Adrian's Digital Basement
@adriansdigitalbasement.com
Hello everyone! I'm Adrian Black, a retro computer YouTuber who fixes stuff from Portland, Oregon.
Main: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasement
Second: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasement2
Extras: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasementextras
Main: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasement
Second: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasement2
Extras: youtube.com/@adriansdigitalbasementextras
Easy mode is just hold it up to a light. The 90 degree CGA board blocks the light except around the vias. Meanwhile the cheap VGA card is just a two layer affair.
December 4, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Easy mode is just hold it up to a light. The 90 degree CGA board blocks the light except around the vias. Meanwhile the cheap VGA card is just a two layer affair.
WOW! Thank you, that is dedication
December 4, 2025 at 12:23 AM
WOW! Thank you, that is dedication
I'm still amused by the general lack of bypass caps. I guess they relied on super thick ground and power planes? The trace thing is also fascinating. I wonder why they bothered??
December 3, 2025 at 8:33 AM
I'm still amused by the general lack of bypass caps. I guess they relied on super thick ground and power planes? The trace thing is also fascinating. I wonder why they bothered??
The Foster approach is likely the only real solution, one lane or car traffic each direction, perhaps use the extra lanes as dedicated bus lanes for the 75 bus.
December 3, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The Foster approach is likely the only real solution, one lane or car traffic each direction, perhaps use the extra lanes as dedicated bus lanes for the 75 bus.
I agree, it would be a good idea for the small streets... but I don't think that would fix the problems on Cesar chavez, as you can't make it one way. There is no alternate road for opposite direction traffic to put people onto. (Like the Williams / Vancouver combo up in North Portland)
December 3, 2025 at 12:48 AM
I agree, it would be a good idea for the small streets... but I don't think that would fix the problems on Cesar chavez, as you can't make it one way. There is no alternate road for opposite direction traffic to put people onto. (Like the Williams / Vancouver combo up in North Portland)
It's not a stroad in any sense of the definition. There are only two lanes of travel each direction, with no parking lanes and no center lane for turning. It also is residential with houses on both sides with only the odd business, like seen here. The issue is it's used for through traffic.
December 3, 2025 at 12:45 AM
It's not a stroad in any sense of the definition. There are only two lanes of travel each direction, with no parking lanes and no center lane for turning. It also is residential with houses on both sides with only the odd business, like seen here. The issue is it's used for through traffic.
The city claims they are working on a solution, but so far there is no mention of an actual plan. I've crossed and walked by where all of these fatal accidents have happened, and it's scary as a pedestrian with how fast cars are driving on this road at all times of day.
December 2, 2025 at 10:21 PM
The city claims they are working on a solution, but so far there is no mention of an actual plan. I've crossed and walked by where all of these fatal accidents have happened, and it's scary as a pedestrian with how fast cars are driving on this road at all times of day.
Back in January, a car hit and killed Tuyet Nguyen as she walked near Cesar Chavez and SE Cora. In 2023, a driver struck and killed Jeanie Diaz as she waited at a bus stop at Cesar Chavez and SE Belmont. And in 2021, Austin Boyd was killed by a driver as he walked near Chavez and SE Clinton.
December 2, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Back in January, a car hit and killed Tuyet Nguyen as she walked near Cesar Chavez and SE Cora. In 2023, a driver struck and killed Jeanie Diaz as she waited at a bus stop at Cesar Chavez and SE Belmont. And in 2021, Austin Boyd was killed by a driver as he walked near Chavez and SE Clinton.
Haha that modem is SO FAST! LOLOL
December 1, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Haha that modem is SO FAST! LOLOL
Indeed, the non-smoker unit definitely performs better but I also think it was used less. There is less wear on the buttons ... so we might have clouding plus laser wear at play.
December 1, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Indeed, the non-smoker unit definitely performs better but I also think it was used less. There is less wear on the buttons ... so we might have clouding plus laser wear at play.
Heh, yes I have one of those early full size EGA clone cards. Obviously an expensive way to clone a video card LOL!
12 line text mode LOL. I wonder if they did this for something like kanji? Combine two of these 32 pixel characters for very high res glyphs?
12 line text mode LOL. I wonder if they did this for something like kanji? Combine two of these 32 pixel characters for very high res glyphs?
December 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Heh, yes I have one of those early full size EGA clone cards. Obviously an expensive way to clone a video card LOL!
12 line text mode LOL. I wonder if they did this for something like kanji? Combine two of these 32 pixel characters for very high res glyphs?
12 line text mode LOL. I wonder if they did this for something like kanji? Combine two of these 32 pixel characters for very high res glyphs?
Ah yes I stumbled upon it -- looks like folks are trying to understand the blob format using cached files left behind on people's drives. Neat.
December 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Ah yes I stumbled upon it -- looks like folks are trying to understand the blob format using cached files left behind on people's drives. Neat.
Very interesting! I'll pay attention next time I have a 5150 board out on the bench. I only have one 16-64k board and it's inside my only 5150 computer but the rest are loose motherboards I found.
December 1, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Very interesting! I'll pay attention next time I have a 5150 board out on the bench. I only have one 16-64k board and it's inside my only 5150 computer but the rest are loose motherboards I found.
Neat! IIRC this is what the Greaseweazle does and it seems very effective. Three passes of it by default.
Would be nifty if GlaDISK had this cleaning routine built in with a key push at boot time. Good for floppy only systems.
Would be nifty if GlaDISK had this cleaning routine built in with a key push at boot time. Good for floppy only systems.
December 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Neat! IIRC this is what the Greaseweazle does and it seems very effective. Three passes of it by default.
Would be nifty if GlaDISK had this cleaning routine built in with a key push at boot time. Good for floppy only systems.
Would be nifty if GlaDISK had this cleaning routine built in with a key push at boot time. Good for floppy only systems.
Was this "fix" applied to later motherboards with a respin of the PCB?
I have several 5150 boards and none have this wild bodge on it.
I'm amazed they did the bodge on the top side but perhaps it was easier to install for the people on the line...
I have several 5150 boards and none have this wild bodge on it.
I'm amazed they did the bodge on the top side but perhaps it was easier to install for the people on the line...
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Was this "fix" applied to later motherboards with a respin of the PCB?
I have several 5150 boards and none have this wild bodge on it.
I'm amazed they did the bodge on the top side but perhaps it was easier to install for the people on the line...
I have several 5150 boards and none have this wild bodge on it.
I'm amazed they did the bodge on the top side but perhaps it was easier to install for the people on the line...
I assume VGA copied the mechanism for loading and selecting the extra font from EGA?
I also love that clone EGA cards condensed all of the complex circuitry into a single IC just a few years after IBM released EGA.
I also love that clone EGA cards condensed all of the complex circuitry into a single IC just a few years after IBM released EGA.
December 1, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I assume VGA copied the mechanism for loading and selecting the extra font from EGA?
I also love that clone EGA cards condensed all of the complex circuitry into a single IC just a few years after IBM released EGA.
I also love that clone EGA cards condensed all of the complex circuitry into a single IC just a few years after IBM released EGA.
I am unable to login to the MyHarmony app, so my 650s effectively bricked... I have one of the newer RF ones you also have, and luckily that still works but I assume it's a matter of time.
December 1, 2025 at 2:31 AM
I am unable to login to the MyHarmony app, so my 650s effectively bricked... I have one of the newer RF ones you also have, and luckily that still works but I assume it's a matter of time.
Harmony's notice mentions that this is no longer the case. I tried and I am unable to update any of my 650s with either MyHarmony or Logitech Harmony Remote Software 7.
December 1, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Harmony's notice mentions that this is no longer the case. I tried and I am unable to update any of my 650s with either MyHarmony or Logitech Harmony Remote Software 7.
Try changing something and uploading a new config to the remote, as I suspect you are just seeing cached data. I am unable to login to the MyHarmony app, it just spins forever. I mainly used to use Harmony Remote Software 7 and that also doesn't work at all now.
December 1, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Try changing something and uploading a new config to the remote, as I suspect you are just seeing cached data. I am unable to login to the MyHarmony app, it just spins forever. I mainly used to use Harmony Remote Software 7 and that also doesn't work at all now.
Indeed! Sadly the Logitech database was by far the most comprehensive and complete. There are open databases but they are extremely limited. I did manage to find the codes for my CD player via OSS/OSH tools and I just programmed a cheap learning remote. ($3 from AliExpress)
bsky.app/profile/adri...
bsky.app/profile/adri...
Ok I figured it out!! I'm trying to control a NEC CD-510 CD player from 1987, and I found a NEC receiver with a few CD Player codes which worked in the IRDB.
Using IRScrutinizer and GIRSLite, I was able to figure out these other codes that control the player.
github.com/probonopd/ir...
Using IRScrutinizer and GIRSLite, I was able to figure out these other codes that control the player.
github.com/probonopd/ir...
December 1, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Indeed! Sadly the Logitech database was by far the most comprehensive and complete. There are open databases but they are extremely limited. I did manage to find the codes for my CD player via OSS/OSH tools and I just programmed a cheap learning remote. ($3 from AliExpress)
bsky.app/profile/adri...
bsky.app/profile/adri...
Ouch -- I have three of four different 650 remotes all now stuck in time forever... I had even hoarded a couple extra (Which aren't programmed) in case one of my other ones broke. Now the unprogrammed ones are pretty much e-waste.
December 1, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Ouch -- I have three of four different 650 remotes all now stuck in time forever... I had even hoarded a couple extra (Which aren't programmed) in case one of my other ones broke. Now the unprogrammed ones are pretty much e-waste.