Chris
@displaced.co.uk
British person who fixes old computers, plays old games, and makes things. Writes software and does DevOps-y stuff for money.
Sure, it’s the exact same photo. But that’s because Alex didn’t react in the slightest.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
November 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Sure, it’s the exact same photo. But that’s because Alex didn’t react in the slightest.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
…and when a train isn’t running, but a bus has been put on as a replacement:
November 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM
…and when a train isn’t running, but a bus has been put on as a replacement:
Every Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), the Southeastern train network in the UK renames London St. Pancras train station to:
November 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Every Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), the Southeastern train network in the UK renames London St. Pancras train station to:
The weird thing about being at a train station when one is incredibly drunk is how one notices exactly how much the trains really are just scaled-up equivalents of their models.
September 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
The weird thing about being at a train station when one is incredibly drunk is how one notices exactly how much the trains really are just scaled-up equivalents of their models.
Jon Snow is also a British news presenter, and where my mind goes first when I read his name.
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
September 5, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Jon Snow is also a British news presenter, and where my mind goes first when I read his name.
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
After sitting in pieces for a couple of years, my nan’s old iMac G3 will soon receive a replacement for its shattered plastic internal frame, thanks to MacEffects.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
August 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM
After sitting in pieces for a couple of years, my nan’s old iMac G3 will soon receive a replacement for its shattered plastic internal frame, thanks to MacEffects.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
Doin’ a thing.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
August 17, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Doin’ a thing.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
(and here’s the calculator I had)
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
(and here’s the calculator I had)
I’ve loved Peanuts since I was a kid. My first calculator was one of those Snoopy & Woodstock ones.
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I’ve loved Peanuts since I was a kid. My first calculator was one of those Snoopy & Woodstock ones.
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
Wonder if he knows that the wires internally are different lengths — live shortest, earth longest. So that if the strain-relief gives up (or isn’t fitted properly) and the cable’s yanked out of the plug, live disconnects first, then neutral, and finally earth!
August 14, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Wonder if he knows that the wires internally are different lengths — live shortest, earth longest. So that if the strain-relief gives up (or isn’t fitted properly) and the cable’s yanked out of the plug, live disconnects first, then neutral, and finally earth!
Is it Bakelite plastic? I’ve seen those marks on Bakelite, but never got so far as to try to get rid of them. Following to see if you have any luck!
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
August 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Is it Bakelite plastic? I’ve seen those marks on Bakelite, but never got so far as to try to get rid of them. Following to see if you have any luck!
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
Got myself a Sega Dreamcast in bits!
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
August 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Got myself a Sega Dreamcast in bits!
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
“…peeking out of my waistband…”
July 27, 2025 at 10:28 PM
“…peeking out of my waistband…”
Yesterday was a three-Nana Mouskouri day.
July 24, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Yesterday was a three-Nana Mouskouri day.
This is fun.
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
July 8, 2025 at 10:06 AM
This is fun.
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
Printed an enclosure for 3.5 and 5.25” drives, including a PSU and a Greaseweazle 4.1 board.
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
June 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Printed an enclosure for 3.5 and 5.25” drives, including a PSU and a Greaseweazle 4.1 board.
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
What’s your problem with us gingers, Dan?
June 23, 2025 at 4:45 PM
What’s your problem with us gingers, Dan?
I saw this and thought of Barbie Pisdottr:
June 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM
I saw this and thought of Barbie Pisdottr:
Was surprising how much smoke and sparks will pour out of a tantalum capacitor when it pops!
(Turns out I should’ve specced my replacement tantalum caps to have twice the voltage overhead compared to the electrolytic originals. Also, the power supply spiked its +5 and popped a zener diode.)
(Turns out I should’ve specced my replacement tantalum caps to have twice the voltage overhead compared to the electrolytic originals. Also, the power supply spiked its +5 and popped a zener diode.)
June 15, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Was surprising how much smoke and sparks will pour out of a tantalum capacitor when it pops!
(Turns out I should’ve specced my replacement tantalum caps to have twice the voltage overhead compared to the electrolytic originals. Also, the power supply spiked its +5 and popped a zener diode.)
(Turns out I should’ve specced my replacement tantalum caps to have twice the voltage overhead compared to the electrolytic originals. Also, the power supply spiked its +5 and popped a zener diode.)
Repair complete! Probably need to touch up that soldering. Got a bit messy trying to burn off the enamel coating of the magnet wire to get a good contact on the cap’s terminal.
So I broke it, then fixed it!
Will be more careful with the rest of the caps!
So I broke it, then fixed it!
Will be more careful with the rest of the caps!
June 12, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Repair complete! Probably need to touch up that soldering. Got a bit messy trying to burn off the enamel coating of the magnet wire to get a good contact on the cap’s terminal.
So I broke it, then fixed it!
Will be more careful with the rest of the caps!
So I broke it, then fixed it!
Will be more careful with the rest of the caps!
Thought I’d sneak a quick replacement if a single capacitor before work this morning.
Of course, I immediately tore a pad off the PCB when removing the old cap!
Found the via the pad was connected to, removed a little solder mask, and attached a fine wire to it.
Of course, I immediately tore a pad off the PCB when removing the old cap!
Found the via the pad was connected to, removed a little solder mask, and attached a fine wire to it.
June 12, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Thought I’d sneak a quick replacement if a single capacitor before work this morning.
Of course, I immediately tore a pad off the PCB when removing the old cap!
Found the via the pad was connected to, removed a little solder mask, and attached a fine wire to it.
Of course, I immediately tore a pad off the PCB when removing the old cap!
Found the via the pad was connected to, removed a little solder mask, and attached a fine wire to it.
At least it happily ejects a blank floppy, so it’s looking for something to boot!
June 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
At least it happily ejects a blank floppy, so it’s looking for something to boot!
Suspecting those electrolytic capacitors. I have replacements but that’s for another day.
June 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Suspecting those electrolytic capacitors. I have replacements but that’s for another day.
Aha! Removed the dead PRAM battery and bodged in a replacement.
Chimes reliably, but awful interference on the audio.
Chimes reliably, but awful interference on the audio.
June 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Aha! Removed the dead PRAM battery and bodged in a replacement.
Chimes reliably, but awful interference on the audio.
Chimes reliably, but awful interference on the audio.
Power rails are giving good volts but she only occasionally chimes. Mostly just makes nasty ‘thudthudthud’ noises from the speaker and the fan drops to half speed. Stuck in reset maybe?
June 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Power rails are giving good volts but she only occasionally chimes. Mostly just makes nasty ‘thudthudthud’ noises from the speaker and the fan drops to half speed. Stuck in reset maybe?