[Cobra!]

Another topic I see going around other forums that would be cool to see on here!

I'll start:
On Saturday, I went to a Scottish Amiga Users meetup. It was very interesting, and so cool to see all of the Amiga hardware and being able to talk to people about old tech and be understood! I took some photos and uploaded them to my website here.

Also found out that the person behind Terriblefire, a popular expansion card for the Amiga CD32, lives 30 minutes away from me. I found this out because I wanted to convert my console into a full blown and fully expanded Amiga computer I can use to mess around with and try my hand at Amiga game dev, but the Terriblefire is incompatible with any backplates that let you use a floppy drive, and they said if need be, they could get in touch with with to solve that. So that's a route I could go down.

I also got a free CRT TV out of it!
Someone needed to get rid of a Phillips TV there because they had too many, so I took it, and he even gave me a drive home after the event. The TV is better than the one I had before, which was a no name brand TV that couldn't even do NTSC video. Luckily this can, so that will make watching NTSC Laserdiscs easier. (Or it will be once I can recap/repair my player)

So what interesting stuff did you do today? (or recently?)

[kittenwatermemes]

One thing I did today is taking all of my pennies that I've been saving up for.. probably several years or so, and took them to turn them into cash. To my surprise, the pennies I've saved up ended up ranging around $68.96 dollars. I was honestly shocked those pennies was worth that much.

So now I have around 72-73 dollars, and to be honest, I'm still gonna do the same thing I've always done: Save it. Instead of spending it, I'm gonna keep them. And maybe save up for more.

Yeah. Probably wasn't interesting to talk about, but I thought it was pretty cool! I just didn't think those pennies would add up to that much.

And then like a couple days ago, there was a lil fire pit that we had. Which, fire pits are pretty cool.

Let's see.. what other interesting things did I do recently? Not all exactly sure 

..Not unless if you count the ones from some days ago where I got some Hello Kitty stuff, a Pokemon shirt, and a womens pajamas as interesting.

Most of the time I mainly just stay in my bedroom, though I do have to travel here and there, mostly cause of Doctors appointments. So interesting stuff really doesn't happen every day. Though interesting things does happen every now and then, and I bet some interesting things will happen in the future. 

Honorable mention of where I was in St Louis in November 2023, and saw an Metallica World Tour truck, so I guess that's interesting. I'm also supposed to be back in St. Louis this year in November.

[img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/db/2d/f0/db2df0d5ed0adc86071354f7775f01f2.jpg[/img]

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

On Saturday, I went to a Scottish Amiga Users meetup. It was very interesting, and so cool to see all of the Amiga hardware and being able to talk to people about old tech and be understood! I took some photos and uploaded them to my website here.

Also found out that the person behind Terriblefire, a popular expansion card for the Amiga CD32, lives 30 minutes away from me. I found this out because I wanted to convert my console into a full blown and fully expanded Amiga computer I can use to mess around with and try my hand at Amiga game dev, but the Terriblefire is incompatible with any backplates that let you use a floppy drive, and they said if need be, they could get in touch with with to solve that. So that's a route I could go down.

I also got a free CRT TV out of it!
Someone needed to get rid of a Phillips TV there because they had too many, so I took it, and he even gave me a drive home after the event. The TV is better than the one I had before, which was a no name brand TV that couldn't even do NTSC video. Luckily this can, so that will make watching NTSC Laserdiscs easier. (Or it will be once I can recap/repair my player)

That meetup sounds awesome!  It sounds pretty neat! And getting a free CRT TV? Now that's cool

[Cobra!]

One thing I did today is taking all of my pennies that I've been saving up for.. probably several years or so, and took them to turn them into cash. To my surprise, the pennies I've saved up ended up ranging around $68.96 dollars. I was honestly shocked those pennies was worth that much.

So now I have around 72-73 dollars, and to be honest, I'm still gonna do the same thing I've always done: Save it. Instead of spending it, I'm gonna keep them. And maybe save up for more.

Yeah. Probably wasn't interesting to talk about, but I thought it was pretty cool! I just didn't think those pennies would add up to that much.

I should start saving up pennies again. Maybe next time I get paid, I'll get a piggy bank.

Let's see.. what other interesting things did I do recently? Not all exactly sure 

..Not unless if you count the ones from some days ago where I got some Hello Kitty stuff, a Pokemon shirt, and a womens pajamas as interesting.

You got women's pajamas? Did you buy it for someone else?

That meetup sounds awesome!  It sounds pretty neat! And getting a free CRT TV? Now that's cool

Yeah, apparently he had been trying to sell it for months, asking for basically nothing for it, and nobody bit. Surprisingly to hear since I hear in some parts of the world, CRTs can cost more than renting a house!
Not that I'm complaining of course! I'm all for old tech being cheap and accessible for those who do want it!

[kittenwatermemes]

I should start saving up pennies again. Maybe next time I get paid, I'll get a piggy bank.

Yes, that's a very good idea!  Save up plenty of pennies and it might could give you a good amount of money.

You got women's pajamas? Did you buy it for someone else?

I actually got it for myself. I thought it felt comfortable, so I just got it. (Funnily enough, at birth my mom wanted me to be a girl at first. Though, she changed her mind a few weeks later. )

Yeah, apparently he had been trying to sell it for months, asking for basically nothing for it, and nobody bit. Surprisingly to hear since I hear in some parts of the world, CRTs can cost more than renting a house!
Not that I'm complaining of course! I'm all for old tech being cheap and accessible for those who do want it!

Mhm. Gotta love it, when you find old techs for really cheap, or when someone hands it to you for free. 

CRT Tvs being listed as higher than an house payment? Nope. No thank you. Hard pass on that part. 

Old techs being listed for cheap is pretty good, since it gives people the ability to own an old item without having to pay much. 

I actually have some CRT TVs. In fact, here's this one I found at a resale store for like $4. Got it back on October 26, 2022.



This one notably has some spots on the screen, and if I recall correctly, there was some moments where it would shut down randomly while a VHS Tape was playing.
It's still around and it still works, haven't actually used it since I believe November 2023, as of now.
Though with the spots on the screen and it shutting down randomly, I kind of have a feeling it may, or may not be slowly going out.

[Cobra!]

I actually have some CRT TVs. In fact, here's this one I found at a resale store for like $4. Got it back on October 26, 2022.



This one notably has some spots on the screen, and if I recall correctly, there was some moments where it would shut down randomly while a VHS Tape was playing.
It's still around and it still works, haven't actually used it since I believe November 2023, as of now.
Though with the spots on the screen and it shutting down randomly, I kind of have a feeling it may, or may not be slowly going out.

This one notably has some spots on the screen, and if I recall correctly, there was some moments where it would shut down randomly while a VHS Tape was playing.

From the photos, the spots look like what happens when you put a magnet to the screen and get funny colours. I've found on my Trinitron that sometimes electrical interference from other devices can have that effect on the screen. Might be a long shot, though.

I guess this is the reason (or one of the reasons) consoles and other home devices were required to have RF shielding back in the day?

EDIT: I found a Reddit thread that looks similar to the problem you're having with your CRT. It's apparently got to do with the placement of the "yoke", and you would need to have it opened up and adjusted.
Like I said below, though, you are at risk of getting shocked if you don't know what you're doing, so I'd find somebody more knowledgeable and experienced to do it for you.

It's still around and it still works, haven't actually used it since I believe November 2023, as of now.
Though with the spots on the screen and it shutting down randomly, I kind of have a feeling it may, or may not be slowly going out.

Mmm, unfortunately the tubes on these TVs are one of the few things that I feel aren't really fixable.

To make things worse, it's actually dangerous to open a CRT up and poke around and see what's wrong.
I remember being told during a computing class in high school that if you try to use an anti-static wrist band on one, it could fatally shock you! O_O

I remember we had an old CRT in a house our family owns in Italy that we tried to watch a DVD on, when suddenly we heard a crackle and then a loud bang, and then smoke was coming out of the back! It still seemed to work but we took no chances and turned it off and unplugged it instantly!

There are CRTs still being made for navies and museums, but no consumer models are being made any more. We can only hope someone can start doing so again while we have the chance...

Either way, I guess we should make the most out of these TVs while we still can.

[kittenwatermemes]

From the photos, the spots look like what happens when you put a magnet to the screen and get funny colours. I've found on my Trinitron that sometimes electrical interference from other devices can have that effect on the screen. Might be a long shot, though.

I guess this is the reason (or one of the reasons) consoles and other home devices were required to have RF shielding back in the day?

EDIT: I found a Reddit thread that looks similar to the problem you're having with your CRT. It's apparently got to do with the placement of the "yoke", and you would need to have it opened up and adjusted.
Like I said below, though, you are at risk of getting shocked if you don't know what you're doing, so I'd find somebody more knowledgeable and experienced to do it for you.

Those spots has always been there even when I got it. Oh boy, so I gotta have to take it apart to fix it? Oh boy. I for sure don't wanna risk getting shocked. I would have no clue what I was doing. Well, so uhh I guess that's something

The only time I've ever opened one up was an CRT Tv/VCR combo tv that was given to me. It wouldn't stay on for that long, it would never reject the vhs tape, so I finally opened it up to see what was going on with it. I eventually figured out that the VHS Tape got completely ate in it, and is why it would barely on and why it wouldn't reject it. I believe I also found like a couple dead spiders inside of the tv, which is uhm.. 

I don't know if the Tv was savable or not, though at the same time I think I was afraid of getting shocked and I didn't wanna risk anything. But eh, the vhs tape was just a copy of the Disney film "James and the Giant Peach" so meh.

That was about the only time I've ever opened one up, and I don't think I wanna do it again.

Mmm, unfortunately the tubes on these TVs are one of the few things that I feel aren't really fixable.

Well I think I remember the shutting down problem very rarely, and I think it would usually happen during an VHS Tape. So I'm not sure if it just needs to be opened up and adjusted a little bit or something, but again, I don't feel like risking anything so. Besides, there's two other CRT Tvs that I have laying around, both of which was handed to us for free!  So if anything ever happens to that one, I'll at least have some other ones laying around that still works

To make things worse, it's actually dangerous to open a CRT up and poke around and see what's wrong.
I remember being told during a computing class in high school that if you try to use an anti-static wrist band on one, it could fatally shock you! O_O

I remember we had an old CRT in a house our family owns in Italy that we tried to watch a DVD on, when suddenly we heard a crackle and then a loud bang, and then smoke was coming out of the back! It still seemed to work but we took no chances and turned it off and unplugged it instantly!

Ahh, so basically: opening one up can kill you. Gotcha. That sounds terrifying   

Oh yikes! I would hate it if a tv started smoking while watching something! Sounds like that could've had easily caught on fire!
That's not good. I would've thrown that tv away 

There are CRTs still being made for navies and museums, but no consumer models are being made any more. We can only hope someone can start doing so again while we have the chance...

Either way, I guess we should make the most out of these TVs while we still can.

Yeah, sadly CRT tvs are no longer being created and sold. 

So I guess we should cherish these Tvs for as long as we can.

[Cobra!]

I won an Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive on eBay with a dozen or so movies on the format for a really good price! I plan to use it on my PC because from what I read, it uses USB to connect to the console (though with an external power supply) and when used on computers, they just recognise it as an external drive. There's like nothing proprietary about the technology.

From there you can download some files to make VLC play the movies, just like it can with Blu-Rays and UHDs.

Yeah, sadly CRT tvs are no longer being created and sold. 

So I guess we should cherish these Tvs for as long as we can.

Well like I said, the technology is still being developed, so there's a slim chance they can make a consumer comeback.

I say slim, because I recall hearing some parts required to make the TVs can be illegal to obtain/make through normal means.

There are LPD TVs, which use a similar technology to CRT, but they only seem to be used for big (and I mean big) displays. LCD and even OLED can never truly replace CRT, no matter how many software filters you add to the screen or how many empty cases you put them in. LCD is mostly garbage imo, and OLED can replicate the colours of a CRT, but nothing else I don't think.

[kittenwatermemes]

I won an Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive on eBay with a dozen or so movies on the format for a really good price! I plan to use it on my PC because from what I read, it uses USB to connect to the console (though with an external power supply) and when used on computers, they just recognise it as an external drive. There's like nothing proprietary about the technology.
From there you can download some files to make VLC play the movies, just like it can with Blu-Rays and UHDs.

An Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive? Now that's something I have no clue about.

Well like I said, the technology is still being developed, so there's a slim chance they can make a consumer comeback.

I say slim, because I recall hearing some parts required to make the TVs can be illegal to obtain/make through normal means.

There are LPD TVs, which use a similar technology to CRT, but they only seem to be used for big (and I mean big) displays. LCD and even OLED can never truly replace CRT, no matter how many software filters you add to the screen or how many empty cases you put them in. LCD is mostly garbage imo, and OLED can replicate the colours of a CRT, but nothing else I don't think.

Hmmm.. It would be cool for CRT TVs to make an actual comeback.
Huh. Some parts can be Illegal? Never heard of that before, so that's something
CRT Tvs are legendary. They look cool, they're difficult to break, the color is good.. LCD Tvs definitely isn't gonna replace CRT Tvs.

[Cobra!]

I (kinda) fixed the Z button on my USB N64 controller. It wasn't being recognised by any program on Windows 98, so I plugged it into my daily driver and used AntiMicro to test the buttons and sure enough it wasn't recognised there either.

I opened it up, cleaned the membrane for the button on the back with isopropyl alcohol, and now it's being recognised when being pressed. Though it sometimes doesn't work, but I'm making progress!

Also, like I said on the shoutbox earlier, I found out someone made a custom PC DVD case for Phantasy Reverie Series, and it looks really cool! Though the back needs some work. Luckily, I found a version someone else made, on a website dedicated to creating physical covers of Steam games, with a much better back and have basically combined them to make my own version!
Also found a custom version on the disc art I can use for the DVD itself.

I found out the splash files for any Steam DRMed PC game can be easily modified to fit any game, so I made a custom one for PRS. I backed up my copy of Steam files (including the overpriced DLC, but had to include everything), and made an iso. It seems to all work fine.

Now I just need to get some dual-layered DVD+Rs (the game is too big for a standard DVD), and a way to print the art and I'll make a thread with pictured of my custom copy!

An Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive? Now that's something I have no clue about.

So if you don't know, Blu-Ray was in competition with HD-DVD (and HD-VMD, but they weren't a threat at all) to become the HD successor to DVD. Xbox 360 backed HD-DVD and PS3 backed Blu-Ray (naturally, as Sony made that format).
Blu-Ray won out in the end, and the cited reason was that the PS3 had a player built in. The Xbox 360 just used DVDs for it's built in drive. You had to buy an external drive to play HD-DVDs.

[kittenwatermemes]

Also, like I said on the shoutbox earlier, I found out someone made a custom PC DVD case for Phantasy Reverie Series, and it looks really cool! Though the back needs some work. Luckily, I found a version someone else made, on a website dedicated to creating physical covers of Steam games, with a much better back and have basically combined them to make my own version!
Also found a custom version on the disc art I can use for the DVD itself.

I found out the splash files for any Steam DRMed PC game can be easily modified to fit any game, so I made a custom one for PRS. I backed up my copy of Steam files (including the overpriced DLC, but had to include everything), and made an iso. It seems to all work fine.

Now I just need to get some dual-layered DVD+Rs (the game is too big for a standard DVD), and a way to print the art and I'll make a thread with pictured of my custom copy!

Those custom made cover arts does look pretty good!
I would love to see a thread of this fan-made PC copy when it gets finished

I (kinda) fixed the Z button on my USB N64 controller. It wasn't being recognised by any program on Windows 98, so I plugged it into my daily driver and used AntiMicro to test the buttons and sure enough it wasn't recognised there either.

I opened it up, cleaned the membrane for the button on the back with isopropyl alcohol, and now it's being recognised when being pressed. Though it sometimes doesn't work, but I'm making progress!

Sometimes, all they need is some cleaning done, and it'll work good again 

So if you don't know, Blu-Ray was in competition with HD-DVD (and HD-VMD, but they weren't a threat at all) to become the HD successor to DVD. Xbox 360 backed HD-DVD and PS3 backed Blu-Ray (naturally, as Sony made that format).
Blu-Ray won out in the end, and the cited reason was that the PS3 had a player built in. The Xbox 360 just used DVDs for it's built in drive. You had to buy an external drive to play HD-DVDs.

Huh. I didn't even knew HD-DVDs were a thing. It seems it's defunct now though. I imagine Blu-Rays were possibly a bit better than HD-DVDs.
I did knew the Xbox 360 could play DVDs, though I recall it only being compatible with regular, normal DVDs.
I know what Blu-Ray is, but I've never heard of HD-DVDs before. So that's interesting
I imagine HD-DVDs quite failed