neurotix

EHW Retro - The ExtremeHW.net Retrogaming Club aka the I Need More Alcohol and Q-tips Club Welcome to EHW Retro, the ExtremeHW.net Retrogaming club. Atari or Coleco, Nintendo or Sega, Game Boy or Game Gear, Sony or Microsoft, it's all the same here! If you have an Atari ST, a Commodore 64, a Macintosh or an IBM AT, or even just older PC hardware, this is the place for you too! I am not sure how much interest there will be in this, but I figured I'd remake my club here. Whether you have a small collection, a medium collection or a large collection, everyone is welcome here. If you think games were better when you were growing up, and you want to relive the nostalgia, this is the place for you. If you played a game back in the day, but you can't remember what it was, this is the place to ask. Feel free to post pictures of your newly acquired games, post pictures of your collections, and so on. If you go to gaming conventions, feel free to post pics of those too- we would love to see them! Retrogaming includes all consoles, handhelds, arcades and computers prior to the Eight generation (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U) which is still technically ongoing, even though we're in the Ninth generation now with the recently released systems. As long as new games still come out for the PS4 and Xbox One, they won't be considered retro, sorry. Update for 2022: This year, the Vita has become retro per the 10 year rule and in about a month the Wii U will as well if you want to list them. The 3DS also qualifies. This was a request of members of the old club (10 years) though I personally feel a game or system isn't retro until it's 15 years old. How to Join Joining is simple. Just post your EHW name, and a small list of the consoles you own separated by commas. I'm putting this here since some people ignore it, if you want to join and have 10+ consoles, I need them put into a list with commas like in the club members list below. I will not add you if you use bullets, line breaks or any other format besides a simple sentence with commas. If you want you can include an estimate of how many games you have. You can include classic computers, handhelds or arcade cabinets if you want. Look at my listing in the members list as an example in how to format your application. Members list: neurotix (Founder) - NES, SNES (x2), PC Engine Core Grafx, Master System, Genesis, Sega CD(x2), 32X (x2), Saturn (x2), Dreamcast (x2), Game Gear, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance SP, PS2, Xbox, PSP-1000, PSP Go, Macintosh SE w/ replaced PRAM battery and 4MB NEC 80ns SIMMs. 250+ games on cart. ENTERPRISE - PS3 pioneerisloud -AMD K6-III 450 @ 600MHz, AMD Athlon Thunderbird @ 1100MHz, AMD AthlonXP 3200+ @ 2.2GHz, as well as many other retro AMD PC setups Sir Beregond - PS2 Fluxmaven - Sega Genesis, PSP, Xbox 360, liquid cooled PS4 axipher - Gameboy Colour, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Advance SP, DS Lite, DSiXL, PSP-1000, NES, N64, GCN, Wii, PS2 Slim, PS3 Fat, Xbox 360, Q6600 / 8800 GTS Crysis rig (lol) Slaughtahouse - Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Switch, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo 3DS, SNES Classic, Xbox 360

There you go. Decided to include the non-Box Kailh MX Blue switches in the Rosewill K85 for reference, since they are clone Cherry Blues which everyone is familiar with. Which do you like best?

Buckling spring switches are awesome. I'm old enough and a school I went to when I was in 3rd or 4th grade had a computer room full of IBM systems that all had IBM model M keyboards. I can clearly remember doing typing class on them and thinking at the time that the keyboard was much higher quality than the Macintosh keyboard we had at home. Imo, if you want buckling spring switches just buy an IBM Model M keyboard on ebay (they ran around $90 last I checked) and a PS/2 to USB Adapter. Though they aren't pretty so I can understand wanting a modern kb, choice of size, choice of keycaps etc. An IBM model M has actually been on my wants list for quite a while but we've been trying to be frugal and our savings keeps getting depleted by having to give money to my sister nearly monthly since shes in between jobs and not making ends meet on her own.. Also, I read on reddit or something that a keyboard enthusiast used an IBM Model M at work for years, then built a board with Kailh Box Jades and ended up loving them enough that he considered them superior to the model M and switched. Also, that's correct, the collab was Kailh x NovelKeys not kbfans. Never ordered anything from either site. Supercrumpet, can't hurt to build a board or swap switches and try the Kailh Box Whites. I will try to take some short videos of my wife typing on my boards so you can hear the difference and put them on YouTube. If I remember to. Also both of us have been playing Grim Dawn over the LAN and its the weekend so we'll see because we're both heavily addicted, lol.

I like the Box Whites a lot. They have a lower activation force (like 30g of pressure to actuate) compared to the Box Jades which are around 55g. The click is higher pitched/less loud and since they require less pressure I can type more softly on them. Compared to MX Blues, I think they require less force to actuate and they sound totally different. Though I can't compare them properly to MX Blues because the OCN Ducky I have with MX Blues is pretty much shot and needs a full switch replacement which is beyond me as they are all soldered (I can solder and desolder but I'd need a $300 Hakko desoldering gun for a project like that). I can, however, compare the Whites to the Kailh Blues (non Box- clone MX Blue switches) in saying the sound and feel is completely different and the clone Blues definitely take more force to actuate. Though not much more. Basically I would recommend the Whites if you want clicky switches that aren't too loud and that you can type on very lightly, which seems to increase my speed. Essentially typing with your fingertips. Compared to the Jades, well the Jades are perfection to me. Loud satisfying click, can type hard on them, basically a Jade kinda feels like a white or MX Blue switch that is sticky, and you feel that on the upstroke moving your finger away. This is not a bad thing but going from the Doraemon board to my GMMK, its the best way to describe it. (the sticky feeling) This sort of makes sense as a Jade was based on the White but with a thicker click bar and tighter spring. I have NOT used Box Navy however it was what I was initially considering and interested in before building either of these boards. They are supposedly like Jades and came out around the same time. However the actuation force for them is crazy high, like 85g or something so you would really need to type HARD on them. I opted for the Jades instead and got like the last shipment of them during the early pandemic that took over a month to arrive from a Chinese Amazon seller, and after we bought them they were no longer available. They were also sold out on kbfans or whatever that site was that directly did the collab with Kailh to make them. I'm not sure if you can even get them anymore, as it was a limited time thing... I am actually interested in doing a board or swapping the Jades in my GMMK for Kailh Box Rose. Which are also clicky. I don't know the actuation force for them but did see a YouTube video testing them around the time they became available and they seem interesting, I am curious to try them. Hope this helps.

There's one with the lights off (it's really bright) and one with the lights on. For those who don't know Doraemon is like the Japanese equivalent of Mickey Mouse. Hes above my left arrow key. I would actually like to get some dark blue and white keycaps as the logo for Doraemon is dark blue.

Will take and upload a few pics of my secondary board later.

Will do. Probably tomorrow when the wife is working because we are about to start multiplayer Grim Dawn. Not sure I'll be active enough here to keep a club list and list everyone's consoles... I will probably just repost the one I did for OCN and edit it heavily. (Keep in mind I'm not really into retro pc gaming much, no room for it. I freaking love the old DOS game Tyrian though. This thread would be console focused though I did add people's retro pcs.) Thanks again for the CT Sounds recommendation to replace my blown Polk PSW-505 woofer. See that other audiophile thread for a picture of my house system. Its a shame they went out of business.

Wow lotsa work going into this thread. Nice spreadsheet. Attached are photos of my main board, pretty much my endgame, I love it. I could possibly make a YouTube vid demo of how it sounds if anyone is interested. I can post pics from different angles too. Pictures at bottom. I can't figure out how to do inline images on mobile. GMMK v2 fullsize 104 key Custom white plastidip + plastidip pearlizer on the top, some white plastidip on the inside of the top plate to help rgb light diffusion Kailh Box Jade switches, a few are Gateron Browns (like Caps so if I bump it I immediately know) Cherry Blue o-rings Filco Sakura keycaps Stabs clipped and lubed with lithium grease Case weighted and noise dampened with some small metal weights I had laying around as well as packed with crafters foam.. the kind you get at Hobby Lobby or whatever that comes in a big flat sheet. I think thats about it for my main one. Secondary one: E-Element or E-Yooso Z77 or whatever Removed stock Outemu Blue switches. They advertise it as being hot swappable but if that means using 50 lbs of force with a switch puller... Yeah my lovely hardworking wife removed them all. The switches are not soldered but the contacts on the switch are too large for the hole so yeah. Replaced all switches with Kailh Box White switches. Each one needed the pins trimmed with a flush cutters to fit into the PCBs non standard hole size (too small for the right pin). Cherry Blue O-rings Stabs clipped and lubed cheapo white and blue keycaps Case packed with foam Multiple Doraemon stickers from Ebay In the spreadsheet just put modded E-Yooso Z77 with box whites. I will take pictures if anyone wants to see it. Additionally I could also do a test video. They do make these kbs in Tenkeyless and 60% versions for like $30, add in the cost of some switches, o rings and crafters foam and maybe some keycaps and you might be able to do a fully custom board for around $100. If you are brave enough to try lol Additionally my wife has a GMMK fullsize with Kailh Box white switches. It might have o-rings but I don't remember. She's an accountant so she needs the numpad. Additionally she works 100% remote and that just got extended through June. This board sees heavy use. It has PBT pudding keycaps because she likes them. Moms pc has a Rosewill something black board, RGB, fullsize, with Kailh Blue (non box) switches. She plays Tetris and some other games on it and loves it. I'd have to go look in storage for the model number. It has really nice lighting. On top of that, in storage I have (and want to sell): Corsair K70 Lux fullsize stock with Cherry MX Red switches..red backlighting. my first mechanical board before I realized I like clicky switches. OCN Ducky with Cherry Blues. Switches need to be replaced, it was used heavily. Paint on keycaps is yellowed because the previous owner smoked. Ducky One 2 RGB fullsize year of the dog edition with Cherry MX reds. I want to try Topre switches but don't like the HHKB and a fullsize Realforce is like $300 that I would rather save to eventually get a new GPU. Sorry for how long this was! Also good to see you here Fluxmaven.

Sapphire was my go-to brand for years until I got my current 1080tis. I've had: Sapphire 4670 Sapphire 6870 Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 2x Sapphire R9 290 Tri-X.. rma'd because of fan grinding noises under load at 100% fan and got 2x Sapphire R9 290 Vapor-X (my favorite GPUs ever) 2x Sapphire R9 380X Nitro 2x Sapphire R9 Fury Nitro I benched and sold: Sapphire 7870 XT (a Tahiti chip with 1536 shaders- pretty rare) Golden Sapphire R9 270X that did 1300Mhz on the core Golden Sapphire 7770 that did 1300Mhz core I think thats it. Never had a Sapphire Toxic card but wish I did. Anyone remember the MSI Lightning cards? Those were out around the same time the 7970 Vapor-X was and they did Lightnings for both vendors. I wish they'd do these again minus the all yellow theme given I have an RGB case with black powder coat sparkly paint... Kinda need a neutral color.

I am planning to upgrade to single card 5000 series when they come out and would have gone with EVGA Ftw3... Now I have no clue what to buy. We went with MSI recently for my wife's rig. Asus is great for motherboards but I'm pretty sure they have terrible support and RMA process from what I heard years ago.

Sorry to double post but, also wondering if there is a anime/manga thread since I'm a huge weeb. Lol If there isn't a thread dedicated to old games and game collecting, I might have to make one but I dunno how much interest there would be or if its outside the scope of this site.

Not much activity here I take it? I'll join the team anyway and bring about 1200 points with me. Also will be doing some Time Spy benches on my sig rig since I finally paid for a 3dmark key >_> My wife's R9 380X Nitro (basically a glorified 7970 but a little faster- 7 year old card and she has a 3440x1440 Ultrawide now) developed a problem recently with the right fan scraping against the metal shroud and only when the card heated up. So we bit the bullet and got her a MSI Ventus 2X RTX 3060. Its running great so far. I plan on benching that too but in her rig which has a i5-7600k. If I hadn't just had a back procedure limiting bending and if both of our cases weren't tempered glass I would obviously put it in my system with a R9 3900x for the physics score. But since my 1080ti ftw3 pair are deeper than usual cards, we actually have to bend the aluminum bracket you put screws in to get the things in and out of the case. Really happy with the RTX 3060, in most games it is about as powerful as my 1080tis- I saw a comparison chart on the two testing them in like 20 games.

Thanks everyone

Hey guys can anyone please provide me links to the HWBOT thread and mechanical keyboard club thread? Also wondering if there is a dedicated thread for retro game collecting like the one I used to run on OCN.

All great stuff especially Bone E.1999. That album is a masterpiece. Not a single bad track. Same is true for Tupac All Eyez On Me and Makaveli. Biggie's Ready to Die too. Project Pat's first album was Ghetty Green I think but I don't think it (or most of the Three Six stuff) was popular til 97 or so.

Haha thank you. Yeah I baby it pretty well and dust the components and speakers, speaker grills (not shown) etc. You should see the wiring behind it in the cabinet though, its anything but clean. Tbh I wouldn't mind selling it and getting a modern 5.1 setup for my living room with the 77" LG OLED and PS5/Switch but with how cramped the area is with couches and side tables plus little room in the tv stand for a receiver, its not really doable. Also Chickenheads by Project Pat didn't come out til 2001 on his album Mista Don't Play. There's better songs from that album like Cheese and Dope or We Can Get Gangsta. Nah in 95 around here it was Do or Die as well as the TRU song No Limit Soldiers that I heard coming from cars.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9oNHudoubc YouTube won't allow embedding. Everyone with a car system was banging this in '95. As for my home stereo setup, I call it my Retro-Modern hifi because I have an Asus monitor attached to a Raspberry Pi running Kodi and it streams my music off my rig running Linux with Samba. I have a remote for it but it is also possible to control via a phone. (See attached pic at the bottom) System is a Pioneer SX-255R receiver with 100w per channel connected to the back of a Polk Audio PSW-505 12" subwoofer which just passes it through to two Technics SB-A32 floor standers. They have a 1" tweeter, a 2.5" midrange and two 8" woofers per cabinet. The PSW-505 stock speaker blew the 2nd time I used it. So, per the suggestion of pioneerisloud I got a CT Sounds Tropos 12" car sub rated to handle 600w and threw that in. However I ran into some issues with wiring it at first (the PSW-505 amp puts put 300w) as the sub is dual voice coil. I eventually figured it out and its wired in series at 150w, 8ohms per voice coil. I used 14 gauge wire inside and soldered the wires to the amp, and gorilla glued the sub in place after dremeling out some of the wood on the enclosure as the sub didn't quite fit. The subs low pass filter even works but the lowest it goes is 60Hz. It can still hit low bass notes well in songs like DJ Drama Love for Money. As for the rest of the components, Denon DCD-560 CD player with dual Burr Brown DACs, Kenwood graphic equalizer up top, Technics late 80s quality dual tape deck. Tapes btw sound really good on this stereo, I have some tapes of classical music like Mozart and Dvorak that my deceased Uncle Pete made in 1985 and sent to my dad, they sound great with very little typical tape hiss even without Dolby NR on. You would almost think they were playing from a CD. And thats about it except I'm dreading the day the laser in the CD player gives out, components need to be recapped etc. Anyway the setup bangs and sounds great with all types of music, I can play bass music or rap on the sub as loud as I want and it vibrates everything upstairs lol. Hope this post isn't too long but I'm pretty proud of my work on this thing.

Count me in. I love my 1080tis.

Thanks guys

Wassup. Might be checking the forums and posting occasionally from now on, but we'll see.

nvm. delete

Yeah, Ill make a thread IF damric, mllrkllr and anyone else from ocn joins. I did compete in the recent Freezer Burn comp and so on and have been a member of the team over there since 2011. I would like to see some people join, before Id commit long term to a ExtremeHW team (if mllrkllr or Noxinite join Ill stay.) Edit: as far as folding goes, blame Debian being so progressive to break the old gtk2 interface that Fahcontrol needs to work (its just like the Windows 'advanced' if you right click the client in the system tray) Otherwise I did have it working in the command line but the 1080tis are really popular still, so the server said "no units available for this configuration". I havent tried again since. I use Linux on my machine for all kinds of things on my network like my Pis as well as PSTV, so I really need it for ssh, ftp, terminal remote editing of Pi or router config files, and local only SMB server. I am forced to use Windows 10 and security > everything else, also having my home server and avoiding data collection. So unfortunately folding in Windows is not an option even using Comodo CIS Free etc. If I could use Windows 7 on x570 it would be an entirely different thing (it is too much hassle when the installer has no kb/mouse support for usb yet the board has no PS/2 port) Ill try right now though and see if it grabs a WU on my rig. Then get to editing the conf files. Also, I cannot log in on desktop atm w/Firefox, I even disabled all extensions, I just get an infinite login window that spawns another when clicked in the top right...

https://i.postimg.cc/QNpCwRkw/20200325-184033.jpg ^ folding shirt and some coasters I won lol

Hey I posted this in my other thread (Yeah hi): "Also I will start folding soon under Windows, Debian devs decided to break python gnome support, I tried multiple (10?) terminal operations and installed the package, but got errors from apt. I did get FAHClient to install and run (gdebi hates it as I guess it doesnt conform to new deb packaging rules, tries to install into priveleged directories without correct permissions (and start executables in their path), among other issues. I guess you can send commands to FAHClient in the command line. You can pass stuff to it to print work unit status, etc. I may write a bash script to make this easier and take output to stdout then print it in a terminal. Problem is that f@h has so much computing power from people joining, it has no work units to send. I heard a boinc project called Rosetta@Home is sending COVID-19 units now. We should make a boinc team possibly til f@h can deliver units consistently again." The above relates to the deprecated python-gnome2 package but you can manually run FAHClient from the terminal, configure slots in a cfg file and control it with commands. Id do this if the servers had WUs to assign. Also I joined your hwbot team, please see my other post in my thread

Go check the hwbot team you made and make me a team captain. I'll start a thread but it will be basic. mllrkllr is more suited to do that and run events. Also apparently I give teams 3k pts and now it says (for this season), your team is #1 uk thanks to me so yah make me a team captain. Thats crazy points for me being a perma enthusiast. lol EDIT: Also I will start folding soon under Windows, Debian devs decided to break python gnome support, I tried multiple (10?) terminal operations and installed the package, but got errors from apt. I did get FAHClient to install and run (gdebi hates it as I guess it doesnt conform to new deb packaging rules, tries to install into priveleged directories without correct permissions (and start executables in their path), among other issues. I guess you can send commands to FAHClient in the command line. You can pass stuff to it to print work unit status, etc. I may write a bash script to make this easier and take output to stdout then print it in a terminal. Problem is that f@h has so much computing power from people joining, it has no work units to send. I heard a boinc project called Rosetta@Home is sending COVID-19 units now. We should make a boinc team possibly til f@h can deliver units consistently again. Sorry this is long :/