Matthew Sparby
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Matthew Sparby
@cloudscout.com
2K followers 320 following 590 posts
VintageComputing/RetroComputing enthusiast. Foster parent. Dog rescuer. Lived in California, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin & Bengaluru. Now back in Minnesota.

He/Him/Mr. Sparby if you're nasty.

ATDT Shirts: http://spar.by/atdt

https://youtube.com/cloudscout
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I can't believe my old 40GB iPod still works. I need to go dig out my original 5GB iPod to see if I can get it working, too.
A 40GB iPod being held in a hand. The display shows it is playing "Il Pleure" from The Art of Noise album "The Seduction of Claude Debussy".
November 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
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This sucks. I finally got a PAL VIC-20 (VC-20, actually) a while back and finally got around to testing it tonight. It would seem that the MOS 6561 VIC chip in it is bad. Getting messed up colors in games. Here's an example from Cheese and Onion.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing
Screenshot of VIC-20 game "Cheese and Onion" with subtle color problems. Specifically, white pixels are missing.
November 9, 2025 at 4:57 AM
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It's a comfort food kind of day. Mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy. My kitchen smells like my grandma's kitchen right now.
A hand holding up a bowl of mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy.
November 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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I picked out this Thermos for you.
November 3, 2025 at 3:41 AM
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For a moment, I thought that was a picture of Robin Askwith.
Actor Robin Askwith
November 3, 2025 at 2:42 AM
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This device at a local thrift store today made me do a double take... apparently no relation to @factorofmatt.bsky.social
A "FRACTOMAT" service from Hartrun Corporation. A "FRACTOMAT" service from Hartrun Corporation.
November 3, 2025 at 1:10 AM
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I'm hoping to have time this week to recap my Amiga CD32. I was going to do it today but decided to un-bury a 3D printer so I can print an expansion cover for it. That's progress, at least.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing
Picture of a 3D printer making a CD32 expansion cover.
November 3, 2025 at 12:38 AM
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I enjoy racing games but I have never really followed professional racing. That's why I'm amused by the only non-burned game I have for my CD32... Nigel Mansell's World Championship. To me, he's just a wax dummy abused by Jeremy Clarkson, et al.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing #RetroGaming #Amiga
CD jewel case for the Amiga CD32 game "Nigel Mansell's World Championship". Screenshot from an episode of The Grand Tour showing Jeremy Clarkson in the driver's seat of a car and a wax dummy of Nigel Mansell in the passenger seat.
October 30, 2025 at 1:30 AM
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Here's a picture I took 6 years ago when I got this machine.
Inside of a Macintosh IIsi with severe damage caused by a leaking battery.
October 26, 2025 at 1:34 AM
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My SMD soldering skills are lacking so I decided to practice on this horribly battery-bombed Macintosh IIsi. The caps came off pretty easily but then I wanted to see if I could remove the destroyed VLSI chip. Not as many missing pads as I expected.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing
A badly damaged Macintosh IIsi motherboard showing the place where the VLSI chip goes before and after cleanup work.
October 26, 2025 at 1:02 AM
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Ahh, those quality mid-90s SMD caps...

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing #Amiga
A look into the opening of an Amiga 1200 floppy drive showing apparent electrolyte leakage from an SMD capacitor.
October 24, 2025 at 1:10 AM
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White text on a blue background that says, "The world would be a better place if all the leaders of all the great nations would spend a little more time sitting on the potty."
October 17, 2025 at 1:21 AM
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I'm reminded of this gem from the pirated copy of Oregon Trail that's been shared online for decades...
October 15, 2025 at 10:11 PM
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Mabel and Sophie had a great time down on the farm today.

#dogs
Two black dogs sitting next to a pumpkin patch.
October 12, 2025 at 2:50 AM
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Woo-hoo! I finally found an Amiga 1200 for a reasonable price... and from a local seller! And it has a GVP A1230 Turbo+ 68030 accelerator in it. Bring on that sweet AGA action.

#VintageComputing #RetroComputing
Amiga 1200 "Amiga Magic" box. An Amiga 1200 computer in its box along with a pair of Epyx 500XJ joysticks. Inside of an Amiga 1200 computer showing a GVP A1230 Turbo+ accelerator installed.
October 7, 2025 at 2:59 AM
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Over 300 people at this wedding. I'm the only one in a bow tie.
Bald, white male with glasses and a bow tie.
September 27, 2025 at 11:26 PM
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The bike's no longer for sale, Francis!
Screenshot of a Facebook Marketplace listing for a vintage bicycle similar to the one Pee-Wee Herman had in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The listing is marked as Sold.
September 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
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This weekend's binge watching is Department S. Fun show. Surprised I've never seen it before.
Title card for the 1969-1970 TV series "Department S".
September 20, 2025 at 3:07 PM
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#VCFMW has #SCMODS
State County Municipal Offender Data System
A DigiCom police car computer terminal from 1986. Screenshot from the Blues Brothers movie showing Jake and Elwood in their car being chased by the police.
September 14, 2025 at 3:58 AM
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Cheap antennas are cheap. These two antennas appear identical. They came from the same package. Look at the significant difference in SWR.

#Meshtastic #LoRa
NanoVNA showing an SWR of 1.780 at 902mhz with a significant upward slope as frequency goes from 902mhz to 928mhz. NanoVNA showing an SWR of 1.272 with very minor increases as the frequency goes from 902mhz to 928mhz.
September 12, 2025 at 1:11 AM
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No, I will never grow up.
Bald white man pointing at his open mouth as he is standing beneath a sign that says, "Milk Receiving Entrance"
September 1, 2025 at 3:29 AM
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A foster was found so we were able to bust Doodle Bob out of jail tonight. He's ridiculously cute and friendly.

#dogs #RescueDogs
Brown and white poodle mix dog sitting in the back seat of a car, looking into the camera. Brown and white poodle mix dog sitting on the floor looking happy. Brown and white poodle mix dog sitting on the floor lifting one paw like he's waving at the camera. Brown and white poodle mix dog sitting on the floor with his tongue sticking out.
August 29, 2025 at 1:09 AM
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I was tempted to buy this.

#thrifting #spreadsheet
A coffee tumbler sitting on a shelf at a thrift store. It says, "I'm silently judging your spreadsheet".
August 28, 2025 at 7:56 PM
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Today's cherry tomato harvest was bountiful.
A large bowl full of bright red cherry tomatoes.
August 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM
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Our foster dog, Lulu, had a follow up vet visit today after two weeks of medications and restricted activity. Test results show improvement but treatment/confinement have to continue for now. She'll retest again in two more weeks.

#dogs #EvansSyndrome
Black Labradoodle laying on the floor
August 6, 2025 at 8:59 PM