Uncle DT's Random Image Thread

[Blaze]

It's been a while since I've posted a build picture. So redundancy like the multiple network cards and the hard drive RAID...

[Kruger]

Oooh, nice!  I am always impressed with your builds.  I know I keep saying it but I need to build a new server.  This one that I have now is getting a little long in the tooth.

[Blaze]

It's funny you mention "When the room was lit up like a Christmas tree" because I did just that. I designed and created the PC boards (had them outsourced for fabrication - they came out really nice). Created the program for the LED controller. Designed the interface screen. I even custom designed the face plate (that's was a fiasco since I couldn't get a 3rd party to do the printing which forced me to buy my own printer - and it's resin). I built the ceiling drop down box and installed the crown molding so now I have LED's lighting up the room like a Christmas tree (although, I rushed when taking that photo so it looks like poop, but you get the idea)...

[Kruger]

Ok, that's just plain awesome!  Can you imagine having the resources then that we have now to design and create.  We have a create lab about a mile from me that has all the tools and everything that you would need.  I wish I had more time...

[Blaze]

I could only imagine having the same resources then. The micro-controllers alone would have been a huge game changer. What's nice now is that I can pick up 5 Arduino nanos for $15. But back then, 64KB ram upgrade was $250. And I found the EQ that put us (I think you had the same top one too) over the 100 LED's lighting up the room...

[Kruger]

I still have that EQ and the old Kenwood with a couple of towers and a CD player at the mountain cabin.  To be honest, I'm not sure if the EQ still works, it's there but is currently bypassed.  But the lights still light up!

[Blaze]

And you can pick up one of these for about $15...

[Kruger]

So now you're telling me that the days of attaching a 23 MB hard drive to my Atari 1040 ST are long gone....   Ahhh, the memories...

[Blaze]

They're not long gone if you look hard enough. And I had to do this, well, just because...

[Kruger]

Close, but emulated Ataris aren't quite the same as banging out some code on a real 800 XL keyboard with the clacky clacky keys and tic tic sounds...

[Blaze]

You're right that there's no substitute for the real thing, but it's pretty damn close as it does emulate the tic-tic sounds of typing and the beep-beep sounds of the disk loading. But it's tough to mod it. That's why I really like those Arduino micro-controllers. This jumble of wires is one that I made for my daughter. She wanted a Nintendo Switch Light, so I made her a light switch. Turning it on would activate the remote "finder" - a circuit with a piezo speaker that would chirp for 120ms at around 4.7khz randomly every 30-60 seconds. It worked perfectly since she was looking for it in a completely different room. The joy it gave me watching her try to find it was priceless...

[Kruger]

I'm surprised you didn't add a "Nintendo" label to the switch:  "But I thought you said you wanted a Nintendo Light Switch..."

I'll bet it was fun watching her try to find it.  Pretty much along the same lines as that Davlav tsr....

[Blaze]

Nice find. My first set I got as a Christmas gift back in '79 or so. It was about 5 years later when I finally got to truly play it during study hall with a bunch of friends in school...

[Kruger]

My box came with the Keep on the Borderlands also, and I convinced Sue to play.  She hated every minute and once a damn kobold got her, she was done and it took a while before I found any friends that were also interested...

[Blaze]

It honestly took me a while to figure out how to play since no one in my house had any inkling because they were all board game types that only understood simple rules...