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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy

@dexterstechlab.bsky.social
304 followers 352 following 486 posts

UK/GB/Manchester. Saving the Quantel legacy one luma sample at a time, blundering with electronics, computers & other weird things, fixing stuff.

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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 4h
Tried cleaning the AGP connector using a fiberglass pencil. Checked the 5 power input caps at the top i put on 6 years ago, they are in 2 pairs and each pair measure about 900uf. The caps are 470uf each so that adds up about right. Still the same, motherboard boots, but get beep codes for VGA fail.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 8h
Ok, system is back up and running using my spare; a non GT 6800 with 128Mb.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 9h
This is CPU43, the main CPU board.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 9h
This is Snetcom, the networking interface.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12h
Actually no, i just realised i replaced them all back in 2020 😒
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12h
I just went to power on my Pentium 3 machine where i run all my vintage games. I was met with BEEP... BEEP BEEP BEEP. Looks like my trusty XFX GeForce AGP 6800GT has stopped working 😱. Though looking at those slightly wonky 470uf electrolytic caps does make me wonder if they need replacing 🤔🤔
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Inside the top of my #Quantel Hal Express (s/n 13637), see that big chonky Lambda Omega MML600 600Watt PSU? It's just gone not worky 😒🙄. I am suspecting the control circuit start-up caps as it will intermittently start and run normally, a common fault on PSUs like this.
Top section of a Quantel Hal Express. Bottom right is a Sony Magneto Optical drive, bottom middle is a ZuluSCSI, bottom left is a BlueSCSI, top left is the Quantel SD-SDI digital video input and output board, top right taking up 1/4 of the space is the Lambda PSU with multiple wires connecting to busbars.Close up picture of the Lambda PSU showing output label with the voltages and rated output current with the wires connecting to the large terminals on the Quantel Hiway backplane.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Many happy memories playing Quake, GLQuake and QuakeWorld!! I liked it so much i built a Dual 3Dfx Voodoo2 machine to play it all again!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
You can see the Quantel 'custom' ICs on the Disk and Mainstore cards. From what i understand they are fairly simple custom gate arrays. They i don't think the design changed in the 20+ years they used them.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
#Quantel repair time! Salvaged two NVRAMs from a dead CPU43 board so they can be used as replacements on CPU board that needs new ones. Quite a job to remove them as the 'Snaphat' ICs are SMD so Quantel made these adaptor boards with very fiddly turned pins. All good to go!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Yes, very inspiring how the seemingly impossible can be done with the right people and effort. It has given me hope we might be able to fix one of these 14 layer monster disk controller cards from a #Quantel Henry. All the examples we know of has failed and we don't really know why. 😭
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Finally got the HPI Baja running! There are still some bits to fix though!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Local to South Manchester? Could meet if you fancy it?
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
I bet there's quite a few 70s, 80s and 90s kids out there that know this tool!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I have a thing about ceramics, so these are not all CPUs but there's only one boss, it's the Pentium Pro. But i have had more personal experiences with the 68000 family than any other so they have a special place too.
An anti-static box containing two layers of ceramic ICs. A mixture of CPUs, DSPs, FPGAs, EPROMs, etc. I am pointing to a Pentium Pro.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
I literally had this, i used the bag for school!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Amazing #pokemongo raid day in #stockport today. Picked up a hundo mega mewtwo 😲
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Anyone else remember the eggxactly from #dragonsden?
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
I think mine is about as crunchy and decrepit as the one in the film TBH!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
In a #Quantel #Paintbox there are stored brush stamps. They are bitmaps stored in Diskstore that are stamped into the image (in Mainstore) as you paint. This also includes the menu font. Using diagnostic commands we can copy the brush stamps and the menu font into the mainstore and then view it!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Ha neat, i was there last year, i remember walking down that street. Beautiful town!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Busy day here!😎
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
At Retrofest Swindon! With the #quantel
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
I am very happy to have bought and still own an original Doom, i had it framed a few years ago.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
When is it too much lens?
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
I used to own one, well several, i think 6 of them by the end of it from the early 1985 model, Supercharged versions and the JDM only Supercharger Super Edition which came with Recaro seats! I still miss them today, they were great fun cars.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
#manchester #england
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
A McDexter Bacon, Egg & Cheese Muffin. #breakfast
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Been on Pokemon Go since 2016!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I can't believe i built mine 6 years ago now, wow 🤯! But you should look at tidying cables up, it makes a massive difference to how it looks and also helps cooling! Look forward to seeing your final result!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
🤣 at myself for the message i left for me... Plugged an old 32Mb (yes Mb not Gb!) PC Card into a reader and found this on sector zero!
A screenshot of hex editor HxD running on Windows XP reading a PC Flash Card. The contents of sector zero reads "looking for something? ;-)". The rest of the disk is blank
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
It's 2026 and to this day the whole of the Quantel community knows of no working #Quantel Henry systems. These were $1/4 million machines 20 years ago. They were so bleeding edge at the time they did not survive 🤯
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Well it's done, after 6567km walked my Zygarde is now maxed out at 4093cp, best buddied and has three moves. It's taken about three years 😮 #pokemongo
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
This MeanWell RS-15 is so small and cute! 🥰
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
I challenge anyone to beat getting four networked #Quantel machines at the same time in 2026...
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Thursdays 😵‍💫
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
I am 1992 so there's a few good options TBH, but i have always had a soft-spot for dark horror. So i am going with Candyman. Interestingly directed by Bernard Rose who made another movie i like, a computer hacking story called Smart Money which was only ever shown once on BBC 1 in 1986.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Three artworks painted on a #Quantel DPB-7001 Digital Paint Box by Martin Holbrook. These were made during the early period of the DPB Paintbox in the 1980s. There are only TWO working DPB Paintboxes worldwide, one will be at #Retrofest in Swindon, UK on May 30th and 31st. bsky.app/profile/shor...
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
I love the older parts and buildings of #manchester 😍. This is on Port Street.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Dated 1997, could this be any more 1990s and #Quantel HAL influenced? 😂 #bykergrove
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
#Quantel 2103-87 Clipnet P2. Allowed the Quantel Henry and Editbox to share video from another machine in real time over a 1Gbit fiber network. Looks to be dated around the middle of 2000. 14 layer PCB too which is impressive!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Been playing Pokémon Go since August 2016 so i am coming up to my 10 year anniversary 😱. Today i hit Level 70 😱😱. 85+ million xp, 19,500 km walked and 81,000 pokemon caught. @pokemongoapp.bsky.social
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
i have no idea what TRG Sunday is but i do have a Palm IIIxe 🤷
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
looks like it's spreading!😱
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
@antanddec.com Some original GFX from ITV, dated 2004 🤷
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
30 years ago this amount of Quantel would have set you back £1/3 million! In 2026 it's 50p, a Kia Ora Orange and an old Conker.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Powering on a 1980s Quantel DPB-7001 wearing an 808 State T-Shirt, with an Atari ST and a Panasonic ENG tube camera in the background. Could this be any more retro? It's a shame the #Quantel explodes though!
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Back in 2016... #sony
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Something you don't see often! A commercial SMD Hard Disk Emulator. The Arraid EID-1C, emulates many SMD hard disks and writes out to a SCSIFLash by SolidStateDisks. The EID-1C is the caching version which caches all the data in RAM. This one is configured for my Quantel DPB-7001 Paintbox.
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