TPU's Nostalgic Hardware Club

[E-Bear]

I know its not computer hardware but it's an antique stool with internal adjustable screw. Going to use it to fix computer and do my car mechanic. Probably dated from the 20's art deco period based on the ridge design. When I try to look online for art deco of that time everything is qualified as "industrial". Everything now is cheap shit made in other countries by underpaid workers so no wonder why everything of that era is qualified as Industrial since it was made in america or canada by skillfull hand work

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[the54thvoid]

I know its not computer hardware but it's an antique stool with internal adjustable screw. Going to use it to fix computer and do my car mechanic. Probably dated from the 20's art deco period based on the ridge design. When I try to look online for art deco of that time everything is qualified as "industrial". Everything now is cheap shit made in other countries by underpaid workers so no wonder why everything of that era is qualified as Industrial since it was made in america or canada by skillfull hand workView attachment 146324.

It's still hardware. Love it!

 

[cornemuse]

Looks like an old piano stool?

 

[Retrorockit]

It was probably a priceless antique, until they stuck that 4x4 on top of it.

 

[Durkhead]

The day I beat Mr. Scott's buddy: (MrPaco) El Bori

Schmuckley`s PCMark05 (alpha) score: 10366 marks with a Athlon 64 LE-1600 (Orleans)

The Athlon 64 LE-1600 (Orleans) @ 3311.3MHzscores getScoreFormatted in the PCMark05 (alpha) benchmark. Schmuckleyranks #null worldwide and #3 in the hardware class. Find out more at HWBOT.

hwbot.org

with a DFI

Okay, so we went round and round many times. MrPaco can bench!
He beat me a lot, too. With his RAM drive McGimmick.


3 words.
Hot air station. Focus on the areas that need reflow.
You have one, obviously. That's nice stuff. I gotta toaster oven..lol!
Have melted things in the name of reflowing before.

What's a ram drive gimick?

 

[Mr.Scott]

What's a ram drive gimick?

PCMark 05 is all about fast storage for a good score. I-Ram or Acard is what you need.

 

[Trekkie4]

So, I'll be first to admit straight & honest... I wasn't planning on returning to old computers and/or TPU in general.

That being said, strange thing happened about a week ago. I was going through the local ads & came across the computer case, same tower which I've been searching for at least 13 or 14 years! Now, I won't be going into details on the actual tower, I'm sure that it isn't all that exciting for the rest of you (as it is for me, due to sentimental reasons), but I do have a small favor to ask... Once I'm done & through with metal restoration, painting, sandblasting & motherboard recapping, I'm planning to assemble the system back together again, the way it used to be when it came from the store, in 1998 Unlike all the previous projects & restorations you've seen from me, this one is going to be a lot more different. Mainly because it is personal, sentimental and very much nostalgic. In fact, I'd say this one defines the thread name "Nostalgic Hardware", because it doesn't get any more nostalgic than it already is. And being such, only deserves the best IMHO.

Unfortunately, I'm still missing some parts, primarily the CD-ROM drive. So if you are reading this post & live in Europe (EU, in particular) and happen to have a spare drive somewhere nearby, please drop me a message & maybe we can work something out
The unit which I'm searching for is this one here, BTC BCD36X

Or this one, here (3rd drive on the right, BTC BCD 40XH)


Or it can be another speed entirely, but identical-looking drive, for as long as it works, and nothing is broken... My primary focus is & will be on visual design, followed by the actual components. In other words, I want it to be & look exactly the same as it was 22 years ago.

 

[biffzinker]

So, I'll be first to admit straight & honest... I wasn't planning on returning to old computers and/or TPU in general.

Either way welcome back to the thread.

 

[Trekkie4]

Either way welcome back to the thread.

Thanks

Funny how things always work out the opposite of what you expect... The same rule applies to both TPU & my "Adison" case, in particular. After 14 years of searching, I was absolutely sure that I won't find (and see) it ever again.

 

[biffzinker]

Or this one, here (3rd drive on the right, BTC BCD 40XH)

Apparently a company in Colorado, US has the drive refurbished.

Amazon.com: B.T.C. - Btc 40X Ide Int Cd Rom Drive(Beige) : Electronics

Amazon.com: B.T.C. - Btc 40X Ide Int Cd Rom Drive(Beige) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

 

[Trekkie4]

Apparently a company in Colorado, US has the drive refurbished.

Amazon.com: B.T.C. - Btc 40X Ide Int Cd Rom Drive(Beige) : Electronics

Amazon.com: B.T.C. - Btc 40X Ide Int Cd Rom Drive(Beige) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

Thanks, but that's not the one, I think ... ? Unless they used other unit for illustration. Anyhow, I just came back from ebay UK, and there are more than several BTC drives being offered. However, the biggest issue is definitely going to be the postage - 82 USD! It's just not worth it, especially since there are loads of these things floating around, I just have to find one

There's nothing special about this drive, it didn't have any special features, or performance. In fact, BTC was somewhat of a low-budget company back in a day, but the reason I want it is mainly because it belongs inside that computer. It originally came with BTC drive, and since I'm already rebuilding it from scratch (using some of the original parts even) it only feels appropriate to go with BTC CD-ROM drive.

Edit
Here are the two pics, scans from the company's promotional brochures... They feature the same tower case along with BTC BCD36X drive:

 

[biffzinker]

What computer was that?

 

[Trekkie4]

What computer was that?

My beloved Pentium II, 350MHz I mentioned it in this thread zillion times, I even searched for this case previously & someone in here (@mmx_91) found one in Barcelona. Unfortunately, I was unable to convince the seller to ship the case to Croatia, so it kinda ended up there... TBH, I gave it up entirely because I didn't think I'd find another case ever again. To my surprise, I found one only a mile or two from my location, talk about irony

Edit
Found it, it goes all the way to 2016, page 178

 

[biffzinker]

My beloved Pentium II, 350MHz I mentioned it in this thread zillion times,

Being new to the forums at the time, chances are I missed that post. Thanks for taking the time to look though.

 

[Trekkie4]

Being new to the forums at the time, chances are I missed that post. Thanks for looking though.

No prob Actually, the first reference to "Adison" machine seems to be even older, on page 148. In reality however, things started way back in 2007, 2008. Been looking for one of these for ages, and now that I actually /do/ have one, I'm planning to restore the system back to its factory specs because I still have the original motherboard, CPU, sound card & a hard drive.

Those are truly original parts, which used to be inside that case since the first day. Video cards however (ATI Rage IIc & Diamond Monster 3DII, 12MB) were both replaced with identical-looking counterparts because the originals were given away long time ago. Same thing with the RAM and (as of recently) case & floppy drive! Which hopefully helps explain my motivation for finding that BTC CD-ROM unit... I want it to be complete & original again.

 

[Ruru]

Feels already that the Nvidia Maxwell series is pretty nostalgic.. my OC'd 980 Ti still runs almost everything smoothly with 1080p at 60fps with max details, I love these old highend cards and I rather have one than a similar (in performance) of a newer series (like a 1070 Ti in my case).

Of course retro hardware is a whole different thing, as you know from my posts

 

[Artex]

 

[TOMCAT]

2020 Collection Update!

@ Artex: Your collection looks amazing, you are invited to assist for an clear up.

 

[dorsetknob]

@Artex
You Got more Stock than many a Proper Shop (Your just missing price tags )
Its a Amazing Collection.

 

[Trekkie4]

@Artex
Welcome back!

 

[Mr.Scott]

So much goodness there.

 

[Bungz]

That hoard is crazy

I picked up a very cheap MSI NF2 board today

Much better

Dual channel still works and who uses three slots on a Nforce 2 board.

If I get a dead MSI board with a blue slot will transplant it across.

 

[E-Bear]

That hoard is crazy

I picked up a very cheap MSI NF2 board today
View attachment 147881View attachment 147880View attachment 147879View attachment 147878

Much better

Dual channel still works and who uses three slots on a Nforce 2 board.

If I get a dead MSI board with a blue slot will transplant it across.

How can someone solder all these pins one by one without touching each other with the soldering ? Usually machines do that.

It was probably a priceless antique, until they stuck that 4x4 on top of it.

The 4x4 is just to make the stool screw higher. I can probably remove it and put back to his normal height but then it could be only a child stool or a shoes shinner stool.

 

[biffzinker]

How can someone solder all these pins one by one without touching each other with the soldering ?

No one solders those, there placed by hand in the openings on the board then ran through a bath of molten solder.

Skip ahead to 5:32 or 6:00 for the wave soldering

 

[E-Bear]

Ok so thats how going to solder the ram slot. Thx