RetroTour: Reviewing The Packard Bell Multimedia D142 Designer Tower

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  • Опубликовано: 30 окт 2024

Комментарии • 47

  • @doitallYT
    @doitallYT 2 года назад +1

    You weren't kidding, the mobo really does sit in the bottom of the case 🤯 how cool!

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Haha, indeed it does. A very strange design! It's definitely a cool machine.

  • @parkerlreed
    @parkerlreed 2 года назад +3

    Have a Packard Bell 102CD which is basically this in the flat form factor. Love the wavy grey plastic.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      Oh yeah, the wavy grey plastic is the best! And if you know of anyone missing panels, I hear there are some 3D designs out there. Thanks for watching!!

  • @ted-b
    @ted-b 2 года назад +2

    Hey Chris, happy Easter! Lovely condition that, thanks for the tour.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Heya Ted! Thank you :) Happy Easter to you too!

  • @ZombieRyushu
    @ZombieRyushu 2 года назад +2

    This looks related to one of the systems I had as a kid.

  • @i80386sx
    @i80386sx 2 года назад +3

    There's a computer shop up in the north woods of Wisconsin that used to use this system in their tests for potential hires. The idea was to see their troubleshooting steps in action.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      That's a really good idea! It takes a little bit of tinkering to crack this thing open!

    • @i80386sx
      @i80386sx 2 года назад +1

      @@RetroTechChris it took me a second when I had to take the test.

    • @owenrichards1418
      @owenrichards1418 2 года назад +1

      Sounds too much like the 'Kobiashu Maru' test from Star Trek.

  • @johnstory4807
    @johnstory4807 2 года назад +3

    I do love the so ugly it's beautiful aesthetic.

  • @owenrichards1418
    @owenrichards1418 2 года назад +2

    This is the 'Pizza Case' as we used to call it. This is the one where repair techs used to go out to the customer's house, tear down the unit, replace components and show the customer that the computer was now running. The tech would then close up the case and be on his way. We would then get an enraged customer phoning us up screaming at us because their computer didn't work. Turns out that the tech would somehow trap the I/O cables in the case when putting it back together and cut them off.
    This is a peculiarly Packard Bell solution to people wanting a more sexy upright tower case. Trust PB to somehow come up with a 'flat' 'tower'!!

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      Haha, I remember hearing something about that. Pretty crazy. Thanks for watching!

    • @owenrichards1418
      @owenrichards1418 2 года назад +1

      @@RetroTechChris My pleasure. Your love for these old machines shines through.

  • @RetroPC
    @RetroPC 2 года назад +2

    Great video, Chris! I have always absolutely loved this line of Packard Bell desktops. Super nostalgic to me as my first computer looked very similar to this, but it was not of the designer line.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Thank you!! I always loved the aesthetics of these too!

  • @knightcrusader
    @knightcrusader 2 года назад +2

    I had a Multimedia D130, but it was a desktop. Really wish I could find what I did with it, hopefully didn't get thrown out. I know Packard Bell were considered "trash" back then, but I really loved that computer.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      I've got a Multimedia C110! Nice little machine. I'm sure a D130 will show up at some point for sale!

  • @TechMadeEasyUK
    @TechMadeEasyUK 2 года назад +1

    So much to love here Chris. The PC itself, the backing track, your excellent voiceover. Keep up the good work!

  • @fwingebritson
    @fwingebritson 2 года назад +2

    Great video. I have one that's the same case with the same amount of memory (80mb). However, it has a16 gb sd to ide card (due to hd crash,) a 120mb Colorado tape back up, and a gray/blue brag tag that says "ACCEL 1997." And, yes the case is tricky to get into and put back together.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      Very nice! That machine is nice and decked out, I love it!!!

  • @O.Shawabkeh
    @O.Shawabkeh 2 года назад +1

    "Some people do choose the hard path, some choose Packard Bell"
    An add I never forgot from late 90's

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Haha, I think I remember that commercial! Thanks for watching!!

  • @kryten150761
    @kryten150761 2 года назад +1

    As most of your commentators said great to see the old Packard Bell machine. Very interesting as always. It brings back the memories of having to finagle (to use your description, Lol) these old machines in order to allow working on them.

  • @lenovovo
    @lenovovo 2 года назад +1

    Good Tuesday morning Chris!! :-) Great video dude!!! You didn't give the year this computer was made, but by the looks of it, it looks like it could have been made in the year 2000. Packard Bell will always be my favorite computer brand. Have a great day Chris!! :-) -Melvin - Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - 11:21 AM - Colorado Springs, Colorado

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Thank you! Ah, that would have been good information, sorry about that. I've passed the machine on to another collector, maybe they can check for us!!

    • @lenovovo
      @lenovovo 2 года назад

      @@RetroTechChris It's all good Chris. :-)

  • @Karpens16
    @Karpens16 Год назад +1

    I regret letting go of my childhood computer. I could have used the case for a sick sleeper. I cant think of a more iconic computer, well, for a beige or grey case.

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  Год назад

      That would definitely be an option if you still had it!

  • @johnstory4807
    @johnstory4807 2 года назад +4

    Whoever designed this really didn't want it to tip over. 😄

  • @OzzFan1000
    @OzzFan1000 2 года назад +2

    To be honest, I never really cared for the "designer" cases of Packard Bell (no offence to those who do). It just looked silly taking up the width of a desktop but the height of a tower. To each their own I guess. Still, an interesting tear-down and rebuild to watch. Thanks Chris!

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      They were definitely a little different, haha! Pretty sought after by collectors.. but, not going to lie, I might be with you on this one, and I might have already sent it to another collector at this point :)

  • @cocusar
    @cocusar 2 года назад +2

    Cool. I had a combo modem/sound card on my original Daewoo computer. How hard could it be to update the vram? Does it make sense to do so?

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      It's probably not hard to do! It would give some higher resolutions or higher color depths in some cases. I've passed this onto another collector, but I'll have to suggest it to him!

  • @dave4shmups
    @dave4shmups 2 года назад +1

    Great video on this interesting PC! I wonder how capable it is in terms of playing games?

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад

      It's not too bad actually!! No 3D card or anything but it is a decent rjg

  • @tassdesu
    @tassdesu Год назад

    Cool video, thanks!
    Could you keep the aspect ratio 4:3 when showing the screen capture?

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  Год назад

      Yes, it is possible to set video capture to 4:3, but I just chose not to do so. Thanks for watching!

  • @procta2343
    @procta2343 2 года назад +1

    Great to see you again pal! Neat little windows 95 machine! how do you find windows 95 compared to windows 98? personally i found windows 95 smoother than windows 98

    • @RetroTechChris
      @RetroTechChris  2 года назад +1

      Thanks.. yea... been on a bit of a sabbatical for the video release cycle. There are things I like about Win95 and Win98... indeed, Win95 is smoother on the "slower" systems (personally, I wouldn't load Win98 on a 486 or slower Pentium system). I'll often load Win98 on my higher-end Pentium systems and above.

    • @procta2343
      @procta2343 2 года назад

      @@RetroTechChris no harm in taking a sabbatical, gives you time to think about various projects and ideas. Yeah i wouldn't load windows 98 on a low end Pentium, let alone a 486