Chris
@displaced.co.uk
British person who fixes old computers, plays old games, and makes things. Writes software and does DevOps-y stuff for money.
Well, the belt’s knackered for starters. Kinda surprised it’s not a direct-drive motor. Still, not convinced this is entirely the cause of the noise, so I’ll continue to strip it down!
November 29, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Well, the belt’s knackered for starters. Kinda surprised it’s not a direct-drive motor. Still, not convinced this is entirely the cause of the noise, so I’ll continue to strip it down!
My expert analysis of this floppy drive is:
It might need servicing.
It might need servicing.
November 29, 2025 at 5:54 PM
My expert analysis of this floppy drive is:
It might need servicing.
It might need servicing.
I had to check on Gary, my current spider housemate, this morning. He was just sat in the middle of the carpet and didn’t respond when I called his name.
Thought he’d succumbed, but scurried off when I lightly blew in his direction.
Nice one, Gary.
(Gary in happier times pictured)
Thought he’d succumbed, but scurried off when I lightly blew in his direction.
Nice one, Gary.
(Gary in happier times pictured)
November 27, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I had to check on Gary, my current spider housemate, this morning. He was just sat in the middle of the carpet and didn’t respond when I called his name.
Thought he’d succumbed, but scurried off when I lightly blew in his direction.
Nice one, Gary.
(Gary in happier times pictured)
Thought he’d succumbed, but scurried off when I lightly blew in his direction.
Nice one, Gary.
(Gary in happier times pictured)
You just died. The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
(He could never.)
(He could never.)
November 27, 2025 at 6:11 AM
You just died. The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.
(He could never.)
(He could never.)
I know I’m late to the party, but the Tahoe wallpaper/screensaver really is gorgeous.
November 25, 2025 at 9:06 PM
I know I’m late to the party, but the Tahoe wallpaper/screensaver really is gorgeous.
Years ago, a friend of mine replaced the struts on a 1990s Kia Pride. They were a little overpowered… the boot would open with such ferocity that the whole car would rock forward on its suspension! Even flung itself open on the motorway a couple of times before the catch was upgraded.
November 22, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Years ago, a friend of mine replaced the struts on a 1990s Kia Pride. They were a little overpowered… the boot would open with such ferocity that the whole car would rock forward on its suspension! Even flung itself open on the motorway a couple of times before the catch was upgraded.
Or, to put it another way: my god, that's only 3.1 Amstrad CPC464s!
November 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Or, to put it another way: my god, that's only 3.1 Amstrad CPC464s!
Sure, it’s the exact same photo. But that’s because Alex didn’t react in the slightest.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
November 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Sure, it’s the exact same photo. But that’s because Alex didn’t react in the slightest.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
He is adorable though. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s real.
…and when a train isn’t running, but a bus has been put on as a replacement:
November 3, 2025 at 5:11 PM
…and when a train isn’t running, but a bus has been put on as a replacement:
Every Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), the Southeastern train network in the UK renames London St. Pancras train station to:
November 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Every Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), the Southeastern train network in the UK renames London St. Pancras train station to:
The weird thing about being at a train station when one is incredibly drunk is how one notices exactly how much the trains really are just scaled-up equivalents of their models.
September 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
The weird thing about being at a train station when one is incredibly drunk is how one notices exactly how much the trains really are just scaled-up equivalents of their models.
Jon Snow is also a British news presenter, and where my mind goes first when I read his name.
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
September 5, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Jon Snow is also a British news presenter, and where my mind goes first when I read his name.
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
(He’s also a fantastic proper old-school capital-J Journalist who more than deserves to appear on a t-shirt.)
After sitting in pieces for a couple of years, my nan’s old iMac G3 will soon receive a replacement for its shattered plastic internal frame, thanks to MacEffects.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
August 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM
After sitting in pieces for a couple of years, my nan’s old iMac G3 will soon receive a replacement for its shattered plastic internal frame, thanks to MacEffects.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
I remember her buying me Christmas presents on it from Amazon back when they only sold books. Would love to bring this back to life.
Doin’ a thing.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
August 17, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Doin’ a thing.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
Dreamcast GDEMU (not pictured), with an ESP32 tapping the controller ports to allow Bluetooth controllers to be used.
Added a switch to turn the Bluetooth off entirely, plus a BT status LED and pairing button.
(and here’s the calculator I had)
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
(and here’s the calculator I had)
I’ve loved Peanuts since I was a kid. My first calculator was one of those Snoopy & Woodstock ones.
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I’ve loved Peanuts since I was a kid. My first calculator was one of those Snoopy & Woodstock ones.
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
So the Apple TV box’s time-of-day and weather-dependent Peanuts cartoon screensaver is an absolute bloody joy.
Here’s this morning’s (hot day) one,
Wonder if he knows that the wires internally are different lengths — live shortest, earth longest. So that if the strain-relief gives up (or isn’t fitted properly) and the cable’s yanked out of the plug, live disconnects first, then neutral, and finally earth!
August 14, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Wonder if he knows that the wires internally are different lengths — live shortest, earth longest. So that if the strain-relief gives up (or isn’t fitted properly) and the cable’s yanked out of the plug, live disconnects first, then neutral, and finally earth!
Is it Bakelite plastic? I’ve seen those marks on Bakelite, but never got so far as to try to get rid of them. Following to see if you have any luck!
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
August 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Is it Bakelite plastic? I’ve seen those marks on Bakelite, but never got so far as to try to get rid of them. Following to see if you have any luck!
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
(also, here’s a British phone of similar vintage that I’ve been working on. I don’t think we quite had touchtone yet, but it sure is pretty!)
Got myself a Sega Dreamcast in bits!
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
August 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Got myself a Sega Dreamcast in bits!
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
Seems to work fine, although the AV port pins are massacred. Managed to wiggle it to prove it’s booting up though. Spins up an Audio CD too.
Will give it a good clean and HDMI/GDEMU-mod it (oh, and buy a controller too!).
“…peeking out of my waistband…”
July 27, 2025 at 10:28 PM
“…peeking out of my waistband…”
Yesterday was a three-Nana Mouskouri day.
July 24, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Yesterday was a three-Nana Mouskouri day.
This is fun.
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
July 8, 2025 at 10:06 AM
This is fun.
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
68p per day bought me 139 litres of water in 2022.
Only three years later, the same amount of money only bought me 87 litres of water.
Privatise the profits, socialise the costs, eh?
Printed an enclosure for 3.5 and 5.25” drives, including a PSU and a Greaseweazle 4.1 board.
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
June 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Printed an enclosure for 3.5 and 5.25” drives, including a PSU and a Greaseweazle 4.1 board.
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).
With this, I can read and write almost any format of old computer disk. Even weird ones like the Amiga (but not *really* weird ones like very old Mac disks).