best cheap/free scores 1.1

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Scored some stuff at the "new" goodwill outlet near me (actually bought a lot there, but none of it worthy of posting). This is where rejects from the other goodwill stores (USA thrift store chain) in the state go to be sold for dirt cheap, dumped in big carts that customers dig through (rotated out every 2 hours) They price stuff by the pound (currently $1.29), so I don't have exact prices paid.

Notable item: In box (possibly new) Netgear Nighthawk R7000. Pretty sure it was less than a pound, so that puts it around $1? I already have one (which is my house's router and AP, runs DDWRT like a dream)... they currently go on ebay for around $60-80 from what I'm seeing. Haven't tested it yet, but it's already spoken for... (tradebait).

I also almost bought a HP W2207 22" LCD, but at 19.6lbs ($25) the per-pound pricing makes it a loser (got nailed by that a couple trips ago on some old SFFs, both of which ended up being DOA). Feel bad that it probably got dumpstered, but short of shoehorning a 3rd LCD to my main setup (it's more or less a glossy-screened reskin of my HP L2245wg's), I had no use for it.

[stj]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

if it's a heavy item, can you make an offer??

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

if it's a heavy item, can you make an offer??

Nope. No haggling, company policy.

I kinda wish they'd price such items like they do furniture (per piece in the corner of the store). I've skipped a lot of stuff due to the weight pricing (compressed air tanks, etc.). Or like with books (which are on a different pricing system). Maybe even a "large items: max pricing weight xxLbs" rule. But they have their reasons, the whole idea is to get stuff out the door quickly and cheaply (they even have floor scales at the cash registers calibrated to weigh entire carts of stuff).

[Curious.George]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I also almost bought a HP W2207 22" LCD, but at 19.6lbs ($25) the per-pound pricing makes it a loser (got nailed by that a couple trips ago on some old SFFs, both of which ended up being DOA). Feel bad that it probably got dumpstered, but short of shoehorning a 3rd LCD to my main setup (it's more or less a glossy-screened reskin of my HP L2245wg's), I had no use for it.

Store it as a spare. I have a herd of 24 and 20 inch monitors (I think 10 of each?) that I fall back on whenever I need a display for a short-term project (wouldn't want to have to steal a display from a workstation). It seems like I've got them scattered in most available "corners" of the house!

They've also been handy when my other half had a display crap out WHILE she was doing something (so, needs a replacement before she can even "log out"!). Or, when friends/neighbors need to "borrow" one. I figure finding storage space is a lot easier than having to run out and *buy* something on the spur of the moment!

(besides, I don't like spending money! <grin>)

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Store it as a spare. I have a herd of 24 and 20 inch monitors (I think 10 of each?) that I fall back on whenever I need a display for a short-term project (wouldn't want to have to steal a display from a workstation). It seems like I've got them scattered in most available "corners" of the house!

They've also been handy when my other half had a display crap out WHILE she was doing something (so, needs a replacement before she can even "log out"!). Or, when friends/neighbors need to "borrow" one. I figure finding storage space is a lot easier than having to run out and *buy* something on the spur of the moment!

(besides, I don't like spending money! <grin>)

I have about 3-5 LCDs spare already (widescreen 20"+), and more older units (5:4) at my parent's house.

If it was $10 or less then I'd be happy to nab it. But $25 for something I don't have a use or buyer/recipient for is too much. I'm not going to say money is tight, but I'm trying to cut down on my equipment hoarding...

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Picked up a voodoo3 3500 for $25. Untested since the EVC cable was missing. Spotted a couple caps knocked off, so I'm assuming it doesn't work....but I have a working one here, so I can easily identify the missing caps and replace them...and after that, odds are it'll work.

I finally took a gander. 4 caps missing, and 3 inductors. It's nice having a working one to compare to.... No trace damage. The caps will be no trouble, but finding the inductors might be more challenging....

[BigTroll]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I finally took a gander. 4 caps missing, and 3 inductors. It's nice having a working one to compare to.... No trace damage. The caps will be no trouble, but finding the inductors might be more challenging....

OMG Voodoo 3's i am getting a raging HARDON now.

Reminds me of 2009 when Obama's cash for clunkers plan went into action, he gave 3DFX owners $300 to trade in their Voodoo's for a ATI/NVIDIA card and because of that many voodoo cards were destroyed. Retailers were required as part of the program to cut caps and inductors to make sure the cards would never be used again but they never counted on someone skilled and talented like topcat to be able to fix it.

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I finally took a gander. 4 caps missing, and 3 inductors. It's nice having a working one to compare to.... No trace damage. The caps will be no trouble, but finding the inductors might be more challenging....

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1582072711

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...1&d=1582072711

Upon further inspection pre-surgery, I discovered a SMT cap was also missing next to one of the inductors. That brought the count to 5x caps missing and 3x coils missing. Sadly, it was just poor handling that caused all this. Sometimes I just want to smack people.

I found donors from a bad Dell motherboard and a bad Matrox video card. Surgery was successful, the card came back to life!! I'll make a little thread with pics later on.

[kevin!]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I finally took a gander. 4 caps missing, and 3 inductors. It's nice having a working one to compare to.... No trace damage. The caps will be no trouble, but finding the inductors might be more challenging....

For $ 25 it is a very good price, even if these components are missing, 3DFX cards are highly sought after. I would love to have a voodoo 3.
I only have a Banshee 3dfx mounted on my 233 MHz Pentium MMX, that Banshee PCI card was given to me by a friend many years ago (2008) is my greatest treasure.
By the way, that motherboard of a packardbell I found in the trash, and this board is an Intel AN430TX, very difficult to find.

[kevin!]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I know this is more dedicated to computers, but this vintage calculator also deserves to be published.
I found this VFD TRQ F-120 calculator manufactured in Spain, in a recycling center, it has a Texas Instruments TMS1273 chip.
I had to change all the wiring that connects the main board to the keyboard, and I had to change the AC cable that was cut.
When I hit the switch, and the screen turned on I was very happy, I wanted a calculator of this type.

[BigTroll]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

For $ 25 it is a very good price, even if these components are missing, 3DFX cards are highly sought after. I would love to have a voodoo 3.
I only have a Banshee 3dfx mounted on my 233 MHz Pentium MMX, that Banshee PCI card was given to me by a friend many years ago (2008) is my greatest treasure.
By the way, that motherboard of a packardbell I found in the trash, and this board is an Intel AN430TX, very difficult to find.

nice card kevin, thats the same creative banshee I just got off ebay last month, really good card, I have mine paired with a pentium 200mmx. what is that racing game you have on your pictures? looks really fun.

[kevin!]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

nice card kevin, thats the same creative banshee I just got off ebay last month, really good card, I have mine paired with a pentium 200mmx. what is that racing game you have on your pictures? looks really fun.

The game is called dethkarz, this is one of the games that takes advantage of the glide API, and every time I play it, I am very surprised by the power of 3dfx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krPoqljIjFc
I'm going to make some changes to the retro computer, probably get a computer with a tualeron (1.2 GHz), but unfortunately it doesn't have AGP, I plan to put the 3dfx banshee and leave the MMX pentium for older games using the motherboard's IGPU (it carries a ATI Rage 3D).

[TechGeek]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

HP Ultrium 448 LTO2 tape drive. I'll post photos when it arrives.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Traded my Acer 7741Z for a white, full in box, Galaxy S5 SM-G900F.

Nice phone, makes for a quite good replacement for my broken S8. (LCD is kill)

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Scored some phones for parts and an actually working one for cheap.

-Galaxy S3 GT-I9305 (4G LTE + 2GB RAM) w/ smashed screen - $2
-Galaxy S3 GT-I9301 (Snapdragon 400 + 1.5GB RAM) w/ no screen - $2
-Galaxy S5 SM-G900F (same as my pristine white one) - $6
-PS2 SCPH-70004a Silver - $2

S5 was an absurdly easy fix - the screen was kind of a replacement, so the double sided adhesive wasn't applied correctly, and somehow, the main LCD cable came undone. A few minutes later I was factory resetting it and it works fine now. It has no back cover, though I think I have a gold cover from a fake G901F my dad used to have, so guess it's going to fit for now.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Scored some phones for parts and an actually working one for cheap.

-Galaxy S3 GT-I9305 (4G LTE + 2GB RAM) w/ smashed screen - $2
-Galaxy S3 GT-I9301 (Snapdragon 400 + 1.5GB RAM) w/ no screen - $2
-Galaxy S5 SM-G900F (same as my pristine white one) - $6
-PS2 SCPH-70004a Silver - $2

S5 was an absurdly easy fix - the screen was kind of a replacement, so the double sided adhesive wasn't applied correctly, and somehow, the main LCD cable came undone. A few minutes later I was factory resetting it and it works fine now. It has no back cover, though I think I have a gold cover from a fake G901F my dad used to have, so guess it's going to fit for now.

IIRC, unless otherwise, Galaxy S5s use OLED.

iPhones are the ones that usually use LCD.

[stj]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

nice, now use Heimdel to put TWRP and 7.1 or higher custom firmware on them.

[Dan81]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

IIRC, unless otherwise, Galaxy S5s use OLED.

iPhones are the ones that usually use LCD.

Well, it's still a LCD display (OLED tech tho) nevertheless.

I'm already in process of ordering a whole new glass + display though. It's WAY too risky to remove the panel and change the glass. With a glass+display combo, it's literally plug'n play. Just plug it in, secure it down with 3M tape, then it's done, looking brand new.

The one I'll get is black, gonna look into some part numbers to see if they fit my phone

[Curious.George]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

HP Ultrium 448 LTO2 tape drive. I'll post photos when it arrives.

Take a peek at the number of hours on the head. And, be sure to run some real tests with it -- storing AND RETRIEVING data -- before putting your faith in it.

I recently discarded my last tape drive and a shelf full of NiB media in favor of treating disks as "data cartridges". Just one less type of peripheral to support...

[Topcat]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Take a peek at the number of hours on the head. And, be sure to run some real tests with it -- storing AND RETRIEVING data -- before putting your faith in it.

I recently discarded my last tape drive and a shelf full of NiB media in favor of treating disks as "data cartridges". Just one less type of peripheral to support...

Anymore, I just use external HDD's for data archiving. Tape drives were a cheaper alternative to mass data archiving back in the day when HDD space cost a premium. HDD's are so cheap now....and an external case for one doesn't cost much either.