Nick Melnick
@nmelnick.com
Generating tech debt at speed yet innovating forward. Tech Leadership @ Jack Henry, Retro @ Home. He/him.
This is still my least favourite part of retro computing, but it sure is nice to type on a clan keyboard that doesn’t smell of cigarettes.
November 16, 2025 at 1:40 AM
This is still my least favourite part of retro computing, but it sure is nice to type on a clan keyboard that doesn’t smell of cigarettes.
Hey, my friend and I are going to be at #VCFMW next weekend, September 13th and 14th in Schaumburg, IL! I won't have anything to exhibit, but we are selling some retro odds and ends from 8 to 32 bit. Come say hi, even if you aren't buying, at Z24, 25, and 26.
September 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Hey, my friend and I are going to be at #VCFMW next weekend, September 13th and 14th in Schaumburg, IL! I won't have anything to exhibit, but we are selling some retro odds and ends from 8 to 32 bit. Come say hi, even if you aren't buying, at Z24, 25, and 26.
Picked up a RAM tester on AmiBay, and this is so much better than the random assortment of Arduino hacks I used before this.
August 15, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Picked up a RAM tester on AmiBay, and this is so much better than the random assortment of Arduino hacks I used before this.
Work and home have been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to play. I went to boot my SGI Indigo2 and nothing. Turns out I forgot to secure one ribbon cable, and it was just loose enough to be a problem.
I should make more time.
I should make more time.
July 19, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Work and home have been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to play. I went to boot my SGI Indigo2 and nothing. Turns out I forgot to secure one ribbon cable, and it was just loose enough to be a problem.
I should make more time.
I should make more time.
Let me tell you how much I'm not going to "friend" a Marketplace seller, Facebook.
May 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Let me tell you how much I'm not going to "friend" a Marketplace seller, Facebook.
Well, that’s a perfectly normal RESET signal.
April 10, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Well, that’s a perfectly normal RESET signal.
Current status: SimasiMac.
April 8, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Current status: SimasiMac.
Current status: still don’t want to, but it’s improving. #macintosh
April 6, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Current status: still don’t want to, but it’s improving. #macintosh
I see a lot of desoldering and a fibreglass pen in my future.
March 31, 2025 at 3:21 AM
I see a lot of desoldering and a fibreglass pen in my future.
I don’t think I want to. #marchintosh
March 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I don’t think I want to. #marchintosh
I have this really neat Stearns Desktop Computer that I picked up in December. MN-made 16 bit 8086 machine. It’s very hard to repair without documentation or schematics, and I can only find reviews. Any chance anyone has seen a manual for this thing in their collection? #retrocomputing
March 29, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I have this really neat Stearns Desktop Computer that I picked up in December. MN-made 16 bit 8086 machine. It’s very hard to repair without documentation or schematics, and I can only find reviews. Any chance anyone has seen a manual for this thing in their collection? #retrocomputing
I think I have a solid little circuit to go between a #Commodore B128 and the GBS8200 VGA converter. It's almost the right signal already, just a 7404 to invert the video signal and a resistor to make it amber. Going to make a board to integrate GBS-Control, and paste it to the back of a monitor.
March 8, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I think I have a solid little circuit to go between a #Commodore B128 and the GBS8200 VGA converter. It's almost the right signal already, just a 7404 to invert the video signal and a resistor to make it amber. Going to make a board to integrate GBS-Control, and paste it to the back of a monitor.
I wonder sometimes what would have been different if we got an Amiga in the late 80s instead of inheriting a Mac 512Ke. Each of these platforms tickle me in a completely different way. #amiga and vaguely #marchintosh.
March 4, 2025 at 2:39 AM
I wonder sometimes what would have been different if we got an Amiga in the late 80s instead of inheriting a Mac 512Ke. Each of these platforms tickle me in a completely different way. #amiga and vaguely #marchintosh.
A tribute to yellow. #Commodore #Amiga 3000T, no retrobrite.
February 24, 2025 at 11:47 PM
A tribute to yellow. #Commodore #Amiga 3000T, no retrobrite.
Most assembled, just need to start wiring up drives. Unfortunately, a floppy and a cd rom drive need some help.
February 23, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Most assembled, just need to start wiring up drives. Unfortunately, a floppy and a cd rom drive need some help.
Front of the case got its first bath, too. Can’t wash off the yellow, though, stark against the white shower tile.
February 23, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Front of the case got its first bath, too. Can’t wash off the yellow, though, stark against the white shower tile.
Motherboard is in, I’ve found all the pieces. It’s progress.
February 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Motherboard is in, I’ve found all the pieces. It’s progress.
Still waiting for some RAM to come in from China, but I want my bench back. It’s reassembly day for the #Amiga 3000T! #retrorepair
February 23, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Still waiting for some RAM to come in from China, but I want my bench back. It’s reassembly day for the #Amiga 3000T! #retrorepair
Fun fact: The #Commodore #Amiga 3000T will boot to a flashing yellow screen unless the 68882 FPU is in place.
February 22, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Fun fact: The #Commodore #Amiga 3000T will boot to a flashing yellow screen unless the 68882 FPU is in place.
Since both Agnus and Gary sockets are in the line of fire, bit the bullet and replaced them. Did Agnus first, with no dice. Did Gary next, which was a lot less fun, but finally got further. Now detects 2k of chipram, but running out of the end of chipram or fastram gets me to the main menu.
February 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Since both Agnus and Gary sockets are in the line of fire, bit the bullet and replaced them. Did Agnus first, with no dice. Did Gary next, which was a lot less fun, but finally got further. Now detects 2k of chipram, but running out of the end of chipram or fastram gets me to the main menu.
So I've had this #Amiga 3000T for about a year and a half, and for the last year, the board sat on a shelf. Massive battery damage–when mounted, the battery is at the top of the board, and it just drips death down the entire centre of the board.
February 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
So I've had this #Amiga 3000T for about a year and a half, and for the last year, the board sat on a shelf. Massive battery damage–when mounted, the battery is at the top of the board, and it just drips death down the entire centre of the board.
The case is solidly “getting there”. Most of the issues on top were just years of caked on dust and dirt. Not pictured is a pretty massive scuff on the bottom front, and a sharpied school name that’s starting to fade with isopropyl alcohol treatments.
In the 2nd picture, the before, video captured
In the 2nd picture, the before, video captured
January 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The case is solidly “getting there”. Most of the issues on top were just years of caked on dust and dirt. Not pictured is a pretty massive scuff on the bottom front, and a sharpied school name that’s starting to fade with isopropyl alcohol treatments.
In the 2nd picture, the before, video captured
In the 2nd picture, the before, video captured