display-system "Rise readies itself as Intel's rival", InfoWorld, July 6, 1998. Rise mP6 chip photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_Rise_MP6_266.jpg Rise mP6 details: https://web.archive.org/web/20060615180701/http://www.sandpile.org/impl/mp6.htm "Intel faces stiff competition", InfoWorld, November 30, 1998. mP6 chip in motherboard photo: https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/981014/kaigai01.htm Pentium II photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pentium_II.jpg AMD K6-2 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KL_AMD_K6-2_Chomper-XT.jpg Rise mP6 chip photo: https://cpumuseum.jimdofree.com/museum/rise-technology/mp6/ SiS motherboard photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sis_964_south_bridge.jpg SiS 746FX chip photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SiS746FX.png Cable TV box photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HK_Cable_TV_Settop_Box_2002.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

The PowerBook 145B was a basic, albeit solid, option in Apple's first laptop lineup. So what does this particular machine need to get working again? Sources: "Introducing: The PowerBooks", MacUser, December 1991. "Macintosh PowerBooks 100, 140 and 170", Macworld, December 1991. "The Mac on the Road", Byte, December 1992. Toshiba T1900 laptop photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/retrotech/comments/1fbyve/1994_toshiba_t1910_xpost_from_rpics/ "New PowerBooks", Macworld, December 1992. PowerBook 180 photo: https://imgur.com/a/Zu4wx22 Thingiverse PowerBook 100 series hinge fix: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4391026 "Fast Starter: The PowerBook 145", MacUser, October 1992. "PowerBook 145", MacUser, February 1993. "A New PowerBook 145", Macworld, August 1993. "Penny-Wise PowerBook", MacUser, August 1993. "2 New PowerBooks", Macworld, August 1993. PowerBook 180 tunnel vision photo: https://image.space.rakuten.co.jp/d/strg/ctrl/9/e0c372b95ba0e0b0f7046a05f5a473bd74e2a0c7.16.2.9.2.jpeg Oven photos are from this 68kmla thread: https://68kmla.org/forums/topic/52469-tunnel-vision-on-monochrome-active-matrix-powerbooks/ Additional PowerBook 180 tunnel vision photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/Rt3iUdq?nc=1 Big thank you to The Computer Clan for helping me with a clip of the PowerBook 100! https://www.computerclan.com #marchintosh ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The ThinkPad laptop line from IBM (and later Lenovo) has gotten a lot of love over the years for being reliable and well-built. As such, they're a great option for those looking to get into retrocomputing...except for this model and its major problem. Free Geek Twin Cities: https://www.freegeektwincities.org Sources: T30 without UltraNav photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/21476504@N05/2272187072 "IBM Sells PC Unit to Lenovo," InfoWorld, December 13, 2004. ThinkPad 1802 error fix: https://command-tab.com/2006/02/26/thinkpad-1802-error-fix/ "Introducing...Pentium 4", Maximum PC, January 2000. Pentium 4 ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZtdjMiv-vI AnandTech P4 benchmarks: https://www.anandtech.com/show/661/19 "Frequency-Busting Procs from Intel and AMD!", Maximum PC, November 2001. "Immodest Predictions for 2007," InfoWorld, December 18, 2006. "Netburst Slinks Away," InfoWorld, July 10, 2006. "IBM T30: The Best Business Notebook," PC Magazine, June 2002. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com) and Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I found a Fluke network analyzer from 2005 that needed a bit of repair...but tearing it down revealed that it's far more than just a simple Ethernet cable tester. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com) and Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com).

Despite seeming simple, I've had some struggles with the cassette decks I've tried to get working again. Did I finally get one that wouldn't put up a huge fight? Featured music by 3D Blast: https://music.businesscasual.biz/album/music-here-to-stay ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

Retro laptop enthusiasts tend to naturally gravitate towards ThinkPads. But IBM wasn't the only company making solid (and serviceable) laptops. This time, let's check out a model from Toshiba that came at a pivotal time in laptop history. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

Digital Compact Cassette was a format from the early 1990's that didn't quite work out. What also didn't quite work out was my attempt to get a Philips DCC 900 deck operational again. The DCC Museum: https://www.dccmuseum.com Sources: Technics RS-DC10 photo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/de/34/3ade341b2fbc865d1b5b07450fa66235.jpg "Matsushita, Philips to Make New Cassette," Los Angeles Times, July 6, 1991. "Consumers follow CES to the letter," Chicago Tribune, June 5, 1992. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) and Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com).

Apple's Newton MessagePad from 1993 is one of the earlier examples of touchscreen personal technology. But there's a problem that, eventually, all of them will fall prey to -- and thankfully, it's a relatively easy fix. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

In 1988 Sony flexed its engineering muscle and built the world's smallest portable CD player...then a few months later, did it again. SJM4306's channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/sjm4306 DIY Discman LiPo battery guide: https://hackaday.io/project/165088-sony-discman-diy-lipo-battery Featured music by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com). Sources: Popular Mechanics, September 1988. Taobao gear listing: https://world.taobao.com/item/527971137581.htm Beatles single mini-CD photo: https://www.liveabout.com/the-beatles-cd-singles-collection-3219917 Madonna CD single photo: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/65/ff/55/65ff55319ac617162dc492714bd48d5c.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I have a few cassette and MiniDisc portable audio players that use "gumstick" NiMH batteries -- but I didn't have a way to way to easily recharge them. Instead of buying a charger, I made an adapter that lets me use one I already have. The 3D model file is available here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4700020 https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/50123-gumstick-battery-eneloop-charging-adapter ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com).

I had previously tried to fix a cassette Walkman I had picked up from eBay pretty inexpensively. But after addressing its obvious faults, there was an audio problem that I couldn't quite sort out. There was an overwhelming number of comments in that video that said I should replace the capacitors...but would that make a difference? Previous Walkman repair video: https://youtu.be/Yw2aqrtEyTo ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

Apple's switch to its own processors based on the Arm instruction set is big news in the computer industry. But aside from producing better Macs, I think it's something PC enthusiasts and gamers should welcome -- because it'll lead to benefits for them too. MacBook teardown photos: https://www.ifixit.com/News/46884/m1-macbook-teardowns-something-old-something-new Apple's response to Windows on M1: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/we-are-giddy-interviewing-apple-about-its-mac-silicon-revolution/ Engadget article about Surface RT: https://www.engadget.com/2013-09-23-microsoft-surface-2-same-problems.html Surface Pro X 2020 review: https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/23/21526702/microsoft-surface-pro-x-2020-review-arm-windows-10-apps-features-specs-price Windows for ARM offering x86/64 emulation: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/windows-10-machines-running-on-arm-will-be-able-to-emulate-x64-apps-soon/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).

In the early 1990's, there was an industry trend to make laptops smaller and lighter. These so-called subnotebooks often resulted in a compromise between portability and practicality. Apple's PowerBook Duo series, however, tried to do everything. Sources (in order of appearance): AST Premium Exec laptop photo: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/retrocomputingatcitytech/retrocomputing-archive-namm-520/ PC Magazine, April 14, 1992. Toshiba Libretto photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Libretto_70CT.jpg LGR's ThinkPad 701c video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRVJCtREW38 HP Omnibook 800CT photo: https://muzeuldecalculatoare.ro/2018/06/28/hewlettpackard-omnibook-800ct/ Compaq Contura Aero photo: https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/comments/j8pp4v/restored_compaq_contura_aero_433c_for_asm/ PC Magazine, September 28, 1993. Computerworld, August 15, 1994. MacUser, December 1992. Macworld, December 1992. Macworld, December 1993. Macintosh Duo System Developer Note, November 1992. AAUI ThinNet transceiver photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_AAUI_transceiver_and_cable.jpg AAUI 10Base-T transceiver photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AAUI_examples.jpg The Apple Catalog, Spring 1993. Macintosh Classic photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mac_Classic.jpg MacUser, November 1995. The Apple Catalog, Fall 1993. MacUser, December 1993. Duo battery charger photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/APPLE-M7778-MACINTOSH-POWERBOOK-DUO-BATTERY-RECHARGER-WITH-WARRANTY/113805936371?hash=item1a7f5cc6f3:g:ZGEAAOSws0tfjdX3 Duo 270c upgraded to 2300 photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenleewrites/3277732933/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Nintendo's third retro console differs from its predecessors -- it's handheld, but also only has 3 games. Is its charm and portability enough to overcome its limitations? (And what's inside its sleek exterior anyway?) Sources: Pair of Game & Watch consoles photo: https://d2mpxrrcad19ou.cloudfront.net/item_images/982270/10857233_fullsize.jpg Game & Watch Ball photo (modern Club Nintendo version): https://www.flickr.com/photos/masatsu/4536721793/ ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (http://www.soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Sony released the world's first portable CD player, the D-5/D-50, at a time when mostly just audiophiles had adopted the format. But surprisingly (or not), the device had much broader appeal. Featured music from Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com) and Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com). Sources: D5 inside EBP-9LC: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sonyd50.JPG EBP-9LC photos: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OE0AAOSwGJVfNBTv/s-l1600.jpg "The lasser-disc revolution", Popular Science, May 1985. "Sound to Go", Changing Times magazine, December 1985. "Hot new compact-disc players", Popular Science, November 1984. CDP-101 photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lettore_CD_Sony_CDP-101_-_Museo_della_Scienza_e_della_Tecnologia_Leonardo_da_Vinci.jpg 1982 compact disc introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tx6TYnPat8 AC-D50 photos: https://www.ebay.com/c/1124613292 Rear of AC-D50: https://www.acquris.se/images/sony_d-50_portable_cd-player_7.jpg "Go anywhere CD portables", Popular Science magazine, November 1985. CD manufacturing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suQmNjH92YA SL-XP7 (silver) photo: https://www.rewindaudio.com/uploads/4/6/9/4/46947077/technics-portable-cd-front_orig.jpg SL-XP7 (black) photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/wy220 TPS-L2 photo: https://spectrum.ieee.org/image/MzE4MzE2NA.jpeg TPS-L2 ad: https://i.imgur.com/b1lYI5M.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp

I've had my fair share of challenges when it comes to getting old cassette players working again. Will this sleek model from the early 90s put up a fight? Teal WM-EX606 with battery caddy photo: https://vintage-walkman-lab.reverbsites.com/listing/sony-wm-ex606-walkman-cassette-player-beautiful-greenshape-tested-working/32695029 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

Fans of the Game Boy Advance who prefer the SP's clamshell form factor generally find the AGS-101 to be the best experience. But this IPS screen kit can make your SP look even better! Parts used: IPS screen kit: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/game-boy-advance-sp/products/game-boy-advance-sp-ips-backlit-lcd-kit Clear replacement shell: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/game-boy-advance-sp/products/game-boy-advance-shell Replacement buttons: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/game-boy-advance-sp/products/game-boy-advance-sp-buttons High-capacity battery: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/game-boy-advance-sp/products/li-ion-rechargeable-battery-replacement-for-game-boy-advance-sp Featured music by Aviscerall (https://aviscerall.bandcamp.com). ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) and Lakey Inspired (https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

The Apple IIe I found going out for scrap was in good condition, but didn't work quite right. What was ultimately a simple fix started as an odyssey of my own making. So what did I do wrong? Apple II error list: https://apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/faqs/Csa2ERRLIST.html ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Let's install a backlit screen in a Neo Geo Pocket Color -- because why should Nintendo's consoles get to have all the fun? NGPC backlight kit from Hand Held Legend: https://handheldlegend.com/collections/neo-geo-pocket/products/neo-geo-pocket-backlight Modified centering bracket for original NGPC: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4614963 Slim NGPC photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/NeoGeo_Pocket_Color_%2829421176547%29.jpg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I bought a limited-edition vinyl record that arrived warped. I tried to flatten it. It didn't work for me, but here's a few options that might offer better results for you. Featured music: "Night Drive" and "City Ruins" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com). ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music: "Merlot" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL).

There's a very good chance that your computer already supports hardware-accelerated video encoding. Question is, what kind of performance impact does it have? HandBrake: https://handbrake.fr VCE diagram image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AMD_VCE_fixed_mode.svg ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

I found an Apple IIe setup hastily dumped in an e-waste pile. But was it really just a bunch of junk? Big Mess O' Wires Floppy Emu: https://www.bigmessowires.com/floppy-emu/ Sources: Apple vintage printers photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Apple_Vintage_Printers_%287154380074%29.jpg Epson LQ color printer photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Epson_LQ2550_colour_dot_matrix_printer.jpg Fujitsu printer photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Fujitsu_DL3300_dot_matrix_printer.JPG Facit dot-matrix printer: https://yourmileagemayvary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Facit_E560_dot_matrix_printer-3527965318-1580361596271.jpg Number Munchers cover: https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/222969-number-munchers-apple-ii-front-cover.png Oregon Trail cover: https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/267928-the-oregon-trail-dos-front-cover.jpg Carmen Sandiego cover: https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/185399-where-in-the-world-is-carmen-sandiego-apple-iigs-front-cover.jpg Featured music: "Heartache" by Dan Mason (http://danmason.bandcamp.com). ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I decided I wanted an e-bike and ended up buying a Jupiter Discovery X5. So what do I think of it? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp

My Bose QC35 headphones generally worked fine, but I was never thrilled with how they sounded. So I bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4's instead. Are they what I hoped they'd be? If you think these headphones are a good fit for you and plan to pick up a pair, this affiliate link helps support my channel: https://amzn.to/3hsaQvl ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

I bought a Sony D-CJ01 Discman back in 2001 when they were new. In addition to audio CDs, it can play MP3 files burned to a data CD-R or -RW. But after sitting in storage for years, and realizing that batteries were left in it for most of that time, can I get it working again? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Lakey Inspired (http://www.soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired) and Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com).

IPS replacement display kits have taken the retro handheld game console scene by storm...and now there are two options to pick from when it comes to the original Game Boy. So between the Funnyplaying and RIPS v3 kits, which one is better? Be sure to check out Pad Chennington's unboxing and impressions video on one of the handhelds I built in this episode! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrFSOmMHte4 These are my favorite flush cutters -- they work very well and are actually surprisingly inexpensive (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3kwfU3F Retro Modding parts used in this episode: RIPS v3 DMG kit: https://www.retromodding.com/collections/game-boy/products/game-boy-ips-lcd Funnyplaying "retro pixel" DMG kit: https://www.retromodding.com/collections/featured-items/products/game-boy-ips-lcd-retro-pixel UV printed shells (not available in the US at the time this video was published): https://www.retromodding.com/collections/uv-printed Completely clear glass screen cover: https://www.retromodding.com/collections/game-boy/products/game-boy-clear-glass-screen-lens Featured music: "Passion", "Everytime I Cry" and "Power Drive" by Dan Mason (https://danmason.bandcamp.com) and "Riverside Drive" by Night Tempo (https://nighttempo.bandcamp.com). ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Additional music by Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I ran a podcast series here on YouTube for a few years, but for a few reasons put it on hiatus. It's back now, and available in an audio-only format on my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Here's the first episode of the rebooted series from November 2019. I've made it available freely for everyone, though it was originally published just for Patreon supporters. It covers a few topics, but includes a segment where I explain my thoughts about moving the podcast series away from YouTube and why I made the format/schedule changes. https://www.patreon.com/posts/31318856 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp

Portable MP3 players have been around since the late 1990s, but didn't really gain traction until the turn of the millennium. Let's check out -- and take apart -- one of the best hard drive-based players from the time before the iPod. Sources: PC Magazine, January 2001. Maximum PC magazine, March 2001. RioVolt CD player photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nic221/2842334957 Panasonic CD player photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panasonic-sl-sv553j.jpg Maximum PC magazine, February 2001. Kozmo catalog image: https://medium.com/lots-of-crazy-things-have-happened-in-san/i-call-this-kozmo-com-catalog-spring-2001-9498d115b3df Nomad Jukebox box contents photo: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-RARE-Creative-Nomad-Jukebox-20GB-Media-Player-NW-FOR-PARTS-or-REPAIR-/283939846506?hash=item421c22396a%3Ag%3AKaUAAOSw4PBe-qMh&nma=true&si=c5ZB0ewNun9we6aDei6X9do9e5w%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 AnandTech article about hard drive filesystem: https://www.anandtech.com/show/803/5 Nomad Jukebox 3 photos: https://prisguiden.no/produkt/creative-nomad-jukebox-3-20-gb-686 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

I bought a robot. Featured music: "Xanagram" by MiraiCult (https://music.businesscasual.biz/album/xanagrams). ----------------------------------------­------...

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Analogue has made a name for themselves with their high-quality, high-definition FPGA-powered Nintendo clone consoles. Now they've set their sights on Sega's...

I wandered around the 2019 Twin Cities Auto Show with my new DJI Osmo Pocket. Is it as good of a vlogging camera as many make it out to be? If you're a masoc...

MiniDisc was the quintessential 90s audio format that saw a swift decline at the turn of the century. But is a music genre with roots in that decade poised t...

After being neglected for well over a decade, the minuscule Game Boy Micro finally has replacement housings available. Unlike those for other handhelds, thou...

Lenovo surprised me with a box of goodies...but lurking in the bottom was something I wasn't expecting. ----------------------------------------­------------...

There's a common problem with some Sony MiniDisc decks where they'll spontaneously power on or eject a disc. Can I get mine operating properly again? VWestli...

There's been a wide variety of Game Boy console mods through the years...but this one from Retrohai is especially ambitious. Retrohai Instagram page: https:/...

With the resurgence of vinyl records, many are looking to upgrade from their basic turntable. How does the RT84 from Fluance stack up? Fluance RT84 product p...

Getting to Sonic 3's level select screen using original hardware is notoriously difficult. But there's a much easier way, provided you have, interestingly en...

As its Saturn system struggled in stores, Sega started selling Sonic 3 & Knuckles for a surprising setup. Media sources: Sega Japan HD image 1: https://commo...

Sony's APS-C mirrorless cameras are very compact given their sensor size -- but are also notorious for overheating when shooting video. What would it take to...

2018 was a big year for the channel -- let's talk about where we've been and what lies ahead in the new year! ----------------------------------------­------...

I ordered a DS1054Z oscilloscope direct from Rigol...but there's something fishy about the options it came installed with. ----------------------------------...

Now that Nikon and Canon have (finally) joined Sony in producing full-frame mirrorless cameras, let's take a look at their future -- and the future of the re...

A number of people have turned to the Raspberry Pi to fill in where Nintendo and Sony's mini game consoles have fallen short. Let's take a quick look at some...

There's been a lot of hate surrounding Sony's retro mini console...but is all of it deserved? PlayStation Classic teardown with controller details (Japanese)...

Ever wanted to play your Neo Geo Pocket Color in the dark? Let's install a frontlight kit by Hand-Held Legend! NGPC frontlight panel: https://handheldlegend....

When they launched, Nintendo's NES and Super NES Classic consoles were very hard to come by amid limited production and high demand. Now, these consoles sit ...

They've existed for decades and aren't often something we think about, but the evolution of video game controllers reveals quite a bit about the history of g...

Most build-it-yourself game consoles have an educational emphasis, but the Odroid Go is designed with retro gaming in mind. So how does it stack up? Odroid G...

There have been a lot of new technologies over the last 20 years that changed our lives. But virtualization is one that goes unseen yet has a major impact. -...

IKEA's Eneby is its first Bluetooth speaker and a surprisingly good value. So how did the company best known for furniture pull it off? My Eneby review video...

Electric vehicles are generally efficient and eco-friendly, and all but a few models aren't exactly known for high performance. Will the oncoming EV revoluti...

After years of neglect, Apple finally announced updates to its MacBook Air and Mac mini product lines...but not all of the news is good. Mac Mini stack image...

Thank you all. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patr...

Intel has suffered delays in launching its Coffee Lake series of CPUs, based on a 10nm process. A recent report, though, says the company has canceled the pr...

Sony sold a successful line of Palm OS-based PDAs in the early 2000's. What did one of its high-end models from 2004 look like, and why did PDAs dramatically...

Just a quick episode this time, to answer the most common question I get about the podcast itself -- why don't I publish it to the major podcast platforms? -...

We've seen some major changes to the video game scene over the decades -- portable consoles, 3D rendering, online play -- but will online game streaming be t...

Most old computers and electronics end up in a landfill or scrapped for raw materials. But a nonprofit in Minneapolis, Minnesota takes the tech we no longer ...

A high-profile news article alleges that servers sold to American companies contained chips that could be used to steal data. But are its claims true? Source...

Building a Hackintosh may not be a new thing, but it's certainly not the only case of clone Apple products...though it may be the last. Laser 128 image: http...

If you love handheld video games but also want to learn electrical engineering or programming, the MAKERbuino might just be for you. MAKERbuino product page:...

There's been talk of other gaming companies making their own retro mini consoles like the NES Classic...and Sony actually did it. But there's a few things ab...

There's more to being an audiophile than simply buying expensive stereo equipment -- let's delve into this often-misunderstood culture with special guest Joh...

You can't have a stereo system without speakers. This time, let's take a look at an interesting pair, and modify them to work as part of my garage stereo pro...

Video games have long since established themselves as a popular form of entertainment, right up there with movies, music and television. But what about prese...

A previous video where I gave a tour of some big old decommissioned servers generated a number of questions. Let's answer them! Server tour video: https://yo...

There are plenty of thin-and-light laptops out there, but does Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon have what it takes to stand out? ---------------------------------...

The Minnesota State Fair is an annual tradition. It's the second-largest by attendance in the US, with over 2 million visitors over its 12-day span. There's ...

Nikon is finally embracing the full-frame mirrorless camera market, but how does its new Z6 and Z7 cameras stack up against market leader Sony? And in other ...

It's no secret that Nintendo has periodically pursued sites that infringe on its intellectual property...but a recent lawsuit shows that it's potentially upp...

Wireless convenience is nice, but not all third party game controllers as up to the same quality as the originals. The 8BitDo controller mod kit looks to cha...

The Internet -- and especially social media -- put the power of mass communication in the hands of the average person. But the free exchange of ideas that th...

Many of us remember playing with LEGO when we were young. But with complex sets that are targeted towards adults, why did these traditional children's toys g...

I picked up a mini audio amp for a project that cost only $45 -- let's take a look inside, and the modification I had to perform to get it to function proper...

Television stayed largely the same for many decades...but in just the last few years it's done through a dramatic disruption. Is this the beginning of the en...

It used to be that geeks were ridiculed for their interests. These days, not only does that seem to be less common, but geek culture is often celebrated. Wha...

Recently at work I decommissioned some servers from around 2012 and 2013. But even compared to modern servers, they still have some crazy specifications! ---...

Apple produces arguably some of the best-looking computers...but has their form finally had too much of an impact on their function? Image sources: Mac Pro i...

Over the past decade, we've witnessed a massive resurgence in the popularity of vinyl records. Now it looks like cassettes are poised for a comeback -- but w...

If you think the speaker on your original Game Boy Advance isn't loud enough, this amplifier kit may be just what you're looking for. Retro Modding GBA amp k...

Now and again, something will prompt a fond memory from our youth. Nostalgia can be harmless, but for some -- especially with the rise in popularity of retro...

I recently picked up a drone. While I knew there would be rules and regulations to follow when flying it, the red tape goes a lot deeper than one might expec...

I bought some PDAs to add to my collection...let's take a look at what I ended up with! Image credits: Palm Graffiti reference: https://upload.wikimedia.org/...

Sony seems to be taking its anti-cross-platform gameplay policy up a notch by locking Fortnite accounts from use on other platforms; AT&T is allowed to buy T...

Despite our increasing dependence on their products, why do technology companies treat their customers so poorly? Thumbnail image photo credit: https://en.wi...

Bluetooth speakers are nothing new. But could a speaker from IKEA that costs $50 -- and sounds awesome -- be too good to be true? ---------------------------...

Atari is seemingly back in the consumer hardware business with the upcoming Atari VCS console. But does it fit into today's gaming landscape? Thumbnail image...

DeLoreans are relatively uncommon, short-lived sports cars from the early 80s...and perhaps a quintessential geek icon. This time, we'll talk to Johnny Hembe...

Many are inclined to think that newer operating systems require more memory than older ones...but is that really the case? ----------------------------------...

There's been a major shakeup in the digital camera industry over the past few years -- smartphone photography is taking over, seemingly at the cost of compac...

There's been some interesting gaming news recently -- regarding the Xbox, PlayStation and, perhaps most interestingly, the Switch. For the TL;DR types: 00:26...

The Nintendo 64 hasn't been left out when it comes to HD output mods for retro consoles. What does it take to install the UltraHDMI, and is it worth the effo...

BlackBerry was once the most popular smartphone manufacturer in the world. Now they hardly have a presence in the market. What happened? BlackBerry 7100 and ...

It's a relatively new category of tech, but smartwatches and other wearable devices seem to be popular with consumers. The question is, are they actually useful? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp TDNC t-shirts and apparel can be found at https://www.redbubble.com/people/thisdoesnotcomp This Does Not Compute PO Box 131141 St. Paul, MN 55113 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music: "Square One" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

My old headphones were starting to wear out, but I wasn't completely thrilled with their replacement. Here's what I did to make them better. ----------------...

Bose is a household name when it comes to speakers and headphones -- so just why do audiophiles hate it so much? Image credits: 901 on stands: https://en.aud...

Every once in a while, one of the major social media platforms seems to get caught up in a scandal regarding inappropriate use of personal information. But i...

So what does it take to get the housing of a BennVenn 101-modded Game Boy Color to fit together? Jellybelly Customs: http://www.jellybellycustoms.com Retro M...

Rumors have been swirling about Apple switching its Mac lineup from Intel CPUs to ones of its own design, based on the ARM architecture. But a recent report suggests there might be truth to the rumors -- so what effect on Apple, and the computer industry as a whole, would there be? G5 water cooling image: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Power+Mac+G5+Processor+and+Cooling+Unit+Replacement/1953 PowerPC 601 image: http://www.happytrees.org/chips?page=chip&manufacturer=IBM&part=PPCA601FF_066_1 Power Mac 8100 image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Power-Macintosh-8100-80av.jpg Virtual PC image: http://www.scancat.com/Scancat-Mac.html ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp TDNC t-shirts and apparel can be found at https://www.redbubble.com/people/thisdoesnotcomp This Does Not Compute PO Box 131141 St. Paul, MN 55113 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Lakey Inspired (http://www.soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired). Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

This one's just for fun. I found a model kit of a blobeye STI at the craft store for $12. No painting or gluing required, just snap some parts together and t...

So what's behind the resurgence in retro gaming and computing over the last few years -- people wanting to relive their youth, or something more? -----------...

I have a small collection of retro laptops, but had no good way to store them -- until now. ----------------------------------------­------------------------...

The overwhelming majority of new TVs available for sale now support 4K or UHD. But what's behind this big push, and does the extra resolution matter anyway? ...

It's time for the annual Q&A episode! Codeless (iOS development app): http://www.launchwithcodeless.com StarTAC photo: https://redfield-1982.deviantart.com/a...

Subtle electronic component failures can be difficult and time-consuming to track down. This test cartridge for the Genesis from Retro Gaming Arts promises t...

People have been modifying game consoles for a very long time -- but what's behind the recent explosion in parts that add amazing functionality? Xbox modchip...

Almost everyone buys things from Amazon...but is the online shopping giant causing the downfall of physical stores? Thumbnail image courtesy Amazon. Best Buy...

There are plenty of ways to play Tetris -- but could this be the best? Tetris MicroCard product page: http://www.tetrismicrocard.com ------------------------...

At one point, tablets were heralded as the next revolution in computing, set to replace desktops and laptops...except it never happened. --------------------...

Star Trek is a long-running, beloved sci-fi franchise. But has it lost what makes it unique? Junkball Media: https://www.youtube.com/junkballmedia ----------...

Windows 10 is known to be somewhat forgiving on older hardware. But is a Pentium II-based machine up to the task? ----------------------------------------­--...

CDs have been going through a long, drawn-out death...is it time to finally say goodbye? Image credits and sources: Multitrack tape: https://upload.wikimedia...

Don't mind me, I'm just waffling about game consoles again. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider su...

There have been a number of clone Super Nintendo systems over the years. But could this one be so good, it's even better than the original? Analogue Super Nt...

Streaming music services offer a solid value for listeners. But will the music industry's desire for profits be its undoing? --------------------------------...

The so-called adpocalypse hasn't been kind to YouTube. After many calls for change, the platform has announced new requirements for its advertising program. ...

A custom backlit Game Boy Color was sold on Taobao in early 2017. Its screen looked amazing, but only a few were made. I managed to get my hands on one -- le...

When it comes to Internet services and information technology, "the cloud" comes up as a topic frequently. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Thumbnail ima...

There have been a lot of clone or knockoff game consoles, but it seems like they all have something in common: In one way or another, they all suck. Scorpion...

Plenty of people are getting into retro handheld gaming, but not everyone wants to mod consoles themselves. Let's take a look at a custom frontlit Game Boy C...

I saw The Last Jedi and overall liked it. But it seems like sentiment among fans may be less than rosy. Is Star Wars' best days behind it -- and is the same ...

There are plenty of clone handheld consoles out there. Does the Game Boy Advance-focused Retromini stand out from the rest? Amazon search (multiple sellers):...

Apple recently admitted that it added code to iOS to slow down older phones with degraded batteries. But should users have been given a choice? Sources: Geek...

Bitcoin has seen a massive increase in value since its humble beginnings not too long ago. But many are saying the cryptocurrency isn't going to keep that va...

Sometimes our old electronics need a little support. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supportin...

We've all seen them online, fanboys and fangirls relentlessly defending their favorite products, brands and celebrities. But why do people develop such attac...

The fate of Net Neutrality in the United States goes up for a vote on December 14, and it's likely going to be repealed. How did we get to this point, and wh...

The Game Boy Advance uses a pair of AA batteries, but many would find a permanent rechargeable to be much more convenient. So how does this one from Retro Mo...

For many, the Super Nintendo Classic Edition's controller cable is still too short. 8Bitdo thinks it has the answer with its SF30 and SN30 wireless versions ...

You wanted more stories about my time at a computer store in the late 1990s, so here you go! Gateway monitor and Packard Bell modem-sound card images courtes...

Let's check out 8Bitdo's latest SNES-themed Bluetooth controller -- is it worth its pricetag? 8Bitdo SN30/SF30 Pro Controller product page: http://www.8bitdo...

Music has been in video games for a very long time. But what makes this genre special? Catskull Games - Arduinoboy: https://catskullelectronics.com/arduinobo...

Let's take a quick look at some neoprene sleeves designed for Nintendo's classic handhelds! Retro Modding sleeves: https://www.retromodding.com/products/prot...

The Internet-connected devices we invite into our lives may seem cool, but are they as innocuous as they seem? Thumbnail image courtesy Amazon. -------------...

Ever want to change how fast or slow Game Boy games play? Let's install a variable clock module! Hand-Held Legend clock module page: https://handheldlegend.c...

There's an entire subculture of people who watch others play games. What's going on here, and what are some of the challenges that Let's Players face? ------...

Camera technology has advanced in incredible ways...so why haven't I found one that I'm completely happy with? ----------------------------------------­-----...

There are lots of options for mechanical keyboards these days -- so how does this 80% board from Leopold stack up? Leopold FC750R keyboard series page (Korea...

Rapid innovation in the late 1990s saw quite a few people getting their first computer. I worked at a computer store during that time, and have some stories ...

With the release of the NES and SNES Classic consoles, many are wondering what Nintendo might do next. Let's brainstorm what it might be like if the Game Boy...

I found an IBM ThinkPad from 1999 that wouldn't boot. What will it take to get it up and running again? Zip drive image courtesy eBay user "chris1048" SuperD...

It's been over five years since the PlayStation Vita launched, with no sign of a replacement. So is Sony done with the handheld gaming market? EGX 2015 devel...

The SNES Classic is finally out. After a rocky start to preorders, let's talk about launch day...and some interesting things we've learned about the console ...

Let's take apart this clone Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console and figure out how it works! Fei Hao clone console review: https://youtu.be/2lAo3VFAYoU A great t...

Most of us use keyboards every day and don't give it a second thought. So what's the deal with mechanical keyboards, and why do some people like them? Image ...

We've seen a slowdown in the rate that consumer-oriented CPUs have been advancing at. So what are the factors to CPU performance, and what does the future ho...

Custom modded Game Boys are common, but not everyone has the time or skills to make their own. Let's check out an example of one you can buy from an experien...

The prices on flagship or high-end smartphones, like the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X, are higher than we've ever seen. What's caused the cost to jump so drama...

I picked up a complete-in-box Nintendo Pokémon Mini. Let's check it out! A great Pokémon Mini site is http://www.pokemon-mini.net. For those curious about Su...

We've been seeing more remasters, remakes and reboots of video game franchises lately. But are they any good? Sonic Mania trailer: https://www.youtube.com/wa...

The Nintendo Pokémon Mini has a reflective screen, just like the Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket. Let's fix that by installing a backlight kit from Hand Held Le...

"Adpocalypse" came and went, but months later, YouTubers are finding that lots of their videos are being demonetized. So what's going on with advertising on ...

We're at the beginning of a revolution in personal transportation. So what makes electric cars so different? ----------------------------------------­-------...

While this clone Genesis/Mega Drive console plays original cartridges, does it do the gameplay any justice -- even with an HDMI output? Fei Hao console link:...

First came the NES Classic, then the Super NES Classic. Should Nintendo make a retro-mini N64 console? ----------------------------------------­-------------...

At the turn of the millennium, portable MP3 players were all the rage. But now, even Apple is pulling out of the market. After almost two decades, are MP3 pl...

Nintendo's New 2DS XL shows that the company isn't done with the 3DS family just yet. But is this midrange model any good? ----------------------------------...

The Mac vs (Windows) PC debate continues to rage on, decades after it started. One point that's often raised is that PCs are less expensive. But is this alwa...

The Game Boy Color has, so far, been stuck with subpar options for illuminating its screen. Is this backlight kit from BennVenn the solution everyone's been ...

In recent years there's been a major increase in the numbers of people who, well, make stuff. So what's it all about? ---------------------------------------...

We're not just surrounded by it -- technology is deeply embedded in the lives of many. So how do we acknowledge the tech we take for granted? Phonograph imag...

Let's take a look at a Game Boy-inspired handheld with an IPS screen. But is it what it seems? BittBoy main product page: https://www.bittboy.com BittBoy Ama...

To some, it might seem glamorous to be a content creator -- but when it comes to getting paid, it can be anything but. --------------------------------------...

As many predicted, Nintendo has announced the Super NES Classic Edition. Here we go again. Product image courtesy Nintendo. ---------------------------------...

I found an iMac from 2008 that was headed out for recycling, but the only thing wrong with it was a dying hard drive. Let's see what it takes to replace it. ...

We've seen a major change in the way we listen to music. But while most people have shifted to compressed music files, others are reaching for quality even b...

It's pretty clear that retro gaming -- and retro game collecting -- is here to stay. But what's it going to look like in a couple of decades? ---------------...

Let's take a look at a turntable that mixes analog technology with digital convenience. AT-LP60BT product page: http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/turntables/...

They were small laptops meant to usher in a new era of Internet connectivity...so where are they now? Image credits, in order of appearance: Samsung netbook:...

Digital photography is inexpensive, easy and ubiquitous. So why is film photography slowly regaining popularity? Kodak DCS-560 image courtesy Ashley Pomeroy ...

Apple is well-known for its PowerBook series of laptops from the 1990s. But there was one portable computer the company made that had far-reaching effects --...

Video game consoles have come a long way over the decades. But could one particular generation be considered the best? --------------------------------------...

We've been hearing a lot about how automation and artificial intelligence will be revolutionizing entire industries. But what will happen to all those jobs? ...

I found an unopened roll of black and white film with some camera gear I inherited. It's over 35 years old -- let's take pictures with it! ------------------...

In early 2017, custom backlit Game Boy Colors appeared on Chinese shopping site Taobao. But almost all of the orders that were placed got canceled. What happ...

You have questions, I have answers! Time for the third annual Q&A session. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Ple...

Is this the backlight kit that Game Boy Color fans have been waiting for? Kitsch-Bent backlit kit product page: http://store.kitsch-bent.com/product/game-boy...

The Internet, and especially smartphones, puts the world's knowledge at our fingertips. Are we worse off because of it? -------------------------------------...

Not everyone sticks with their hobbies. So why do people step away from video games, and what can they do to get back into it? ------------------------------...

Flashcarts open up a new dimension in retro gaming. Let's take a look at BitBuilt's offering for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color and see how it stacks up. Bi...

The NES Classic has been notoriously hard to find, so why is Nintendo discontinuing it? Polygon article referenced in the episode: http://www.polygon.com/201...

By all appearances, the Nintendo Switch has been a solid success. But is it simply because it's a new Nintendo product? -------------------------------------...

Synology's well-known for its storage products, but how does its first entry in the wireless router market stack up? RT2600ac product page: https://www.synol...

Lots of professionals who use the Mac have been nervous about Apple's ongoing support for the platform. But then the company did something we've never seen i...

Video game consoles are increasingly similar to personal computers, not just in hardware but also software. Let's take a look at the operating systems that p...

It may look like a handheld game console, but there's a lot more to PocketCHIP. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------...

I like cars. Let's go for a walk around the 2017 Minneapolis Auto Show and look at some. ----------------------------------------­---------------------------...

Super Mario Maker ended up becoming a very successful title for the Wii U. But is there more to it than just building levels? -------------------------------...

Nintendo's newest console certainly has an interesting concept -- but is it worth buying? ----------------------------------------­--------------------------...

If almost everyone has a smartphone already, and the pace of progress is slowing...then what? ----------------------------------------­----------------------...

Tired of my rechargeable batteries rolling around in a desk drawer, I discovered an awesome way to store them. MTM Case-Gard RSLD-50-24: http://mtmcase-gard....

Manufacturers in a variety of industries seem to be making it harder for us to fix our broken things. Why is this, and is there anything getting done about i...

PlayStation Now platform is what some might call the logical conclusion to gaming -- playing everything over the Internet. But if that's the case, why does i...

Let's take a look at the DS916+ network-attached storage unit from Synology -- a personal server that can do way more than just keep your files safe. Synolog...

Lots of older technology is coming back into vogue -- video games, vinyl records, and more. But how does retro computing fit into the picture? --------------...

It feels like popular opinion on the Internet has already panned the Nintendo Switch even before the console is released. How did this happen, and what can w...

The Color Classic may have been the last of the compact Macs, but it certainly left an interesting legacy. ----------------------------------------­---------...

The Internet is decades old, but net neutrality is a relatively new term. Let's talk about what it means and how it may affect you. -------------------------...

For well over a decade, Nintendo's console hardware has been unique and pushed the boundaries of how we play games. But why did they start, and should they c...

Mechanical keyboards, especially illuminated ones, can tend to be expensive. At a price of about $60, though, how well does Aukey's KM-G3 fare? Aukey KM-G3 p...

I'm inclined to think that Nintendo Switch will sell in decent numbers. But what happens to Nintendo if it doesn't? ----------------------------------------­...

2016 saw some solid growth in terms of viewership for my channel. What's in store for 2017? ----------------------------------------­------------------------...

Let's take a look at my all-time favorite computer game and the story of how it came to be. ----------------------------------------­------------------------...

It's cold out there. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://ww...

Vinyl records are, by some accounts, are now selling as well as they did decades ago...but why? ----------------------------------------­--------------------...

With smartphone gaming picking up steam and the Nintendo Switch bridging the gap between portable and home consoles, what's the future look like for handheld...

The cable on the NES Classic's controller is just too short. Let's take a look at the 8Bitdo Retro Receiver for NES Classic, which promises to unleash you fr...

I often get asked what my favorite game is. This time, let's talk about my favorite console video game and why I think it's so special. ---------------------...

The Revo K101 Plus is advertised as a GBA clone. But does it have the potential to one-up the original? Revo product page: http://k1gbasp.com ---------------...

It wasn't publicized, but it seems that Sony has discontinued the PlayStation Vita outside of Japan. Let's take a look at why the console struggled in the ma...

It's a common trope that the movie industry is out of ideas. But with so many sequels on the market, is the video game industry just as guilty? -------------...

Nintendo's Game Boy Micro is quite a bit different from other handhelds the company has made. Is it much different on the inside too? -----------------------...

In late October 2016, Apple announced new MacBook Pros. But a lot of creative pros who use them aren't happy. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp TDNC t-shirts and apparel can be found at https://www.redbubble.com/people/thisdoesnotcomp This Does Not Compute PO Box 131141 St. Paul, MN 55113 ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by Joe Bagale. Intro music by BoxCat Games (http://www.box-cat.com).

Speedrunning is the art and science of playing video games quickly. But is there more to it than pushing buttons? ----------------------------------------­--...

A lot of Bluetooth speakers are weatherproof, but the Trakk Go takes it up a notch. But does it sound any good? Trakk Amazon store: http://bit.ly/ShopTRAKK T...

When popular products sell out in stores, some pop up on eBay for ridiculous prices. But why do people hate scalpers so much, and can anything be done? -----...

Nintendo's new NES Classic retro console pretty much sold out on launch day, and will likely be hard to find for a while. But why are there so few to go arou...

The Wii U hardware is no longer being manufactured, the end for a console that had a rough life in the market. So what went wrong? --------------------------...

In a previous episode I built a PortaPi tabletop arcade cabinet from Retro Built Games. But what do I think about it? Here's the review! Retro Built Games: h...

Modern headphones and speakers can produce amazing sound. But is their potential being wasted by what we play through them? ---------------------------------...

The PortaPi from Retro Built Games is a cool mini arcade cabinet that's powered by a Raspberry Pi. Let's see what's involved in building one! Retro Built Gam...

Sony's PlayStation VR and the Oculus Rift have put on a strong showing for virtual reality gaming. But does this represent a new chapter for gaming, or is it...

Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 turned from darling to disaster in a few short months. What went wrong, and does it mark the beginning of similar problems with techn...

Nintendo recently unveiled its next-generation console, the Switch. We don't know a whole lot about it yet, but here are my first thoughts on the platform! -...

I picked up a Game Boy Micro in good condition, except one of the faceplate latches was broken. Here's how I fixed it. --------------------------------------...

Retro games are becoming more and more collectible. But why do people do it, and what are the pros and cons of the places you can buy them? -----------------...

I just passed 20,000 subscribers, and in appreciation for my viewers, I'm giving away a pair of Archeer AH07 Bluetooth headphones! *THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERIN...

I occasionally get asked about how I create my videos or what being a YouTube content creator is like. Here are some of the things I've learned along the way...

Despite getting good reviews, several of Sony's Alpha cameras have become notorious for overheating while shooting video. Let's take a look at a modification...

We've seen a number of new video game consoles that can play original, retro cartridges. But they vary greatly in price and quality -- so what's the differen...

Retro video game console modding seems to have undergone a resurgence recently, but with the systems becoming harder to find and more expensive, should we st...

Thinking it's time to upgrade to Bluetooth wireless headphones, but on a limited budget? Let's take a look at a pair that offer surprising value. Archeer AH0...

With the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox Project Scorpio we're looking at what could be the end of game console generations. What's the impact? ------------------...

Apple is killing off the 3.5mm analog headphone jack, but is it really the big deal that many are making it out to be? --------------------------------------...

There are plenty of clone game consoles out there, meant to play your retro video games. Some may even look like the real thing. But what's inside? ---------...

Product reviews are incredibly common, both on YouTube and the Internet in general. But there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes you may not realize. ---...

Gaming emulation has become increasingly common and made older games much more accessible. But is it better than the original hardware? ---------------------...

Power Support sent along its Air Jacket case for the 9.7" iPad Pro. Does it continue the Air Jacket's legacy for quality protection without a lot of bulk? ht...

It seems like all anyone's interested in these days are smartphones and tablets. Are the days of the personal computer numbered? ----------------------------...

The announcement of the NES Classic Mini was a surprise to many. Does it herald a shift in Nintendo's strategy? ----------------------------------------­----...

Most think of Neo Geo as the arcade console powerhouse, but at the turn of the century it tried to give the Game Boy series a run for its money. Source mater...

Cars are entering an era of rapid change -- let's talk about two aspects that I think will have the most impact. ----------------------------------------­---...

Pokémon Go became a massively popular smartphone game. Has it finally figured out the best way to approach smartphone gaming -- and blazed a path forward for...

Let's take a look at a quick, easy mod to customize the look of your original DMG Game Boy! Hand Held Legend -- 2-Part DMG Buttons: http://handheldlegend.com...

I'm starting up a new, weekly video series -- let's talk about how it's gonna work. ----------------------------------------­--------------------------------...

Thin and light laptops are common today, but in 1999 this Toshiba Portégé 3110CT subnotebook was definitely something special. ------------------------------...

Content creators need solid, reliable storage -- here's a look at a USB hard drive array designed specifically for them. ------------------------------------...

There are a ton of small Bluetooth speakers out there -- could this one be the best? ----------------------------------------­-------------------------------...

I ended up with a few Super Famicom games, but only have a US-release SNES to play them on. Let's take a look at a product that lets you get around Nintendo'...

I pulled my Wii remotes out of storage and found that one had yellowed in some spots. Could it be due to the silicone sleeve? -------------------------------...

Maybe your Game Boy frontlight installation with LOCA didn't go right -- let's take a look at what's involved in trying again and preventing problems to begi...

I've generally had good luck with Audio-Technica products. But do the ATH-SPORT2's live up to the company's reputation? -------------------------------------...

Let's mod a Game Boy Color. Big thanks to Hand Held Legend for the parts used in this video: --Game Boy Color clear shell: https://handheldlegend.com/collect...

I picked up a Cirrus White Xbox One as part of the Quantum Break bundle. Let's see what's in the box! ----------------------------------------­--------------...

I like to have something to listen to when I go out for a run. Will the Yurbuds ITX-1000 earphones make the cut? Product page: http://www.yurbuds.com/en/in-t...

I asked for your questions in a previous video and on Twitter, and you delivered -- now it's time to answer them! ----------------------------------------­--...

Adding a bivert chip is a great mod for the original Game Boy -- let's take a look at how to install one in the Game Boy Pocket! Here's my video on installin...

Wireless microphone systems can be confusing and unreliable. Let's take a look at a system that promises to be everything a content creator needs -- solid an...

The Game Boy Color is the only one in the series to not have some sort of option for a backlit screen. Let's take a look at why that is. --------------------...

I previously explored why the Wii U seems to be so slow to download games and updates, blaming it on the hardware. But let's run some new tests -- will we co...

Let's take a look at the Sennheiser HD 558's -- a pair of serious high-end headphones that anyone can enjoy. Sennheiser HD 558 product page: http://en-us.sen...

It turns out there's a lot of untapped potential in that boring, green Game Boy screen. Let's take a look at a pair of mods from Hand Held Legend that will u...

I finally got my hands on a Mega Yarn Yoshi. Let's take a look at what makes this super-size amiibo so special. ----------------------------------------­----...

Could this knockoff of the Nintendo Game Boy Color be even better than the original? ----------------------------------------­-------------------------------...

Love your original Game Boy Advance but hate its reflective screen? Installing a Hand Held Legend frontlight kit is easier than you think. UPDATE: To provide...

There have been plenty of cheap tablets, but typically they're slow, glitchy and cheaply made. Does Amazon's $50 foray into this territory buck the trend? --...

Stock game controllers are boring. Let's see what it takes to customize an Xbox 360 controller with new LEDs and replacement buttons! -----------------------...

The screen in the Sega Game Gear is downright ancient compared to what's available today. Let's replace its backlight with a modern LED replacement and see w...

I think the original PlayStation is one of the best values in retro gaming today. Here's a crash course in the hardware so you know what to look for if you g...

The Game Boy Pocket fixed a lot of the complaints about the original Game Boy, except for its non-illuminated screen. Let's fix that by installing a backligh...

Many older cartridge-based games use internal batteries to keep your game saves going. These batteries won't last forever though, so let's take a look at how...

Let's take a look at a somewhat obscure PlayStation emulator that proved to be instrumental to today's gaming ecosystem -- and has the case law to prove it. ...

There's a more advanced method of installing a frontlight kit in a Game Boy Color. Are the results worth the effort? My original GBC frontlight mod video: ht...

Just a quick update on what I've learned about YouTube so far, a change in my posting schedule, and a big thank you to all my viewers. ----------------------...

Let's take a look at what's involved in fixing an original "fat" PlayStation 2 that won't read discs. ----------------------------------------­--------------...

The Wii U hasn't been the most popular console, and that has led some to say that Nintendo should go out of business. Let's take a look at why unfounded sent...

I really like noise-canceling headphones, but I've also been wanting to cut the cord. Let's take a quick look at a pair of cans that seem to strike the right...

Afton State Park, Hastings, MN. Shot with a Sony RX10 using the XAVC S codec. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- ...

It's no secret that physical media -- CDs, game discs, etc -- are fast being replaced by digital distribution, but the traditional arguments may not be the o...

I picked up a Game Gear recently, but the sound on it didn't work. This is a common problem, so let's take a look at how to fix it. -------------------------...

Not too long ago, a number of articles came out declaring that the Vita was being discontinued, when it's not. Let's get to the bottom of this. Listen to Son...

Let's take a look at some small but important details about the Sony DSC-RX10 that the reviews don't cover. Please note that this episode refers to the origi...

It's relatively quick and easy to install a front light kit in your Game Boy Color to illuminate the hard-to-see reflective LCD. Front light kit from Kitsch-...

I got tired of using a cheap 2-wire electrical tester, so here's a quick review of what I upgraded to -- a Hioki 3120 non-contact voltage detector. ---------...

Here's a quick, fun mod that's cheap to do and looks cool. Install an LED inside a Game Boy Color cartridge and watch it glow! ------------------------------...

With game consoles becoming less and less friendly to DIYers, it got me thinking: Will game console modding be around for much longer? ----------------------...

These days it's risky to buy a wireless mic system, with concerns about interference issues and frequency band reallocation . Let's take a look at Audio-Tech...

While Wi-Fi is great, nothing beats the speed and reliability of wired Ethernet. Cables can quickly get messy, though, so keeping them tidy is a must. Let's ...

If you want to get into repairing or modding game consoles (or other gadgets), you'll want to learn how to solder. Let's take a look at the tools, supplies, ...

The Wii U isn't exactly quick to download updates. Does using a wired network connection speed it up any? Let's find out! -----------------------------------...

Japan is a topic that indirectly comes up in a number of my videos. Yet people who are interested in the country, its language, food and culture aren't all n...

My battery-powered PA speaker is handy, but I needed a way to make my wireless mic system work without mains power too. Here's two solutions that can apply t...

Do Nintendo's amiibo figures live up to the initial hype? Let's look at a few concerns about buying into this new product line. -----------------------------...

I finally got around to fixing up my problematic Super Nintendo, and here's what I learned in the process. ----------------------------------------­---------...

The sound on my Game Boy Color wasn't working, so here's what I did to fix it. ----------------------------------------­-------------------------------------...

You've got questions, I've got (attempts at) answers! This is the first episode of a new series where I answer the questions that I get asked. Have a questio...

The PlayStation TV is a curious game console -- but should you buy one? ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Follow...

You want to start repairing or modding video game consoles, but what tools do you need? Here's a list to get you started! Some of the tools I use: iFixit 26-...

It seems that all the Game Boy Advance backlight mod kits have disappeared. Where did they go? ----------------------------------------­---------------------...

I came up with a cheap solution for keeping my Sony Action Cam's lens from getting scratched. The official lens cover is $23, and this one is only about $2. ...

Nintendo has made some interesting decisions over the last year or so -- have they lost touch with the gaming community? ------------------------------------...

Let's take a look at the flagship noise-canceling headphones from two companies who have rather different reputations in the audio industry. ----------------...

I picked up another new-to-me game console recently, and while cleaning the controllers I couldn't help but wonder, what's the future for game consoles? Is t...

Like SpotPass on your 2DS/3DS but wish you could meet other Miis more quickly? Here's a tutorial on setting up your own SpotPass relay at home. Remote Street...

I picked up another SNES bundle for a song recently, but the controllers were a bit worse for wear...looks like someone's dog mistook the cables for a chew t...

I needed a windscreen for my Audio-Technica AT2020 studio mic, but didn't want to spend a third of the mic's cost on one. I managed to find one that works we...

I recently got my Model 1 Sega Genesis back from my sister. The RF adapter that originally came with it isn't cutting it anymore in terms of video and audio ...

TTX Tech manufactures reproduction/clone Super Nintendo controllers, so when I saw one in a local shop, I decided to pick one up to review. For $5 it's a sur...

December 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the Sony PlayStation. What better way to celebrate it than by cleaning one up to restore it to its former glory? ...

My wife dropped her 3DS XL and damaged one of the shoulder buttons. Here's how to replace it! ----------------------------------------­----------------------...

I picked up a new Sony Action Cam, because its quality is supposed to be better than my previous one -- so let's put them to the test! And while we're doing ...

With Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U comes the ability to use GameCube controllers through a USB adapter. Let's take a look at how to get your GameCube and W...

Since smartphone cameras have gotten so good lately, there's no reason to not use them for more complex shoots. When shooting video, stability is very import...

Just a quick video about a huge bridge I went over in Duluth, MN recently, and a shout-out to Allie Knight, an awesome trucker (who happens to also like huge...

I picked up a used NES about 10 years ago, but it's sat in my garage most of the time as it's always given me problems with the blinking red light of death. ...

I don't often sing the praises of companies, but one that I'll admit a strong affinity to is Power Support. I've had an Air Jacket on all of my iDevices, and...

Looking at where retro video game prices have been lately (and where they're going), I wondered why I was seeing the particular trends that I was. After a bi...

I just picked up a Benro A1573FS2 tripod, which features a fluid head for use with video cameras. Let's take a look to see if it lives up to is $200 pricetag...

Just a quick follow-up to my previous video about my old Char-Broil Patio Bistro grill. Apparently there was a recall on it for the exact problem I explained...

One feature that's starting to show up in smartphones is Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) and HD Voice. It promises clearer, richer audio than what we're used to for p...

Here's a quick review of the iPhone 6. And for those reluctant to upgrade: This is the phone to get. ----------------------------------------­---------------...

A question I've been getting asked more frequently is how long the batteries should last in a backlit-modded Game Boy Advance. Let's do some electronics engi...

I picked up a slick accessory Sony came out with back in the days of the PSone...and also ask that hardware hackers leave it alone! -------------------------...

Need to replace the screen on your Game Boy Pocket, or just take it apart so you can clean it? It's quick and easy -- here's how. ---------------------------...

There's a little bit of everything at the fair. ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Music by BoxCat Games (http://...

Sometimes the best camera angles don't involve a tripod. Here's how to make your own DIY camera mount that will clamp to almost anything. -------------------...

The first thing I do whenever I buy a used game console is to clean its controllers. Here's a look at how to completely clean Sony PlayStation and PlayStatio...

I picked up a new-to-me wireless microphone system that will hopefully give me more flexibility when shooting videos. Here's what I think about it. The mono-...

July was a good month for picking up more gaming odds and ends! ----------------------------------------­------------------------------------- Follow me on T...

I found that the front panel of my GameCube had gotten yellowed over time. I could have mixed up a batch of Retr0bright to fix it, but I decided to embark on...

I picked up a GameCube that was said to not read game discs. Here's how I figured out what was wrong and how I fixed it. Interested in the multimeter I used ...

Tired of having to play roulette with rented or provided equipment, I bought a battery-powered portable PA speaker that's actually decently built and by a br...

Picked up a few new video games and pieces of hardware recently. If you're looking for older/vintage video games and live in the Twin Cities, MN metro area, ...

Let's explore some of the common problems you may experience with a Game Boy Advance SP and how to fix them -- and as a bonus, you'll learn how to replace th...

Last week everyone in my homeowners' association got a piece of junk mail from our management company -- no big deal. But one of my neighbors took particular...

Here's the reason why the knobs on bifold doors loosen and tear out over time -- and a simple, inexpensive way to prevent it from happening! ----------------...

Was in Madison, WI for a wedding and checked out the weekly farmers' market. I'm a big fan of the Dave's World of Fun Stuff channel; if you want to learn how...

One skill that separates audio amateurs from audio professionals is the ability to build cables. It's not that hard actually, and requires only a few tools. ...

Having found myself with a load of Game Boy Color handhelds, I decided to put them on display instead of in storage. ----------------------------------------...

While in Omaha, Nebraska on a trip, I checked out the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. ----------------------------------------­-------------------------------...

Just wanted to take a couple minutes to share my thoughts on the channel so far and to express my thanks to my subscribers and viewers. ---------------------...

The final video about the Game Boy Advance backlight mod. I finally got the screen to look decent; here's how I did it. If you haven't seen it, here's where ...

In my previous GBA display mod video I mentioned that I wasn't completely happy with the results and was going to tinker some more. Here's what I ended up wi...

My old Char-Broil gas grill has failed me for the last time, so I pitched it and bought a Weber Q 200. ----------------------------------------­-------------...

While cleaning out the garage I found just the right pieces to build my own camera pole mount for shooting kind-of aerial video. Total cost? Only $30 and a f...

I picked up a new rear case for my iPad mini, and here's what I think about it. It's available from www.powersupportintl.com or Apple stores (both online and...

I needed a better multimeter and set a budget of $140. Here's my review of what I ended up with! ----------------------------------------­-------------------...

I'm pretty sure I just bought the world's worst tripod, and it didn't even come from eBay. ----------------------------------------­-------------------------...

I picked up a Tascam US-144mkII USB audio interface recently and took it for a spin. Do its features and quality live up to its $120 pricetag? --------------...

I was getting nostalgic for GBA games, but hated the reflective screen on my original GBA. What to do? Mod it, of course! Be sure to check out the follow up ...

The Nintendo DS Lite that won't power on gets repaired through the magic of surface-mount soldering. ----------------------------------------­---------------...

Build a great overhead camera mount with just a swing-arm lamp from IKEA and a bit of hardware. This rig only cost me $9 -- the optional ball-head adapter co...

My DSi XL finally gets back from Nintendo...plus a sneak peek at a project to come. ----------------------------------------­--------------------------------...

While the DSi XL is off getting fixed, I picked up another DS to see if I'd have better luck. ----------------------------------------­----------------------...

An update on the aborted DSi XL repair and general blabbering about this channel and video games. RetroGameTech: https://www.youtube.com/retrogametech ------...

Picked up a faulty DSi XL with hopes of fixing it and adding it to my collection, but was reminded of the golden rule of eBay -- nothing is as it seems. ----...