Re: Reviving an old Unisys 286

Posted on 2017-02-13, 03:39

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I almost forgot to ask you what you'r take, is on this machine? Well, like you, this is the first home computer my family ever owned. So my opinions are heavily subjective. I haven't had time to enjoy it yet, because it's not restored to the point that I can do that. However, I agree with you. I …

---

Re: Reviving an old Unisys 286

Posted on 2017-02-12, 01:05

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Any progress on you'r Unisys restauration? Yes, in fact. I've been working on it quite a bit today. I'm currently trying to figure out the memory expansion... more on that later. Earlier, I acquired a Seagate ST-125 20MB MFM drive via eBay recently. I swapped it into the 286 since the Miniscribe …

---

Re: Humour Thread: Outrageously priced retro gear for sale online

Posted on 2017-02-06, 15:57

by

by QBiN

in Milliways

in Milliways

This character seems to sell virtually nothing under $100. Don't get me wrong, he has some interesting items... but he's certainly shooting for the moon. More power to him, I guess. http://www.ebay.com/sch/compused_ca/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= ...including an $18,500 collection of software: …

---

Re: Wanted BIOS for VG-8000 WD90C30 VGA

Posted on 2017-02-04, 23:07

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Awesome. I'm glad it worked. Cheers!

---

Re: Wanted BIOS for VG-8000 WD90C30 VGA

Posted on 2017-02-03, 00:15

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Keropi, I think you may be in luck. My card appears to be a WDC reference card because yours looks like an identical OEM as far as I can tell. The ONLY difference I see is that mine leaves off the oscillator crystal yours has. Our cards even name the BIOS sockets the same U-number. IMG_0238.JPG In …

---

Re: Wanted BIOS for VG-8000 WD90C30 VGA

Posted on 2017-02-02, 05:19

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Let me check my 90c30 card, Keropi. it's very similar to yours, and if it's close, I could easily dump my ROM's.

---

Re: Minus 5 Volts for ISA Slots on ATX Board

Posted on 2017-01-31, 03:47

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Easiest thing would be this bad boy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONVERT-20-PIN-NO-5V- … W-/252708495849 Basically exactly what we're talking about.

---

Re: Reviving an old Unisys 286

Posted on 2017-01-31, 03:45

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Wow, Brostenen. Thank you for going the extra mile. I need to think of a way to be able to receive the scans. My dropbox doesn't have that much space. I'm open to ideas. I was able to get the STARTUP disk booted and set the BIOS, but unfortunately it appears the 20MB MFM drive is dead. The HDD LED …

---

Re: Reviving an old Unisys 286

Posted on 2017-01-30, 02:08

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Brostenen, Do you happen to have the original software for your PW2-300/10, and might I be able to persuade you to create disk images of them? pretty please? Since I believe, my motherboard is a different revision than yours, I'm also curious what version of ROM BIOS yours has (and if they're cross …

---

Reviving an old Unisys 286

Posted on 2017-01-30, 00:04

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I finally found a near replica of my first computer: A Unisys "Personal Workstation 2 Series 300/10". This is a slimline desktop 286 10MHz desktop with a single 5.25" drive bay, 20MB MFM hard drive, 640k base memory, Paradise EGA 8bit video card, and no frills. The case faceplate is badly yellowed, …

---

Re: Minus 5 Volts for ISA Slots on ATX Board

Posted on 2017-01-28, 17:45

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

My suggestion would be to try to find a ATX v1.2 or earlier power supply on eBay or similar site. They usually still supply -5V. Otherwise, an inline converter like what SSTV mentioned would be required.

---

Re: Best ISA Video Card for a 386DX-40?

Posted on 2017-01-21, 23:07

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

Please define your criteria for "best". I suppose I'd leave that open ended, Phil, and allow for varying opinions. I don't know that I have a definition of "best" in mind -- hence my being open to suggestion and asking people what *they* think is best. My only rough guideline is that I'd like to be …

---

Best ISA Video Card for a 386DX-40?

Posted on 2017-01-21, 22:24

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Video

in Marvin \ Video

I'm soliciting opinions for a current 386/40 build. I have some options on hand (WD90C31, ET4000, CL5424 to name a few) but would be open to acquiring a different card if my esteemed Vogonosphere friends convinced me. I'm currently leaning towards the WD90C31 or ET4000. What do you think is the best …

---

Re: List of rarest PC soundcards

Posted on 2017-01-20, 20:37

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I added the ATI VGA Stereo F/X underneath the standard Stereo F/X cards. I believe it is easily the rarest of the Stereo F/X, and still rare in it's own right overall.

---

Re: Humour Thread: Outrageously priced retro gear for sale online

Posted on 2017-01-09, 22:49

by

by QBiN

in Milliways

in Milliways

A Multi-IO card for $200 ?! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Goldstar-IDE-PLUS-V3- … 0-/181909600894

---

Re: The forgotten companies of computing

Posted on 2017-01-05, 22:16

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

One I'm fond of is "Ocean Information Systems" also known as Octek. They sold PC systems and individual components for many years in the gold years of the PC market. I think they are relegated to either niche industrial status now, if not entirely defunct. I always thought they made great …

---

Re: CVX-2 : covox adapter

Posted on 2016-12-31, 17:45

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I have one. Obviously not the one the recording was taken from... but hope it helps all the same. The clamshell on the adapter itself is easy to take off safely with a small flathead screwdriver (very low risk of damage unless you're a careless brute). I would want to assume that it's just a simple …

---

Re: Thanks for making me feel old...

Posted on 2016-12-10, 22:14

by

by QBiN

in Milliways

in Milliways

ATi will always be ATi to me... even after acquisition by AMD-owned or otherwise.

---

Re: Orchid SoundWave 32 - What do you guys say?

Posted on 2016-11-23, 16:00

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I'd be interested in a comparison of the ROM dumps as well. Also, if different ROM's required different DSP firmware, how was the DSP firmware updated? Was there a flashing utility or is the firmware code also contained in a separate memory area of the ROM's?

---

Re: Teach me to love ATI Rage

Posted on 2016-11-04, 01:29

by

by QBiN

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

In the early to mid 90's, before DVD's, I had a small collection of Video-CD movies. I always recall the "ATI Player" software that came bundled with most Rage cards tapped into the acceleration features of the ATI cards and provided a very decent movie experience, better than VHS, well before DVD's …

---