@polpo@bitbang.social
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

polpo

@polpo@bitbang.social

Blinking LED enthusiast. Lover of old technology. Won't leave anything with electronics alone. Tinkered enough with the Raspberry Pi Pico and the ISA bus to happen to make a retro sound card emulator (https://github.com/polpo/picogus).

Located in Colorado, USA

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polpo, to demoscene
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

For the latest issue of Make Magazine, I wrote a feature article about ! The online version of the article is now up. Come read about my beginnings as a teenage fan, how I was introduced to the GUS and how I decided to make an emulator for it so many years later. https://makezine.com/article/technology/computers-mobile/democratizing-the-demoscene-picogus-brings-the-90s-tracker-sound-to-the-masses/

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

And I gotta say they did a great job making it look good in print. #PicoGUS #demoscene

The next page of the article.
The cover of the magazine, with the headline “Retro Tech: nee thrills from classic games & gear”. I’m pointing to the fallout for my article “Pi Pico PC Sound Card”. The cover has a clear Game Boy and tiny arcade machine.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@foone and @h0ffman get shoutouts for inspiration in the article. And big thanks to @ishotjr for editing and sheperding my way, and @inversephase for making the all important social connection. 😁

Lana, to random
@Lana@beige.party avatar

The back fell off. Some of them are made so the back doesn't fall off at all.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@guigsy @Lana looks real based on this image of cybertruck frames

gsuberland, (edited ) to random
@gsuberland@chaos.social avatar

[serious, no joke replies or guesses / autotranslation please]

do I know anyone native or otherwise very fluent in Chinese who can tell me the correct term for a plated edge connector, like you might find on a PCIe card? specifically the "gold fingers" style connector feature you would find on the PCB side, not the plastic connector it slots into.

I've had an absolute nightmare trying to communicate this feature to a Shenzhen-based PCB vendor and I would like it to be easier in future.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@gsuberland a coworker on our hardware/FW team who grew up in China suggests "边缘连接器" and says Baidu corroborates it.
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%BE%B9%E7%BC%98%E8%BF%9E%E6%8E%A5%E5%99%A8/10746939?fr=ge_ala

gsuberland, to random
@gsuberland@chaos.social avatar

it has gotten to the point where I'm having to send this to JLC's engineers because after FOUR STRAIGHT DAYS of explaining to them that they must not attach edge rails to the end of the edge connector, they said ok, then sent me a review file where they did it anyway.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@gsuberland I’ve been adding my own edge rails because I can’t trust JLC to not put them on edge connectors.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@gsuberland I thought I was being kinda paranoid about it but after seeing your saga and what they did to some of FreddyV's picomem boards (pic attached) I'm glad I've done it

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Hey. Do you want to order a ? Like RIGHT NOW? Joe's Computer Museum now has them in stock! https://jcm-1.com/product/picogus-v2/

pixel, (edited ) to random
@pixel@social.pixels.pizza avatar

ooh neat auction.

UPDATE: This is fake. Please don’t bid.

/cc @Cdespinosa

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285841371389?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=dV4ohs51QzG&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=05wwBFy7TlG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@passim @thomasfuchs @Cdespinosa @pixel because @Cdespinosa, the one saying it’s fake, would be the “Chris” on the purported office diagram

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

So I just discovered that someone that is not me registered picogus.com. That is VERY much not cool. It currently redirects to the official site (https://polpo.org/picogus) but who knows what they can change that to in the future. I thought about registering it but guess whoever it is beat me to it.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

I've gone ahead and registered https://picog.us/ and moved the PicoGUS page over there. A much cooler domain in my opinion! Thanks @leadedsolder and @RonsCompVids for independently coming up with the idea

fenarinarsa, to retrogaming
@fenarinarsa@shelter.moe avatar

Currently finding out that the Mockingboard design is shit and most of it is useless

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@fenarinarsa This is making me want to make a PicoMockingboard more than ever...

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@fenarinarsa that'd be great. Those SSI chips are pure unobtanium at this point, right?

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Howdy folks! I'm tonight's guest on Retro Repair Roundup. Join me with hosts Javier, Joe, Ron, and Trina as we talk about PicoGUS and whatever else comes up!

SOUND UP - Talkin' PicoGUS with Ian Scott - you're gonna wanna hear all about it.
Tonight at 8:00pm Eastern!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFSYf-d8-7Q

RetroFox, to random
@RetroFox@bitbang.social avatar

I've managed to go through all the photos I took and updated the two albums - please have a look and let me know if you like something I captured! :)

VCF East 2024 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gyt6RWGdMbm7WnJa7

Consignment - https://photos.app.goo.gl/6EhLmdtAQWqYR7E89

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@RetroFox I see a photo of me talking to Jeff at the FujiNet table! Wish I got a chance to talk to you (or maybe I actually did, and didn't recognize you).

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@RetroFox I liked how VCF Midwest had a spot on everyone's lanyards to write their name, not just those for the exhibitors. I recognized a few people by their name I wouldn't have otherwise!

paulrickards, to random
@paulrickards@mastodon.social avatar

Another is in the books. This was my second time as an exhibitor showing my art. It’s always so fun to see people be mesmerized by the plotter drawing intricate generative designs. For some, it’s the first time they’ve seen such a device.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@paulrickards I got this “dunes” postcard! And here is the plot I bought at consignment.

mejs, to random
@mejs@mastodon.vladovince.com avatar

If you are visiting consignment, make sure you check out the beautiful plotter art by @paulrickards

These are such a great example of creative and technically competent application of vintage technology, and great art pieces for your home!

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@mejs @paulrickards I bought one of the larger pieces there! It was hard deciding which one to get.

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

We now have WiFi on the emulating an ne2000 card! yyzkevin (who did the SB DSP work released a while ago) was responsible for this with a bit of help from me between days here at . Awesome!

The login screen of the Retro32 telnet BBS
The Pocket386 handheld PC with a PicoGUS Femto plugged into the back. There are debug cables plugged into it

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Just put 25 PicoGUSes in consignment at . Come and get ‘em tomorrow!

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

On the way down to #VCFEast from the airport I stopped at the old Bell Labs building designed by Eero Saarinen. It’s been repurposed as a work/play/shop space and it’s really nice. It’s great that this amazing space is open to the public. As a design/architecture nerd and fan of the show Severance which is filmed here, I’m totally geeking out.

The reception area of the building, which is in a section sunk down into the floor a few feet. It’s lined by padded couches upholstered in green leather atop granite.
Glass tubular elevators inside the building. All the metalwork is painted black. A fountain is below.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Speaking of Saarinen… I had to stop at the TWA Hotel because I’m flying JetBlue out of JFK. This building surprises you at every turn. It changes shape constantly as you move through it.

polpo, to random
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

I'll be at in a couple days and I'm stoked! I'll be bringing 2.0 boards to sell there, so if you've been wanting one and you'll be there, it'll be your best chance to get one.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

After seeing @paulrickards's post about being at I just realized I can consign items. So I've just added a decent number of cards to consignment.

jsr, to random
@jsr@social.jsr.com avatar

You would be surprised at how much I would pay for this, if it actually existed.

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

@suetanvil @MojoBob @jsr this person has a working prototype of the song slider! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjmFbgqFeMQ

polpo, to retrocomputing
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Kevin Moonlight just released a video demonstrating his Pi Pico-based PCMCIA card that can emulate NE2000 over Wi-Fi, serial port, and Sound Blaster for retro laptops, handhelds, and other computers. He's gauging interest in the project for a future build, so if you're interested in one there's a link in the description to a form.
Kevin is great, he was responsible for the bulk of the SoundBlaster DSP support that was just released on ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoJ12leojwo

polpo,
@polpo@bitbang.social avatar

Another update from Kevin: his card can now emulate a CD-ROM drive with audio. Awesome work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L59Bp61Je4Y

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