[vcf-midatlantic] How's Everyone Doing

[Ethan O'Toole]

   [NON-Text Body part not included]

>  Anybodyworking on interesting stuff?
>   BillInderrieden

It's kind of a bummer when I look at my phone and it shows the calendar 
date for VCF East coming up that isn't going to happen.

Shortly after the last how's everyone doing email the customer I work for 
laid off most of the workforce and went into Chap 11. Pretty crazy! They 
were building a low earth orbit satellite network to deliver internet 
around the world. Funding issues. Ooops! I still have a job though, and I 
am thankful for that.

NERD WISE... SO.. MUCH.. NERD!!

1. Amiga 600 repair. Years ago a friend gave me an Amiga 600, and it 
worked and was awesome. Then capacitors leaked and damaged the board. Been 
working to fix it, kind of hit a wall where I made progress now I'm lost. 
Found some awesome resources, check out https://www.amigapcb.org/ ... The 
600 has a lot of surface mount stuff, that site lets you walk around with 
the mouse and see the source/destination of every trace and signal line! 
And English Amiga board, and DiagROM.

2. Repaired a Yamaha Motif midi module. LCD went out. Bought new LCD, 
didn't fix. Fixed it though.

3. Managed to edit a video for youtube (channel is telmnstr) on Blackmagic 
Davinci Resolve. This was my first time taking a stab at a modern editing 
system doing HD stuff. I usually use Blackmagic production switcher so I 
don't have to edit. But yea, I got the hang of it and really enjoyed doing 
the project on it. Was quick, and I will do more.

4. Going to fix a APC UPS for a friend. Needs new caps.

5. Trying to track down a driver for my old Yamaha C1 midi portable 
286-10mhz computer. I fixed the base functionality but now need to make 
more progress.

6. Finally finishing a CNC machine I started in 2012. Actually made some 
progress but then had to order a bunch of parts. No idea how long it will 
take ball screws to arrive from China. Going to get fasterns from local 
fastenal.

7. Started toying with OBS, a software video switcher. All the geek video 
conferences going on -- I had to try it and test out some other capture 
hardware that I had picked up for an event a friend and I were supposed ot 
do video / audio / gaming / vintage computers for (B-Sides Charm.) Have 
been really impressed, to the point that I'm planning to potentially sell 
my BMD ATEM TVS hardware rig.

8. 3d printing cases and enclosing some hardware for the laser projector 
controllers. Also hope to get around to rebuilding two laser projectors, 
but it will probably require a bunch of parts.

9. Listing some crap on ebay. And it's selling? Mostly arcade / pinball 
parts and broken consumer A/V stuff.

10. rebelted a cassette deck I found at a thrift store in NC. It's working 
90%, and there is a random screw left over.

11. IRC, Slack, Discord, etc.


I plan to jump int othe IMSAI 8080 again. Have an Atari 800XL to fix. And 
plan to start pulling out some systems and test thru them / cut 
interesting software disks to go with them. Mainly Apple IIGS, Apple IIc, 
Apple IIsomething, NeXT Slab, Atari 8bits (need to mod the floppy emulator 
with a 74LS07 IC or something so it still works with floppy drives), Atari 
ST, and maybe sort out stuff on Amiga. Right now the 600 is kicking my 
butt though. The Yamaha laptop did for 3 years until I had an idea 
randomly.

Also need to recap an Amiga 4000T motherboard. Eeeek!

So much to do!

Some friends are going SCUBA diving on the weekends near Richmond VA, 
staying isolated. I might try to get wet soon. Some parts on order for 
this. The water is like 50F-60F which is pretty cold, though. Would be 
nice if it was 70's out and not 60's.

If anything, I'm getting a lot of stuff done that has been in the 
backlog!!

Hope everyone else is safe and okay and if it's your thing progress on 
projects!