What mysterious retro goodies can we find inside these boxes?

Part 1 of ?? As a new year's resolution, I've decided it's time to declutter my office. That means I need to go through and sort the contents of about 7 or 8 Banker's boxes. The boxes are filled the brim with old computer parts and other interesting items, so I think we should be able to find some fascinating and interesting old items.

0:00 Intro
2:50 Treasure hunting in Box 1
45:49 ESDI Cachecard testing
47:19 CPU testing
56:18 Intel Aboveboard setup and testing
1:07:35 ESAM's Cognitive Learning Testing C64

-- Info

Intel Aboveboard Plus Classic?
Compuadd Inc. ESDI Hardcache
Metrabyte Corp. DDA-06 by Keithley
ESAM's Kee
ESAM's Cognitive Learning System
C-1120-0A V 1.0
ESAM's Memory
Switch Training
C-1300-0A V 1.0
Curve Tracer Model A by Jud Williams

-- Links

Intel Above Board drivers (1992 version, not shown in this video)

ESDI Wikipedia:

Computadd Hardcache ESDI ROM dump:

MinusZeroDgrees Intel Above Board manuals and info:

ESAM ROM dumps and photos:

40 Best Windows 95 Games:

Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:

Adrian's Digital Basement ][ (Second Channel)

Support the channel on Patreon:

-- Tools

Deoxit D5:

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)

TS100 Soldering Iron:

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:

Magnetic Screw Holder:

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)

Heat Sinks:

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)

--- Links

My GitHub repository:

Commodore Computer Club / Vancouver, WA – Portland, OR – PDX Commodore Users Group

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino

[gklinger]

I think I can speak for the vast majority of your viewers in saying that we enjoy ALL your content. Watching your videos is like hanging out with a friend and your enthusiasm is contagious. The topics you cover are interesting and your knowledge is impressive but most of all, we just like you. :)

[travispierce]

That was my dead link on the aboveboard! I uploaded all those docs to the IA.

[MLampner]

Hi Adrian, I was the President of a large disability provider including a school. The technology for using computer aided communication started in the 1980s. It replaced picture boards where a person would point to a preprinted page that had pictures. That actually has never gone completely away as its not dependent on having access to power and also can be easily customized. At the same time as this was developed there were self contained devices as well as computer based. Many used a plug in cartridge. SOme of the more sophisiticated systems also allowed you to load images from a mater set into a cartridge that met the needs of the person.

[TheWheeledHubby]

Adrien, long time viewer. The last items you tested would now be considered AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication). I know it well since i use modern descendants of such devices (some of my videos showcase that). I've used AAC the early 90s. From what I know, the examples you have aren't exactly cutting edge, but are contemporary for that time. That being said, those simple device and that software changed someone's life. At the time, I was still handwriting notes to communicate. Fast forward to now and I'm keenly aware how crucial and powerful it is to my own voice. The key is remembering it's "augmentative" not primary. Garbled as it is, there's absolutely no better way to communicate my independent thoughts, desires, ideas. Although when *I* decide necessary, I still use devices which have their roots firmly planted in those beautiful comm tools you have.

[djorion]

ESAM'S KEE: It was one of the first public blitz boards for helping non-verbal handicapped persons. The system cost in Sweden was approx $400. And the system was config with Swedish words instead. How do i know this you ask. My sister had this system. And you are right the external cords on the button box is for external buttons. For ppl that only had head movements. So the leaned the head left or right. later on it worked with an eyelid button. So save that system it worth alot. And im happy to see this system again.

[wolvesaywe]

On the contrary the c64 stuff was very interesting it never ceases to amaze me what that amazing little computer could be used for .

[natedavis]

Win32s was a 32-bit application runtime environment for Windows 3.1. So those games on that disc do probably work with Windows 3.1.

I remember back in the day playing a few early Windows 95 games on Windows 3.1 that were Win32s compatible. Ultra Pinball was one of those games. Performance was shaky, but it did work.

[TzOk]

The curve tracer is meant to be connected to the oscilloscope in XY mode, and you can use it to compare characteristics of 2 (or in this case even 3) transistors. They were used for finding matching pairs of transistors for building A-class amplifiers.

[ScottHiland]

Thank you for the deeper exploration of assistive technology at the end of the video. I don't feel like it was lacking or unexciting. It's really cool to see the history of the real benefits of hardware and software that made life easier for folks who needed greater accessibility.

[nicholasjulianriley]

The modern term for something like the ESAM kit is AAC (not the audio codec, but augmentative and alternative communication). Very cool that it was done on a computer as affordable as the C64.

[briandellinger]

The ESAM kit is interesting, as i have a 6 yo who is currently learning how to use the modern equivalent. He is nonverbal. As soon as I seen the cartridge boot, i knew what it was. I wonder if Robin @ 8 bit show and tell can modify the rom dump to work without the voice synth, maybe using the SAM (software automated mouth) as this would be a neat way to introduce my kid to The C64.

[misterkite]

esam's kee was trademarked, and the trademark was for "COMPUTER INTERFACE UNIT FOR USE BY DISABLED PERSONS IN ACCESSING A COMPUTER"

[escgoogle]

ESAM -> edge of my seat content. My mother was an educator with a lower budget district in the state north of yours. Unless the students parents could afford the device or it was provided by a charity it would have been the OT (occupational therapist) domain only and Apple.

[alexthemorgan]

In the future, you can use fishing line or a guitar string to saw that heatsink off.

[CooChewGames]

The enhanced learning on the C64 was fascinating... bringing the technology into peripherals that allowed so much more accessibility; my hats off to the creators.

[Felice_Enellen]

I won't speak for everyone but I love these mystery-box videos. Do as many as you want!

[SimonZerafa]

Longer Episodes the Better! We never know what we will find with this random boxes of equipment! 😀

[j__rd]

That speech cartridge is AMAZING! This is what makes treasure hunting _so_ much fun!

[terminusaquo]

Win32s was a 32-bit subsystem for Windows 3.1 and 3.11. It basically allows some 32-bit applications to be run on 16-bit versions of Windows.

[bobblum]

*RCA WG-206 High Voltage Probe:*
According to the instructions you showed on screen, that model probe has an internal 1090-megohm resistor, and is designed to be used with an RCA multimeter with an 11-megohm input resistance. It basically acts as a voltage divider, with the high voltage across the entire resistance of 1101-megohms (1090+11 in series) with the meter measuring across just the 11-meg internal to itself. It sees only 1/100th of the high voltage, so you need to multiply the reading by 100 to determine the actual high voltage. Displaying 350 volts times 100 would mean you're measuring 35, 000 volts (35 KV).

You can picture the voltage divider resistances like a potentiometer, the wiper contact tapping off a percentage of the voltage across the full resistance. If the wiper is tapping off 1/4 of the pot, you need to multiply the measured voltage by 4 to get the full value.

Modern meters have high input impedances, so you'd need to know that specification for your own meter to figure out the conversion factor for the HV probe.