leaded solder
@leadedsolder.com
I never met a broken TV I didn't like. Come read the blog at https://www.leadedsolder.com and see what old junk computers I'm fixing this week.
Pinned
leaded solder
@leadedsolder.com
· Nov 13
Hello new readers! This is the bsky account for the Leaded Solder blog at www.leadedsolder.com, which since 2017 I have been writing regular articles on repairing old computers and game consoles.
Also: modern clones of the ColecoVision and the Sega SG-1000, with the VTech CreatiVision ongoing!
Also: modern clones of the ColecoVision and the Sega SG-1000, with the VTech CreatiVision ongoing!
🎶 New blog post / it's one you can read / this Sun's Timekeeper is toast / so why don't we / cut a hole in it with a Dremel? 🎶
#sparc #sunos #sparcstation #retrocomputing #powertoolabuse
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/30/s...
#sparc #sunos #sparcstation #retrocomputing #powertoolabuse
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/30/s...
Giving the SPARCstation some jumper cables
My SPARCstation 1+ is very forgetful, and the cause is the old evil of batteries. In this case, the battery is entombed in an immortal epoxy container, which makes it really hard to swap! That’s why m...
www.leadedsolder.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:08 PM
🎶 New blog post / it's one you can read / this Sun's Timekeeper is toast / so why don't we / cut a hole in it with a Dremel? 🎶
#sparc #sunos #sparcstation #retrocomputing #powertoolabuse
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/30/s...
#sparc #sunos #sparcstation #retrocomputing #powertoolabuse
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/30/s...
Reposted by leaded solder
Surprise, a new "byte" post: a little writeup on a color LCD game from 1999. The mirror vision trick to get more brightness on a color LCD didn't die with the Panorama Screen, it turns out. nicole.express/2025/stop-in...
Narcissus' Direct-to-VHS Return: MGA's Space Invaders Color FX
Remember the Game & Watch Panorama Series? The use of mirrors for a clever approach to a portable color LCD console. Of course, in 1999, you didn’t need ...
nicole.express
December 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Surprise, a new "byte" post: a little writeup on a color LCD game from 1999. The mirror vision trick to get more brightness on a color LCD didn't die with the Panorama Screen, it turns out. nicole.express/2025/stop-in...
Reposted by leaded solder
🎁 FIRMWARE UPDATE! A gift to all my Floopy Drivers out there, this update greatly improves flashing speeds, ex.
•Harihari Seal Paradise 59s→18s🔥
•Little Romance 102s→36s🔥
To update, just plug in your Floopy like normal, and click the update notification. Give'r a reload if you don't see.
#CasioLoopy
•Harihari Seal Paradise 59s→18s🔥
•Little Romance 102s→36s🔥
To update, just plug in your Floopy like normal, and click the update notification. Give'r a reload if you don't see.
#CasioLoopy
December 24, 2025 at 7:33 PM
🎁 FIRMWARE UPDATE! A gift to all my Floopy Drivers out there, this update greatly improves flashing speeds, ex.
•Harihari Seal Paradise 59s→18s🔥
•Little Romance 102s→36s🔥
To update, just plug in your Floopy like normal, and click the update notification. Give'r a reload if you don't see.
#CasioLoopy
•Harihari Seal Paradise 59s→18s🔥
•Little Romance 102s→36s🔥
To update, just plug in your Floopy like normal, and click the update notification. Give'r a reload if you don't see.
#CasioLoopy
Reposted by leaded solder
New blog post! A smaller one, taking a look at some LCD games and how the segmented LCD game declined over the course of the 1980's. nicole.express/2025/gentlem...
How the Segmented Game changed, through the Eyes of Golf
The 1980s were a period of slow decline for the segmented LCD or VFD game. At the start of the decade, companies like Coleco were putting out tabletop games ...
nicole.express
December 21, 2025 at 1:21 PM
New blog post! A smaller one, taking a look at some LCD games and how the segmented LCD game declined over the course of the 1980's. nicole.express/2025/gentlem...
New blog post! As everyone knows, the Commodore 64 likes to get sick and die. How many C64 boards in a free pile can we fix in three hours?
#commodore64 #c64 #retrocomputing #itsthepla #itsnotthepla
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/09/c...
#commodore64 #c64 #retrocomputing #itsthepla #itsnotthepla
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/09/c...
Commodore 64 black screen failure round-up
Through the kind contribution of a friend, I was able to move a bunch of broken Commodore 64s into the hands of other folks. And then help those folks fix those Commodore 64s, because they’re broken a...
www.leadedsolder.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:53 PM
New blog post! As everyone knows, the Commodore 64 likes to get sick and die. How many C64 boards in a free pile can we fix in three hours?
#commodore64 #c64 #retrocomputing #itsthepla #itsnotthepla
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/09/c...
#commodore64 #c64 #retrocomputing #itsthepla #itsnotthepla
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/12/09/c...
Fixing Commodore 64s is some kind of fun, but not a normal kind of fun like fixing broken Japanese computers. #commodore64 #retrocomputing
November 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Fixing Commodore 64s is some kind of fun, but not a normal kind of fun like fixing broken Japanese computers. #commodore64 #retrocomputing
Reposted by leaded solder
New blog post! The Jakks Pacific "Atari Paddle"; it plays only the games that used the less common of the major Atari controller. How well does it do it? nicole.express/2025/paddle-...
Giving the Jakks Atari Paddle a Spin
Some things I like to talk about on this blog are “paddle” games that use a potentiometer to control the player position, and plug-and-play consoles. Oh, and...
nicole.express
November 23, 2025 at 1:39 PM
New blog post! The Jakks Pacific "Atari Paddle"; it plays only the games that used the less common of the major Atari controller. How well does it do it? nicole.express/2025/paddle-...
Reposted by leaded solder
It's official! #PicoIDE, the open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator I've been working on for the better part of this year, will be launching at Crowd Supply! Go there to sign up for updates and to be notified when the campaign is live: www.crowdsupply.com/polpotronics...
PicoIDE
An open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator for vintage computers
www.crowdsupply.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:59 AM
It's official! #PicoIDE, the open source IDE/ATAPI drive emulator I've been working on for the better part of this year, will be launching at Crowd Supply! Go there to sign up for updates and to be notified when the campaign is live: www.crowdsupply.com/polpotronics...
New blog post! It's a Samsung CRT TV/VCR that rolled out of the swamp of eBay. Some kids shoved Christmas ornaments in it. And Starburst candies. And a... Pokemon card? That's not what's wrong, though!
#retrogaming #crt #crtrepair
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/11/18/s...
#retrogaming #crt #crtrepair
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/11/18/s...
You’re Out of Timer
Now that there are more clubs forming in my local area, I’ve been thinking about taking some of my junk to shows. Of course, this means I’ll need a cheap small colour TV if anyone wants to see that ju...
www.leadedsolder.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:31 PM
New blog post! It's a Samsung CRT TV/VCR that rolled out of the swamp of eBay. Some kids shoved Christmas ornaments in it. And Starburst candies. And a... Pokemon card? That's not what's wrong, though!
#retrogaming #crt #crtrepair
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/11/18/s...
#retrogaming #crt #crtrepair
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/11/18/s...
Reposted by leaded solder
“Retrocomputing Repair” themed claw game. 🤪
November 16, 2025 at 6:02 AM
“Retrocomputing Repair” themed claw game. 🤪
The MC-10 also does this "put the 1372 in the RF modulator" shenanigan. It even puts the master clock source in there. Perhaps closer cross pollination than I first thought. Great job!
New blog post! Breaking out the Tandy Color Computer 2 for the first time in years, in order to give it a desperately-needed composite video upgrade. Why does this model get neglected in many composite mods? Take a look! nicole.express/2025/cuckoo-...
Composite Mod on the CoCo 2: The UVD Board
Since at least March of 2019, the Tandy Color Computer 2 has sat there, teasing me. It has a Motorola 6847, the tragically disappointing graphics chip, paire...
nicole.express
November 9, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The MC-10 also does this "put the 1372 in the RF modulator" shenanigan. It even puts the master clock source in there. Perhaps closer cross pollination than I first thought. Great job!
New blog post! The Apple III was perhaps the most unloved machine of Apple's early-80s losing streak, but that doesn't mean this one should have been used as a toilet for mice. Just how bad can it get? #retrocomputing #apple2 #apple3
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/28/a...
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/28/a...
Three Times the Fun
Repairing an Apple III computer that was damaged by a mouse infestation
www.leadedsolder.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:13 PM
New blog post! The Apple III was perhaps the most unloved machine of Apple's early-80s losing streak, but that doesn't mean this one should have been used as a toilet for mice. Just how bad can it get? #retrocomputing #apple2 #apple3
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/28/a...
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/28/a...
Reposted by leaded solder
New blog post! Taking a look at a Coleco tabletop game... but is it actually a Coleco? It's time to face off against Mario in Donkey Kong Junior nicole.express/2025/you-got...
Too Good to be First-Party: Coleco's Tabletop Donkey Kong Junior
What was home video gaming like in the early 1980’s? You might consider picturing things like the Atari 2600 or the Intellivision, and those were certainly a...
nicole.express
October 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
New blog post! Taking a look at a Coleco tabletop game... but is it actually a Coleco? It's time to face off against Mario in Donkey Kong Junior nicole.express/2025/you-got...
Reposted by leaded solder
buy this
October 21, 2025 at 6:03 AM
buy this
Reposted by leaded solder
Reposted by leaded solder
I released a Public Service Announcement video on why you cannot use a Macintosh Portable without a good battery, on a Powerbook or after-market AC adapter: youtu.be/ed7-AqrY70s
PSA: Macintosh Portable Powerbook AC Adapter Damage
YouTube video by THEtechknight
youtu.be
October 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I released a Public Service Announcement video on why you cannot use a Macintosh Portable without a good battery, on a Powerbook or after-market AC adapter: youtu.be/ed7-AqrY70s
New blog post! I got a FujiNet adapter for my Coleco Adam. Then I immediately dropped my homemade power supply on the ground and broke it. Will it ever net the Fujis again? www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/07/c... #coleco #retrocomputing #kicad
Power Surprise with the ADAM
After dropping my homemade power supply for the Coleco ADAM home computer and breaking it, I had to make a new one so I could test the FujiNet network adapter.
www.leadedsolder.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New blog post! I got a FujiNet adapter for my Coleco Adam. Then I immediately dropped my homemade power supply on the ground and broke it. Will it ever net the Fujis again? www.leadedsolder.com/2025/10/07/c... #coleco #retrocomputing #kicad
This has to be the first one of these remotes I've seen where all the streaming services are actually available in Canada. Too bad I found it in a park in pieces. #elitter
September 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
This has to be the first one of these remotes I've seen where all the streaming services are actually available in Canada. Too bad I found it in a park in pieces. #elitter
Old blog post! Remember when... I fixed a buddy's clock radio and it had exactly the faults you think it did? #stereorepair www.leadedsolder.com/2023/10/24/b...
No Highs? No Lows? Must’ve Decomposed
Fixing a Bose WaveRadio clock radio that won’t turn on.
www.leadedsolder.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Old blog post! Remember when... I fixed a buddy's clock radio and it had exactly the faults you think it did? #stereorepair www.leadedsolder.com/2023/10/24/b...
September 18, 2025 at 1:17 AM
New blog post! When you want to replace an aging SCSI disk, you go buy a #BlueSCSI. What happens if you want a cheaper BlueSCSI? You can order the parts and build one. What if you want one that costs more AND is more work? Now we're talking. #retrocomputing
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/09/16/d...
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/09/16/d...
Building my own ArdSCSIno
A lot of newer computers need what is called “a hard drive,” and as I work on 16- and even 32-bit ones, I’m finding more need for SCSI drives. There’s already lots of great SCSI emulators out there, b...
www.leadedsolder.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
New blog post! When you want to replace an aging SCSI disk, you go buy a #BlueSCSI. What happens if you want a cheaper BlueSCSI? You can order the parts and build one. What if you want one that costs more AND is more work? Now we're talking. #retrocomputing
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/09/16/d...
www.leadedsolder.com/2025/09/16/d...
Reposted by leaded solder
I forgot to post up my VCFMW table setup yesterday. There were so many lovely folks to chat with and share my love of these systems with.
The lead-up work for conventions is so stressful, but seeing so many folks connect with systems from Japan makes it all worthwhile.
The lead-up work for conventions is so stressful, but seeing so many folks connect with systems from Japan makes it all worthwhile.
September 14, 2025 at 10:26 AM
I forgot to post up my VCFMW table setup yesterday. There were so many lovely folks to chat with and share my love of these systems with.
The lead-up work for conventions is so stressful, but seeing so many folks connect with systems from Japan makes it all worthwhile.
The lead-up work for conventions is so stressful, but seeing so many folks connect with systems from Japan makes it all worthwhile.
Reposted by leaded solder
New blog post! The Sega Master System... Girl? Another variant of Sega's 8-bit console that I haven't looked at before; I hope you enjoy! nicole.express/2025/sega-mi...
The Master System Girl: A Console with Cooties?
Remember Julius Caesar and the Casio Loopy? Today we’re taking another look at a console designed for a market: this time, Brazilian girls. But I suspect tha...
nicole.express
September 14, 2025 at 12:39 PM
New blog post! The Sega Master System... Girl? Another variant of Sega's 8-bit console that I haven't looked at before; I hope you enjoy! nicole.express/2025/sega-mi...
Old blog post! Remember when... I made a halfway decent Atari Jaguar AV output adapter? This thing still works great years later, which continues to surprise me.
www.leadedsolder.com/2021/09/21/a...
#retrogaming #atari #atarijaguar #kicad
www.leadedsolder.com/2021/09/21/a...
#retrogaming #atari #atarijaguar #kicad
Do you want to come for a ride in my Jaaaaaaaag?
Construction of a composite video adapter for the Atari Jaguar 64-bit game console
www.leadedsolder.com
September 2, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Old blog post! Remember when... I made a halfway decent Atari Jaguar AV output adapter? This thing still works great years later, which continues to surprise me.
www.leadedsolder.com/2021/09/21/a...
#retrogaming #atari #atarijaguar #kicad
www.leadedsolder.com/2021/09/21/a...
#retrogaming #atari #atarijaguar #kicad
Reposted by leaded solder
Fucked up in the crib playin soggy-1000
September 1, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Fucked up in the crib playin soggy-1000