Latest YouTube Videos From ctrl.alt.rees

Last Minute Christmas Retro Gaming Gifts Reviewed!

It's one week to go until Christmas day and you know what that means - last minute gift shopping for that retro gamer in your life! So I purchased 5 of the cheapest retro game handhelds on Amazon and put them through their paces - but are any of them actually worth buying?

The NEW Atari 7800+ Is Here! Unboxing & First Impressions

Last year Atari released the 2600+ console - a revamped, reimagined VCS for the 21st century. Now they've done it again with the lesser-known 7800 from 1986 - so let's see what it's all about!

Exhibiting At The Retro Computer Festival 2024!

Last weekend I was down at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge for the Retro Computer Festival, an annual display of all sorts of weird and wonderful items hosted by one of the UK's top computer museums. So this is what I and the others in my group had to show off, as well as a look around the museum and also, of course, the other exhibits.

Officially Licensed, Corporate Mandated Fun - 1996 Style!

Released in 1996, Microsoft's "Return of Arcade" pack was the second in a series of officially licensed collections of arcade games designed to showcase Windows' gaming performance. This collection from Namco consists of Dig Dug, Galaxian, Pac-Man and Pole Position!

It (Kind Of) Works! We Have Software! - Cefucom-21 Update

2 weeks ago I released a video all about a rather strange English language teaching computer from Japan called the Cefucom-21. Well, a lot has happened in 14 short days! For example, I have 2 original software packs for it, someone started work on an emulator using my ROM dumps, I have feedback from hardware experts and actual users of this machine to share, and most importantly... it now works! Mostly...

One Year In The Studio - Behind The Scenes Vlog / Retrospective

In October 2023 I approached my old boss and good friend about his spare office. I only really intended to use it to store / sort some stuff and work on projects, and perhaps film some bits. I had no idea what it would grow into in a short 12 months...

Exploring The Cefucom-21 Japanese English Language Teaching Computer

This is the Cefucom-21, an English language teaching computer from Japan - and it's *very* weird. So let's see what it's all about!

Exploring Red Hat Linux 6.1 (1999) On Original Hardware

Red Hat Linux 6.1 was released in October 1999, 25 years ago this month! Previously I installed it on my Pentium 100 and worked through a few configuration issues - now it's time to check out the state of those early GNOME and KDE desktops and the rest of the Deluxe package!

Installing Linux Like It's 1999 - Red Hat 6.1

Red Hat Linux 6.1 was released in October 1999, 25 years ago this month! So let's install it out on period hardware, compare it to modern day Fedora, and see what 25 years of desktop Linux progress looks like.

Adding An eGPU To The 1st Gen Intel Mac Mini

In a previous video I upgraded my original 2007 "polycarbonate" Intel Mac Mini's CPU, RAM and storage. I also tried to get an external GPU working to replace the frankly awful onboard GMA 950 graphics, but I couldn't get it to work. Well, I'm back - and with some good news...

Updating Windows The Old Fashioned Way - In 2024

In July 2006, Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 98, 98SE, and ME. In 2011, they switched off the Windows Update service for those operating systems completely. So what if I told you that all this - and a lot more - is back thanks to a community effort? Windows Update Restored (and similar service LegacyUpdate for XP) fully integrates into these old versions of Windows just like the good old days. So lets update Windows like it's 1999! Well, 2006, I guess...

The (Not So) Tiny PC That Got Britain Online

In the 1990s, Tiny Computers took over the British airwaves, print press, and even indeed the high street with promises of affordable family PCs that would get Britain browsing. It also happens that my family were one of their customers - so let's check out this Tiny PC and learn all about the story behind it!

The Weird Story Of The Atari 7800

In 1986, after a troubled few years, Atari finally released their 7800 console. The first Atari console to be outsourced to an outside company, the 7800 was a flawed machine but all the more fascinating for it. So let's find out the story, perform a UAV composite and s-video mod, and check out some of the interesting and unique games on the Atari 7800!

Maxxing Out My Old 2006 Intel Mac Mini - CPU, RAM, SSD... eGPU!?

In 2006 Apple released their first generation of Intel machines. This range included the MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini - and I bought one, brand new! Surprisingly for Apple machines, they were quite upgradeable, and so 18 years later and armed with eBay and money to burn, I decided to bring my trusty old Mac Mini out of retirement and finally let it live up to its full potential.

This New ISA Card Is A Game Changer! PicoMEM First Look

The brand new PicoMEM ISA card from FreddyV supports hard and floppy drive emulation, extra RAM, AdLib emulation, WiFi, USB controller support and so much more! I think it's going to be a real game changer for these old PCs. So let's put it through its paces.

I Installed Windows 11 On This 20 Year Old PC

Windows 11's hardware requirements have been something of a bone of contention among PC enthusiasts, particularly as it seems to run perfectly fine on "unsupported" hardware. So I decided to take this to the extreme and install it on a 20 year old Pentium 4 system with 2GB of RAM...

I Brought Atari STs To An Amiga Show - Kickstart 02 Vlog

Kickstart takes place at the Notts County Football Ground and is in its second year. This Amiga show has rapidly become one of the premiere events on the retro computing calendar and this year I was invited along to run my own table all about the shared history between Atari and Commodore.

Newly Discovered Atari Tarzan Prototype Hands On

The Video Game History Foundation recently discovered this unreleased Atari 2600 Tarzan game from 1983 and have made it available for everyone to enjoy. So let's see what it's all about!

Get OSSC Pro Features On Your OSSC With This Simple Mod

Looking to breathe new life into your old Open Source Scan Converter? This official mod and firmware adds improved sync handling, improved picture quality, 6x line multiplying, improved compatibility with HDR displays, shadow masks and more!

Upscalers vs. Atari ST - OSSC, OSSC Pro & RetroTink 5X

I had a question from a supporter about the Atari ST and the new OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter) Pro. So I decided I may as well try it out with all of my scalers!

Testing The OSSC Pro's New Scaler Mode With Weird Old PCs

The OSSC Pro is the brand new video scaler from Markus Hiienkari, who brought us the mighty Open Source Scan Converter back in 2016. This scaler supports VGA, component and RGB SCART input and I'm helping to test a prototype unit with some old PCs to help iron out some bugs - so let's take a look!

Rare Atari Poster Donation & TIME Desk PC Accessories!

A very generous donation of some rare promo posters from the new Atari - and some of them are actually really cool! I also picked up some matching TIME branded accessories for the Desk PC.

A PC-9821 HDD Recovery Update - And Some Donations!

I got the original NEC PC-9821 Windows 95 hard drive back from the data recovery specialist - and he also sent me some extras.

Get Your Original Atari Jaguar Game Published - JagJam 2024!

Ever fancied trying your hand at retro homebrew game development? JagJam 2024 is an Atari Jaguar game jam organised by industry veteran Boris Kretzinger (Datassette_User) in conjunction with Songbird Productions - and I'm a judge! You have until the end of October to submit your original game - here's all you need to know to get started.

Building A Brand New FPGA Game Boy Color In 2024 - The FPGBC!

The FunnyPlaying FPGBC kit is a complete FPGA based Gameboy Color console that you can build in 2024! But is it any good? Unboxing, build process and testing within!

My DOOM Collection And Unboxing A New Arrival

I'm a big fan of id Software's 1993 game DOOM and have quite a big collection of stuff. So lets take a look at the collection and unbox a new arrival!

Drive Belt Fix - Roland Quick Disk PR-100 MIDI Sequencer

I got this Roland PR-100 MIDI sequencer and a pile of Quick Disks for free with my SC-155 Sound Canvas. But the drive isn't working. Can a drive belt swap fix it? The answer, apparently, is no.

SBEMU Sound Blaster Emulator With Untested VIA VT8235 Chipset

Using the Doom Desk PC to test out the new SBEMU Sound Blaster emulator under DOS using the VIA VT8235 AC97 audio chipset.

2002 Time ICEDESK Desk PC Restoration And Exploration

I bought this weird desk PC from a community centre that was about to be demolished. So lets fix some bad capacitors, change the optical drive, put some nice quiet fans in it, and finally crack the Windows 2000 login passwords to see how it was originally set up!

Running DOOM On £30 eBay Office Furniture

I bought this weird desk PC from a community centre that was about to be demolished. So lets explore it and see what it's all about, and do what any sensible retro gaming fan would - run DOOM on it.

My Continuing Adventures With The NEC PC-9821...

Following on from my introduction to and restoration of the NEC PC-9821, part of the legendary PC-98 series from Japan, I learn a lot more about the machine and how it differs from a PC and start exploring YAHDI - Yet Another Hard Disk Image.

Check Out The Weird Photos I Found On This eBay Game Boy Camera

A few years back I bought somebody's old Game Boy Camera on eBay - and it had some weird pictures on it! So before I wipe them to embark on a new project, let's take a look at them and try to work out what on earth was going on.

Red Viper - A Brand New Virtual Boy Emulator For The Nintendo 3DS

Red Viper is a newly released emulator that allows games from Nintendo's 1995 Virtual Boy 3D console to be run on the 3DS. It supports swappable colour palettes, game saves, remappable controls per game and a whole lot more, and runs the entire Virtual Boy back catalogue of games at 100% original speed. So let's check it out!

I Built A Robot Dog To Guard My Studio - SunFounder PiDog Review

The SunFounder PiDog is a robot kit built around a Raspberry Pi. This old dog has plenty of new tricks up its sleeve, including a face tracking camera, accelerometer, touch sensor, ultrasonic range finders, directional sound tracking and a lot more! So let's build one and it through its paces.

This 2600 Mystery Has Puzzled Atari Collectors For Decades

The Atari VCS was launched in 1977 with an initial launch lineup of 9 games - Combat, Air-Sea Battle, Star Ship, Indy 500, Street Racer, Video Olympics, Surround, Black Jack, and Basic Math (or Fun With Numbers). But the CX-26 numbers associated with these games aren't sequential. I wonder why that is?

The Man Behind The (Cursed) Macs - A Chat With Action Retro

In this video I sit down to chat all things YouTube and retro computing with Sean from Action Retro, one of my favourite YouTube channels. Since the channel started in early 2020, Action Retro has rapidly grown thanks to a relentless release schedule and consistently high quality, entertaining videos covering a variety of retro computing subjects. He's also the man behind retro search engine FrogFind and 68k.news, a news site targeted at older computers.

The Atari VCS Disappointed Me - But I Found A Way To Fix It

The PC-9821 is one of the later models in the now-legendary NEC PC-98 range of computers. In this video I restore this quirky Japanese machine while learning all about its history and how it relates to the iconic PC-88, and how both computers spawned a whole industry of home computer gaming in their homeland of Japan thanks to their advanced graphics and sound capabilities.

Restoring & Learning All About The NEC PC-9821 (PC-98)

The PC-9821 is one of the later models in the now-legendary NEC PC-98 range of computers. In this video I restore this quirky Japanese machine while learning all about its history and how it relates to the iconic PC-88, and how both computers spawned a whole industry of home computer gaming in their homeland of Japan thanks to their advanced graphics and sound capabilities.

A Curious Atari Video Game Machine Restoration

Restoring and composite modding a classic Atari C-100 Pong, Atari C-380 Video Pinball and an Atari SC-450 Stunt Cycle in preparation for a big book launch event. Can I save these classic consoles in time for the big day? Tune in and find out!

Atari 2600+ Ultimate Test - CRT, 7800 PAL Games, 2 Button Controller, Flashcarts & Lightguns!

The 2600+ is a brand new reimagined version of the iconic 1977 games console from Atari. In this review I check out some possibilities that the other reviewers may have missed - like Atari 7800 PAL compatibility, hooking it up to a CRT monitor, flash carts, the 7800 2 button controller - and perhaps the most important question of all - will it work with a lightgun!?

Office Studio Update - I Got Wood! Plus Window Updates, FlexiSpot Standing Desk and More

This is the third public update in my ongoing office studio build series. In this one I'm sent a FlexiSpot E7 standing desk to review, clad the back wall, add a long overdue improvement to the window display to make it even more museum-like, and finally bring all of my camera and lighting gear over to start filming in here!

I Built A Vintage Computer Exhibition

4 years into running this channel I've finally got my hands on my very own studio space! Here's the latest update on the new studio build.

Atari 2600 Junk To Museum Grade Restoration & Upgrades

I refurbished 2 classic Atari 2600 games consoles and fitted them with s-video and composite mods (UAV - Ultimate Atari Video) for use at the North West Computer Museum in Manchester, UK.

Big Things For The Channel - New Studio Expansion News!

It's coming up to 4 years since the launch of the ctrl-alt-rees YouTube channel. I had an offer on an extra studio space that I couldn't refuse - so the channel is expanding!

Pinball Hall of Fame Las Vegas - Computer Space, Atari Pinball History And Electromechanical Games!

Pinball, arcade games, mechanical games and more - getting hands on with vintage and retro gaming history at the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas! Learn the history of Atari's pinball division and Syzygy's Computer Space, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney's first ever arcade video game from 1971. Of course, I also check out 100 years of pinball history and some more familiar arcade games too.

Over 300 Antique And Rare Games - Hands-On At The Musée Mécanique

We visited Musée Mécanique in San Francisco, California - one of the world's biggest collections of antique and vintage arcade games, pinball tables, penny arcades and other coin operated retro gaming novelties - some of them over 100 years old! Get hands on with over 300 exhibits at this amazing fun free day out for the whole family.

I'm In A Book!

I consulted on a brand new book by Lewis Packwood called "Curious Video Game Machines - A Compendium Of Rare And Unusual Consoles, Computers And Coin-Ops" for a chapter on obscure Atari history!

A Chat With LGR's Clint Basinger

Clint - AKA LGR or Lazy Game Reviews - started his retro computing and gaming YouTube channel way back in 2006. As others have come and gone, LGR's cozy, thoughtful, educational and - most of all - high production quality videos have stood the test of time. As a result, his channel has steadily grown to over 1.5M subscribers - not including his side channels LGR Foods and LGR Blerbs! So let's chat all about old tech, YouTube, and everything else that takes our fancy.

This Brand New Take On A Rare Atari Controller Is Amazing!

Testing out a modern recreation / reimagining of the Atari 2800 all-in-one joystick and paddle controller built by Lee Smith's Workshop!

You Won't Believe What's Inside These! (Actually You Probably Will)

Tearing down a Commodore PET, Commodore 8050 Disk Drive, IBM 5160 PC XT and a couple of IBM 5170 PC ATs to see what's inside!

6 Cool Things I Found In The Atari Museum

The Atari Museum is a collection of rare Atari history - including prototypes, schematics, code, paperwork and other fascinating historical oddities and one-offs relating to Atari's 50+ year history of retro gaming and retro computing. So join me as I tell the story of how this valuable website - run by the late, great Curt Vendel - has been restored and preserved, and explore some of the treasures within.

Discovering The N64 For The First Time In 2023

I missed out on the N64 the first time around. So I decided to pick one up from Japan while they're still super cheap, install RGB amp and Gamebox Systems 64HD HDMI video output mods, and check out some of the best games on the system!

How Apple Ruined GEM - And Nearly Windows, Too!

Digital Research's Graphics Environment Manager - or GEM - was released for PCs and the Atari ST in 1985. Unfortunately it was a liitle bit too close in look-and-feel to Apple's recently released OS on the Macintosh (and earlier the Lisa), leading to legal pressure to remove certain features. This is the story of how GEM 1 ultimately ended up being by far the most feature-packed release as a result, and how this may well have lead to Apple and Microsoft becoming the dominant desktop platforms throughout the 90s and beyond.

Exploring A 1988 Atari PC & The GEM Desktop

At CES 1987, two years after the Atari ST, Jack Tramiel's Atari unveiled their 8088 powered turbo XT PC range. In this episode I explore the Atari PC3 and check out GEM, the original desktop environment!

The Tale Of Stroud Man - Part 1

Stroud and Proud

YouTube Channel Powered By DIY Solar - The Tour!

Since August of last year I've been running this YouTube channel entirely on a DIY solar setup that I built. It consists of 480W of solar panels, a Renogy Rover 40A MPPT charge controller, 80Ah (1kWh) of LiFePO4 batteries, and an EcoFlow RIVER 2 PRO portable power station.

Jack Tramiel vs. IBM - The Atari PC Story

The story of Atari's CES 1987 PC launch and Jack Tramiel's personal beef with IBM and Apple. I also restore a rare Atari PC3 computer and see if it works!

Even More Early Xbox Live Arcade Info - Your Comments & Game Demo Disc

Some more information has come to light off the back of my original Xbox Live Arcade documentary, and I've also found and preserved a later DVD release containing 12 game demos!

Xbox Live Arcade's Early History - E3 2004 Announcement, Story & Let's Play

Xbox Live Arcade was one of the defining features of the Xbox 360, with over 700 titles being released over its near 10 year lifespan. But did you know that XBLA actually first appeared on the OG Xbox in 2004 - but was overshadowed by that year's huge AAA game launches and barely got a mention?

Game Development History On My Doorstep - The Silicon Spa Exhibition

Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, UK, is well known for being the game development hub of the UK, with CodeMasters, FreeStyle Games (DJ Hero, Guitar Hero Live), Mediatonic (Fall Guys), SEGA Hardlight, Epic Games, Rebellion, Xbox Game Studios and many, many more all having a local presence here. Silicon Spa is a temporary exhibition showcasing all these and more - 50 studios in total - taking place until May 9th at the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa. So let's see what it's all about!

1962 Dansette Tempo Vintage Record Player Restoration - Modern Cartridge, Preamp And Service

The Dansette Tempo record player was made in 1962 by British hifi manufacturer Dansette, a division of J&A Margolin Ltd. This iconic vintage record player enabled teenagers of the 50s and 60s to listen to their very own records for the first time, and they were hugely popular. Mine, however, was in a bit of a sorry state, so I treated it to a restoration, including a modern cartridge upgrade and preamp, serviced the original mono valve / tube amplifier and gave it an overall service to help keep it running like clockwork for another 60 years.

Ultimate OG Xbox Upgrades! Internal HDMI With XboxHD+, OpenXenium, SSD & Noctua Fan

Bringing my OG Crystal Xbox into the 21st Century with an internal HDMI mod from MakeMHz (XboxHD+) with support for 720P upscaling, a stealth SSD upgrade, and OpenXenium to make it all work happily together. I've also added a silent Noctua fan using a 3D printed bracket from RetroFrog, and I'm running the XBMC4Gamers dashboard which adds loads of cool functionality including DLC, homebrew, emulators and all the media playback features you'd expect from XBMC.

Hands-On With 7 Atari Rarities and Prototypes

As it's the Atari 50th anniversary, I thought why not go hands-on with some of the rarest and most interesting Atari retro gaming items from my game collection, including some unique prototypes! Here I pick 7 of my favourites, including the original CX-10 joystick, Power Pad, XE Game System, a Pac-Man prototype, the infamous Video Music, a collection of Atari calculators and much more!

Microsoft Wine Guide (1995) Review - ctrl-alt-rees Christmas Special 2022

Microsoft Wine Guide was part of the "Microsoft Home" range, which included (among many others) Microsoft Dogs, Microsoft Gardening, Microsoft Bookshelf and - perhaps most famously - Microsoft Encarta. So join us as we take the guide for a festive spin - ably lead by our host Oz Clarke - and see what the world of 90s wine had to offer!

RIP Richard - Your Sinclair Collection Is In Safe Hands

Sinclair QL, ZX Spectrum+, ZX Spectrum+2, and ZX81 machines. These and more found themselves in my possession recently after a friend of a friend sadly passed away. If I didn't take them, they were destined for the tip, so I feel it's my duty to make sure they're looked after properly. But first, lets have a look through the boxes and see what we have here.

Atari's 2800 Story - How They Failed To Conquer Japan (Again)

The Atari 2800 was Atari's attempt to bring their 2600 VCS games console to Japan in 1983. Having tried and failed to crack the Japanese market 10 years previously, and finding themselves up against the newly launched Nintendo Famicom, it was always going to be an uphill battle. But this quirky and interesting take on the Atari 2600 is fascinating in its own right, so let's learn the story of how it came to be and take a closer look at the hardware and games!

Behind The Scenes At A BRAND NEW Computer Museum!

The North West Computer Museum in Leigh, Wigan, (just outside Manchester) is a brand new museum covering the history of computing and gaming from the 1970s onwards. Still under construction, take a look behind the scenes with me on this exclusive museum tour, and also check out some of the awesome thrifting pickups I managed to get my hands on at their recent jumble sale.

How Atari ST Service Engineers Diagnosed Faults In 1989 - Rare Hardware Hands-On!

This rare "engineer use only" diagnostic hardware is very kindly on loan from the North West Computer Museum (https://www.nwcomputermuseum.org.uk). It features DE-9, DB-19 and DB-25 connectors to hook up to the Atari ST's joystick ports, ACSI hard drive port and parallel printer port, and works in conjunction with a diagnostic cartridge to run a series of tests on the ST's hardware.

Rebuilding The Power Supply With Modern ATX Innards - IBM 5162 "XT 286" Restoration

In this episode of my long running IBM 5162 "XT 286" restoration and upgrade series, I transplant a modern ATX power supply into the original PSU casing, retaining the original looks and - most importantly - that lovely chunky power switch.

I've Been In Some Magazines! Pixel Addict Atari Panther Article & Retro Gamer Collector's Corner

I wrote an article on the Atari Panther for Pixel Addict Magazine issue 4 - and I was also in Retro Gamer's Collector's Corner in issue 236! So just a personal update thanking everyone for supporting the channel and allowing me to do these things.

2006's Best Selling Camcorder - Pure Digital Flip Video Story, Unboxing, Test & Teardown

YouTube was a very different place back in 2006 - this user-created video sharing tech startup had only been around for a year and was making big waves, leading to its acquisition by Google. But what camera were people using in the pre-smartphone era? How did it come to be? Was it really disposable!? In this video I take a look at the Pure Digital Flip Video, Amazon's best selling camcorder of 2007. We'll unbox it, hear the story behind it, see what the video and audio were like and even tear it down to see what's inside.

1986 IBM 5162 PC XT 286 Restoration Update! - Part 3

A roundup of my findings so far and the decisions I've decided to take going forward with this rare and unusual IBM 5162 machine, just before I put it all back together. We're now running reliably at 10MHz, but I reckon I'll build this up as a rock-solid 8MHz EGA gaming PC, perhaps with the option to switch clock speeds further down the line.

MK8330 ISA Sound Card, PC MIDI & E-Wave Review - A Cut Price Orpheus?

The MK8330 is a brand new (for 2022!) ISA sound card for DOS and early Windows PCs from sound card legends keropi and marmes. It's built around the Sound Blaster 16/PRO/2.0 and AdLib compatible CMI8330, and even supports Windows Sound System in Windows 95 and 98. Oh, and it has drivers for Windows 3.11! It sports an authentic-sounding OPL3 implementation and is less than half the cost of the Orpheus. Also on test here are the new E-Wave WaveTable card and the official PC MIDI expansion board, which adds sophisticated MIDI capabilities including support for the Roland MT-32's Intelligent Mode.

Retro Gaming At The Retro Computer Museum - Family Days Out In Leicester!

At a loose end for a family day out in Leicester? The Retro Computer Museum (RCM) has a huge selection of vintage computers, games consoles, arcade machines and early 90s Virtuality VR machines to play with. You're also welcome to get hands on with their collection of over 40,000 items of boxed and loose software and games - more than enough to get your retrocomputing or retro gaming fix!

Upgrading The CPU - 1986 IBM 5162 PC XT 286 Restoration Part 2

IBM's 5162 XT-286 machine was a bit of an oddball. Released in 1986, it was comparatively low specced for its time but of course still subject to the "IBM Tax" - making it notoriously bad value for money. What's worse is that IBM built in various measures to prevent users being able to upgrade it, so as to prevent cannibalisation of PS/2 sales. So what were these limitations? How do we work around them? Just how fast can this thing go anyway? Find out in part 2 of my ongoing upgrade and restoration series!

MiSTer MultiSystem Portable Prototypes Hands-On - Richard From Heber Interviewed!

RMC & Heber's MiSTer MultiSystem - a consolised version of the MiSTER FPGA project - was launched back in August last year. But it seems Heber's Richard has been hard at work behind the scenes on another project - this time making it portable!

1986 IBM 5162 XT 286 Upgrades - AdLib, XT-IDE, Networking and More! (Part 1)

The first episode of Wolfenstein 3D was released to the Software Creations BBS by id Software at 4AM on May 5th 1992. For its 30th anniversary, I thought I'd finally get around to restoring my IBM XT 286 (model number 5162) so I could enjoy the game on the very lowest spec machine it supports - just as many people (myself included) played this legendary DOS FPS back in the day!

The Atari Lynx - Cooler Than You Think!

The Atari Lynx was a pioneering handheld games console in more ways than one. In this video - part of the "My Cool Machine" series, a wonderful collaboration with some other awesome 'Tubers - I'll tell you why.

Fatal Racing / Whiplash S3 ViRGE OEM Release Finally Found & Preserved

Way back in November 2020 I bought a random cheap Pentium MMX 233 PC on ebay - and discovered to my delight that it contained an S3 ViRGE, an early 3D graphics card introduced in 1995. This set me on a journey to track down, test, document and preserve every single game released that supported this obscure and not very good graphics card.

Top 3 Atari ST Gadgets For Getting Started - UltraSatan, Netusbee & mouSTer!

Whether you're just getting started or you're an Atari ST veteran, there are so many modern gadgets that promise to make life easier that you'll be spoilt for choice! So here I present 3 of my favourites - the UltraSatan SD card hard disk solution, the Netusbee, which adds networking and USB, and the mouSTer, which adds support for modern USB mice and game controllers.

The Answer To All Your 90s Storage Woes!

Floppy disks not big enough for you? We were certainly pushing the limits in the late 90s... So enter the Fujifilm Flash Path, a vintage device that allowed Windows 9x, NT and Mac OS 9 users to use SmartMedia cards in a standard floppy drive - available in capacities up to 128MB! Join me as I go on a retro photography adventure and try out this fascinating gadget myself. Was it a viable way to move files around in the mid to late 90s?

The Panther's Roar - Checking Out An Atari Panther Prototype OTIS Sound Module

The Atari Panther was a 16-bit console that was due to be released in 1991 - but was cancelled right at the last minute, even after prototype dev consoles had been sent out to developers. In this video I check out an OTIS sound module, based on the Ensoniq sound chip of the same name, ponder what could've been, and reach out for help on tracking down some more information for a full documentary style video.

Behind The Scenes With Neil From RMC - Atari Show & Tell!

Join me as I spend a day filming with Neil from RMC Retro in The Cave! We had a lot of fun putting together our show and tell with some interesting items from my Atari collection, and here's the exclusive behind the scenes of how it all came together as welll as a more general look at how Neil records his videos.

Atari Video Music History, S-Video Mod, UK 230V Power Mod & Restoration

The Atari C-240 Video Music was a rather weird music visualiser released in 1977. Join me as I share the story behind how and why the gaming and home computing giant decided to try to get into the world of audiophile hi-fi separates, and fix and restore mine with some brand new walnut side panels, an s-video output mod, and an internal 230V PSU mod so it can run happily on UK power. That's right, I'm doing vintage hifi repair videos now!

eBay Bargain Or E-Waste? TFT LCD Monitor Job Lot Repair

Late 90s / early 2000s TFT LCD monitors... They weren't great, but hey, they set the scene for everything that was to come, including the monitors that we still use today. I bought a bargain eBay job lot of them - but do any of them actually work? Can I repair any that don't? Join me as I unbox them, test them, and attempt to fix some backlight and other faults!

Atari ST Launch & First Public Demo - Winter CES 1985

Atari 130ST and 520ST first public demo from the Winter Consumer Electronics Show 1985, hosted in Las Vegas in January 1985. In it the unknown announcer discusses the ST's TOS operating system and its desktop - GEM - including its original CP/M-68K underpinnings, which of course were replaced with GEMDOS shortly before release. There are a few interesting differences between the version demoed here and the final release, including the desktop icons which had to be changed due to a lawsuit from Apple.

PSU, Audio & Video, Cooling & Some Actual Games! - Point Of Sale DOS Gaming Part 2

Point Of Sale terminal to DOS gaming machine? Oh yes! Join me as I attempt to turn this boring £30 appliance into the ultimate PC for MS-DOS games. In this episode I sort out the power supply situation as well as the sound and graphics, and show off some games!

MiSTer MultiSystem Build & First Impressions - From A MiSTer Noob!

The MiSTer MultiSystem is a new product by Heber and RMC Retro which aims to be an all-in-one solution that makes MiSTer FPGA gaming accessible and easy to use. This consolised MiSTER setup also features a very high quality bespoke 3D printed case with .STL files available to print your own at home. But what is the out of box experience like for someone who's new to the whole world of MiSTer? Find out within, and join me for unboxing, first impressions and setup experience.

DOS On A Chip, Teardown And Recovering Their Deleted Files - Point Of Sale DOS Gaming Part 1

I picked up an old Point Of Sale terminal for £30. It turns out it's an AMD K6-2 PC capable of running MS-DOS - so lets turn it into a DOS gaming powerhouse! In this first episode I take a look around the various proprietary features of the DigiPOS 2000, including it's MS-DOS 6.22 DiskOnChip diagnostics and weird ports, take a look inside, and then have a poke around at all of the previous owner's old deleted files to get an idea of the history of this machine. In the next episode I'll be adding some choice hardware upgrades to make this the gaming PC it was so obviously born to be - so hit that subscribe button so you don't miss that one!

Raspberry Pi 4 Argon One M.2 SSD Metal Case Review and Assembly / Setup HOWTO Guide

The Argon One M.2 is a solid metal case for the Raspberry Pi 4 which offers some really excellent features, including configurable active cooling, 2x fullsize HDMI ports, smart power button / soft shutdown, easily accessible GPIO and perhaps most importantly, the ability to boot from an M.2 SSD. It does have a few minor issues that mean it might not be suitable for all purposes, and the M.2 setup can be fiddly if you don't have an M.2 USB adapter to plug into your PC. So join me as I give my impressions and get this thing up and running with the latest Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye!

Pac-Man Prototype Cartridge Explored and Dumped

I bought this "prototype" cartridge a few years back from a seller in California who had a lot of interesting Atari stuff. But is it genuine or is it a modern forgery? Is the game contained within an undiscovered early version? Let's find out!

Exploring The Atari 800 - Their First Home Computer From 1979

The Atari 800 was Atari's first home computer and was released in 1979, alongside it's cheaper variant, the 400. Originally intended as a games console successor to the 2600 and pivoted at the last moment, it has a very interesting modular architecture and a custom chipset designed by none other than Jay Miner. So let's take a look inside and learn a little bit about the story and how this machine works!

Atari 5200 Graphics Glitch Fix - "Tech Tip 7" From 1983

The Atari 5200 is an underrated console, in my humble opinion. But this one does have an annoying fault relating to a bad batch of CPUs. So let's fix it using an official Atari-sanctioned fix from 1983!

Wacky Wheels - A Twisted Tale That's Not All Fun And Games

In this video I take a look at Beavis Soft / Apogee's 1994 PC kart racer, Wacky Wheels - and how what should have been a simple Mario Kart knockoff became a tale of intrigue, with stolen source code and a remake abandoned under mysterious circumstances.

Diagnosing A Weird Intermittent Fault With My MMX 233 DOS Gaming PC

Ever since I bought this Pentium MMX DOS gaming PC, it keeps having weird intermittent errors where it refuses to boot and I need to open it up and reseat all of the PCI cards. It's getting very frustrating! Join me as I finally diagnose and repair this annoying fault once and for all. Is it the graphics card? The RAM? The motherboard? Or is it the previous owner...

Tandy "Science Fair" 150-in-1 Electronic Project Kit! SepTandy

I had this "Science Fair" branded 150-in-1 electronic project kit as a kid, and it taught me the basics of what all of the components do as well as giving me the opportunity to build some fun (and annoying!) experiments. I recently found another one for sale, and as it was manufactured by Tandy Radio Shack for sale in their stores, I thought I'd get reacquainted with it in the name of SepTandy.

Dread Retro FPS Comes To The Atari ST Demo On Original Hardware

Dread, a Doom-inspired retro first person shooter, has been announced for the Atari ST with a playable demo level released! This project by KK/Altair has been in development for the Amiga for a while now, but he announced at SillyVenture 2020 that an Atari ST version is coming too, and released this tech demo! This runs on a stock ST with 2MB of RAM, but I'm demoing it here on my 4MB STE, which apparently gets me more colours and slightly nicer sound. So lets see what it's all about.

TINY Game Room / YouTube Studio Tour (2.3m x 2.9m / 7'6 x 9'6) - 2021 Update!

Back in March 2020 I released a "100 subscriber special" game room tour. It's changed a lot since then, so now it's time for an update! Featuring an awful lot of Atari stuff, DOS PCs, Nintendo Famicom, N64, Xbox and more!

Amazon's Cheapest Video Capture Device Is Surprisingly Good... But The Name!?

Is a £5.99 WANKE video capture device actually any good... Or does it live up to its name? Let's test it and find out!

Atari Video Music Open Source Clone - The Pixelmusic 3000!

The Atari Video Music was Atari's brief foray into the world of hi-fi and was released in 1977. But these units are getting very hard to come by now... So why not build your own? In this video, I do just that by putting together a Pixelmusic 3000, a project by Uncommon Project and Make Magazine from 2012.

An Atari ST Guy's First Experiences With The Amiga - Recap, Sunbright, Workbench & Games!

As an Atari ST guy, I've never actually used an Amiga before... Yup, you heard me right! So join me as I explore the Amiga 600 "The Wild, Weird & The Wicked" pack from 1992, do some repairs, and then see what the Amiga was all about!

Checking Out A 1989 ST Format Magazine Promo Copy - What's It All About?

ST Format was a British computer magazine published by Future Publishing, and covered all things Atari ST. It began life as ST Amiga Format in 1988 before splitting into 2 separate publications the following year, and then ran until late 1996. Here I take a look at a promotional copy that was given away with Atari ST computers in autumn of 1989!

Moto Racer - Matrox Mystique Enhanced Edition (1997)

Moto Racer - Matrox Mystique Enhanced Edition was a classic Windows motorbike racing game bundled with Matrox Mystique 220 cards in 1997, and like many OEM bundles, had a renderer that was optimised for this early 3D accelerator. So lets take a look!

Playing (Almost) Every S3 ViRGE Game For GPUJune

The S3 ViRGE was a 3D graphics card released in 1996 by graphics industry giants S3. I bought this PC back in December that happened to have one of these cards in it - and I made a video, and didn’t do a very good job of it. Oops! So I’m back to make it up to everyone with a new and improved look at this early pioneer of 3D gaming. Let’s check out some S3D accelerated games!

Wolfenstein 3D On A Stock Atari ST - Unaccelerated!

Wolfenstein 3D - the classic id Software FPS and predecessor to Doom - running natively on the humble Atari ST? Say it ain't so! But it is so, thanks to a combined effort back in 2005 by demo group TSCC (The Sirius Cybernetics Corp), including developer Reimund Dratwa and chiptune artist Dma-Sc, with artwork by legendary Apple IIgs demo group Ninjaforce. It's fully playable - although a bit buggy - and well worth checking out. So lets check it out!

Atari 260ST Story, TOS Floppy Boot Process, And How Much RAM?

The Atari 260ST. There's a lot of misinformation circulating about this model on the internet, including the "fact" that it was only released with 256K of RAM. But what's the real story behind this machine? Did it ever have 256? Did Atari even plan to release a machine with that little RAM? And what's that floppy-based TOS boot process all about anyway?

Exploring The Dragon32 - An 8-Bit Home Computer From Wales!

The Dragon32 was released by the Dragon Data Ltd in 1982 and is based on the same Motorola MC68883 reference design as Tandy's TRS-80 Color Computer or "CoCo", although not strictly a clone, in my opinion. Join me as I learn all about the story of this computer, take a look inside, and check out what it can do.

Blaze Atari Handheld - Unboxing & First Impressions! 50 Atari 2600 Games!

My unboxing and first impressions of the Blaze Atari Handheld console. This handheld features 50 built in Atari 2600 games, classic Atari styling, a decent screen, TV out, and a really nice menu system. It was also a birthday present from some good friends of mine, so I couldn't pass up this opportunity to have a look!

Projects & Pickups - Studio Improvements, Atari 260ST, RODE Vlogger Kit, Orpheus Sound Card & More!

Improvements to my filming setup and the RODE Vlogger Kit, some last minute videos, an Atari 260ST update, mouSTer / Atari Fan Magazine from Retrohax, Atari Jaguar GameDrive Jaguar CD update, Dark Forces PC big box pickup, Orpheus ISA Sound Card / DreamBlaster X2, Alien vs Predator for the Atari Jaguar, some sealed Atari Lynx Games, and a Patron's laptop that I've taken in for repair for a future video!

mouSTer Review - USB Mice and Gamepads With Your Atari or Amiga!

Retrohax mouSTer review - a brand new device to allow USB mice and gamepads to work with Atari and Amiga computers and consoles!

RetroHQ Jaguar Game Drive JagCD Beta Testing - Feb 2021

I've been beta testing RetroHQ's JaguarGD flashcart, and more specifically the upcoming Jaguar CD support. JagCD games running on a flashcart - it's a real game changer!

Rare Atari 260ST Pickup (With Extras!) - eBay Bargain Or Box Of Junk?

So I bought a 260ST untested from an eBay seller in Germany... But what's the 260 all about, does it even work, and what's all this about extras that the seller didn't even mention!?

Fitting Out My Dream MAME Arcade Cab - The VideoStar MkII - 12 Years & Counting!

Join me on my 12 year (and counting!) arcade cabinet restoration project - where I take a bare cab from a real arcade and completely reburbish it - twice! - to transform it into my dream MAME cab setup.

Projects & Pickups - Rare IBM PC, Video Music Update, Atari, Ideas For Set Changes & More!

January channel output, new channel backdrop / studio ideas, the IBM 5162 XT Model 286 & some potential upgrades, Atari Video Music restoration update, installing BionicPup Linux on an old windows tablet, unboxing an Atari 2600Jr and original DOOM Shareware disks, January livestream recap, my new second channel, and my new phone - a Nokia 8.3!

A New Famicom Composite Mod Appears! Backoffice PowerVAMP Mod First Impressions

In this video I check out the new PowerVAMP drop-in composite and power mod for the Nintendo Famicom by The Backoffice. This board requires minimal soldering and upgrades the Famicom with a better, any-polarity power supply and composite video output. But how easy is it to fit, and how does it stack up against the most popular composite mod out there?

My Maxed Out IBM 5150 PC With 7.16MHz Overclock, EGA & Ethernet

In this video, I explore my upgraded IBM 5150, the first DOS PC. I show how to get EGA graphics on a CGA monitor, how to capture the video output in the best possible quality (including PC speaker audio), how I connect this PC to my home network to transfer files, and also a DIY overclocking solution called the PC-SPRINT.

2020 Collab Roundup - My Unseen (On This Channel) Collab Videos!

In this special and not-at-all lazy Christmas episode, I share the collaboration videos that I made for other channels in my channel's first year. Of course, the vast majority of them were for the RMC livestreams over the summer, but there's a cheeky bonus collab at the end for you to check out as well as some shoutouts to some other great channels I've worked with over the year.

December Update - 1000 Subscribers, 30 Patrons, and Behind The Scenes on Some Upcoming Stuff!

Just a few updates and marking some channel milestones before it gets too late. Don't expect great things - I tend to waffle a lot in this unscripted stuff!

Atari Video Music - Story, Teardown, Restoration, and S-Video Mod - Part 1

Join me as I embark on a mission to restore my Atari Video Music, Atari's trippy music visualiser from 1977. In this 2-part special I'm going to be replacing the woodwork, designing an s-video output mod, and converting the device to run on a UK 230V power supply.

Projects & Pickups: Rare Atari Hardware, New Tools, Mystery Box of ST Games & Patron Gift!

Atari Video Music Restoration Update, Patreon Gift of the Month, USB Microscope, very rare Atari Sparrow prorotype motherboard, Atari SX212 1200 baud modem, a new book from Bitmap Books called The Games That Weren't, a VGA distribution amplifier to improve my capture setup, a variable resistor box, and a mystery box of goodies from Patreon supporter Dave Velociraptor!

Cheap (Under £30!) Ihong 1080P USB Microscope / Endoscope Review - Much Better Than Expected!

I had a few questions about the USB microscope I used in my recent Atari Sparrow video so I thought I'd put together this very quick review. I was very impressed with the quality of this thing, especially as it only cost £26!

Investigating A Very Rare Atari Sparrow FX-1 Prototype Motherboard - Should I Restore It?

I'm now the proud owner of an Atari Sparrow / FX-1, the prototype for the Falcon, which was released in 1992. Only 21 of these are known to still exist! But should I restore it, or frame it as a museum piece? I'm open to suggestions!

Unboxing And Playing A Sealed Game From The 90s And An IBM NetVista Office To Gaming Machine Update!

In the time I've owned RMC charity NetVista number 1 I've tracked down quite a lot of accessories for it... and done quite a lot of upgrades! See how I turned this boring office PC from 2002 into a half decent Windows 9x gaming machine. And what better to play on it than Maxis' crazy 1996 hit SimCopter? This is the story of how I bought this game "back in the day" and a nostalgic revisit after all these years.

Projects & Pickups: Visit To RMC, ST Format Magazine Binders, Early Atari Hardware and Patron Gift!

A visit to Neil at the RMC YouTube channel, a massive haul of ST Format magazines in the original binders, some early Atari hardware including a Stunt Cycle and Atari Video Music, a new soldering tool, a new monitor for the IBM NetVista, and an exciting update on my DOS MIDI / mt32-pi video.

DOS Gaming MIDI: Roland MT-32 / SoundCanvas SC-55 / SC-88, mt32-pi & SoundBlaster Hanging Note Fix

Acorn Archimedes A305 Restoration: Audio Fix! Filter Mod & Burr-Brown Op Amp Upgrade

Ever wanted to fix that dull, flat, muted audio on your Acorn Archimedes? In this HOWTO I'll show you how to upgrade your Archie's audio by fitting a higher spec op amp and removing some unneccessary filtering components for the best possible output.

Projects & Pickups: Gameroom Update, Atari Calculators, PC-MIDI / SoundBlaster Hanging Notes & More!

My game room / YouTube studio remodel, a new bit of (old) hardware for my Atari 800, some Atari calculators, PC-MIDI ISA card, Creative SoundBlaster hanging notes and the Roland SoundCanvas, an update on my Acorn Archimedes restoration, the return of my OJTRTA series, the Atari Lynx, and some big box Atari ST and PC games for the collection!

Acorn Archimedes A305 Restoration Update - Keyboard Rebuild, Monitor Fixes & Video & Audio Mods

The Acorn Archimedes A305 was the original and first ARM CPU powered computer. I'm doing some work on mine in preparation for a video on the history of the ARM architecture and the Archimedes in general, so join me for a progress update!

RetroHQ Atari Jaguar GameDrive Flashcart First Impressions & Setup. Let's Play Some Rare Games!

My first impressions of the new Atari Jaguar "Game Drive" (or GD) flashcart from RetroHQ. In this video I also use it to check out some rare and expensive games on the system!

Projects & Pickups: RMC NetVista M41, Acorn Archimedes Restoration, Atari ST, Future Videos & More!

My current Acorn Archimedes A305 restoration, plans for repairs and upgrades to my original 1985 Atari 520ST, a new game I've discovered for my RM 486, and a few game collecting pickups too!

Cheap DIY Neo Geo To Sega Megadrive / Genesis Joystick Adapter! OJTRTA Part 3

One Joystick To Rule Them All! Continuing where we left off in episode 2, learn how to make a simple adapter to use your Neo Geo AES arcade controller with your Sega Megadrive / Genesis!

Cheap DIY Neo Geo Joystick Adapter To Amstrad, MSX And Sega Master System! OJTRTA Part 2

One Joystick To Rule Them All! Continuing where we left off in episode 1, learn how to make a simple adapter to use your Neo Geo AES arcade controller with Amstrad computers and consoles, including the CPC and GX4000, MSX computers and the Sega Master System!

Your Feedback And Tips From Episode 1 - OJTRTA Part 1.1

One Joystick To Rule Them All! In this mini episode I address some feedback from episode 1 and add some more tips to hopefully make this project a little bit more useful for anyone following along at home. Thanks so much everyone for the great feedback and suggestions - they're really appreciated and I'm taking them all on board to make this series even better!

Cheap DIY Neo Geo Joystick Adapter To Atari, Amiga, Sinclair and More! OJTRTA Part 1

One Joystick To Rule Them All! In the first of a new series, learn how to make a simple adapter to use your Neo Geo AES arcade controller with everything that uses the Atari joystick standard including Atari 2600, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amiga, Sinclair ZX Spectrum and more!

My Namco Mr. Driller Collection - And Some History!

In this video I show off my Mr. Driller collection as well as demoing (most of) the games while talking about the history of the series.

I Won RetroManCave's Charity NetVista PC Number 1! So Here's The Unboxing, Setup & Gameplay

I won this IBM NetVista Pentium 4 computer in a charity auction supporting Brighter Futures.

The IT Crowd Oric Atmos - Story, Repair & Review - As Seen On TV!

I'm the proud owner of an Oric Atmos 8-bit computer that was used as a prop in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd. Here's the story of how it came to be in my possession, what happened when I tried to power it up for the first time, and what I needed to fix to get it up and running. I also take a look at some games on the system.

Sony PlayStation PSOne Restoration and Retr0bright - The Wife's 18th Birthday Present!

I recently discovered my wife's Sony PSOne which she got as a present for her 18th birthday 20 years ago! In this episode I retr0bright and repair the PlayStation console and controller - I hope you'll agree it looks practically brand new!

Puck Man Original Japanese Pac-Man Arcade PCB - History, Tech, And Demo!

Before Namco's iconic Pac-Man was Pac-Man, he was Puckman. In this video I explore an original Japanese Puckman arcade PCB, talk a bit about the story behind it, show you how it works, and show you some actual gameplay footage!

EGA Graphics On A CGA Monitor? It's Easier Than You Think!

Back in the 1980s an EGA monitor was a rare and expensive beast. These days they're even rarer and expensive...er. But it turns out you can hook up an EGA card to a CGA monitor as I have done here with my IBM PC 5150 with 5153 CGA monitor. Join me to find out how!

PC-SPRINT - Overclocking The First PC With A DIY Open Source Hardware Solution From 1985!

Join me as I tell you all about the PC-SPRINT. The plans for this DIY overclocking solution were released for free in 1985, so I decided to build one in 2020 and use it to overclock my 1981 IBM 5150 PC!

My Tiny Game Room Tour (2.3m x 2.9m / 7'6 x 9'6) - 100 Subscriber Special!

I just hit 100 subscribers this past weekend! Woohoo! In this video I give a tour of the tiny space where I keep my collection, work on all of my projects and film my videos. Featuring Atari, Nintendo and PC goodness - and more!

Ultimate Atari ST & 2600 Controller Hack - 2 Buttons Are Better Than One!

I modified an Atari 7800 CX78 joypad for use with my ST and 2600 - with a twist! I've been using this controller for the last couple of years for pretty much all of my Atari gaming. Now I'll let you in on my secret and how you can easily experience it for yourself just by swapping some wires around!

Retro Unboxing & Let's Play - Rare Atari "Touch Me" Handheld From 1978!

In 1974 Atari released an arcade game called "Touch Me". A unique concept, it didn't have a screen or a joystick. In 1977, Milton Bradley turned it into the ubiquitous "Simon" toy. Atari, seeing their success and wanting a piece of the action, released their own toy, based on the toy, based on the arcade game... This is that toy - the only electronic handheld toy Atari ever produced.

Everything We Know About Unreleased Game DeathWatch For The Atari Jaguar - Leaked E3 Footage 1995

DeathWatch was a 2D run and gun platformer developed by British game developer Data Design InterActive for the Atari Jaguar. It was announced and demoed at E3 1995, the first E3. The N64, PlayStation and Sega Saturn were announced at the same event, focusing on 3D capabilities. Atari cancelled development of the game in favour of 3D games shortly after the event. No known ROM dumps exist and this is the only known footage.