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Tim Nicholls

@woodpunk.bsky.social
36 followers 17 following 49 posts

Amish rakefighting champion. Behavioural Scientist. Convicted hacker. Former spook. Privacy compliance nerd. Wrote a book about arcade games. Made the arcade machine manuals site arcadeRTFM.com Sometimes makes movie props for money. Too many cassettes.

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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
If you ever feel like you're a bit weird, just remind yourself that your brain a just a big lump of meat with electricity inside it. OF COURSE YOU'RE WEIRD!
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Out of the blue, in a conversation about going to see Project Hail Mary, my neighbour just told me he'll "never use gender neutral toilet." Steve, you've got two of them in your own fucking house!
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
My next MAME arcade machine build is going to have an LCD marquee with animated versions of the original marquee art.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Massively improved arcadeRTFM.com again. Clearer and more accurate DIP switch settings, 6,000+ more board components catalogued, do mystery arcade PCB identification by entering chip numbers. It now has one button downloadable DIP switch crib sheets and each game record has much better formatting.
Massively improved the site again. Much clearer and more accurate DIP switch settings, 6,000+ more board components catalogued, mystery PCB identification by entering chip numbers, one button downloadable DIP switch crib sheets, better formatting, still no ads, tracking or login.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
I radically improved arcadeRTFM.com this week. It's now a fully indexed archive of arcade repair/operator manuals plus schematics. It has details for 7,800+ arcade machines and 2,400+ manuals. You can search by game, manufacturer, year or even chip! Share it wherever you think it might be useful.
Screenshot of the Arcade Manual Archive website arcadeRTFM.com (dark mode) showing detailed technical specifications for the classic Sega Out Run arcade machine (sitdown/upright Rev B, 1986). The page includes hardware specs (2x Motorola MC68000 @ 10 MHz, Zilog Z80 @ 4 MHz), raster horizontal display (320×224 at 60.05 Hz), audio chips (YM2151 OPM and Sega PCM), controls (1 player, steering paddle, pedal, 1 button, 2 coin slots), a full DIP switch settings table for coin credits, cabinet type, demo sounds, time adjustment and difficulty, plus links to downloadable service manuals and schematics. Site header reads 'ARCADE MANUAL ARCHIVE' with stats 7,821 machines and 2,405 service manuals; search term 'out run' is active.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
I've got 2,400+ arcade service manuals and schematics (Atari, Capcom, Sega, Namco, Williams etc) sitting on Google Drive. I've finally built a searchable frontend for them. More search functionality coming soon, but for now: arcadertfm.com #arcade #retrogaming #arcaderepair #MAME #coinop
arcadertfm.com
Arcade Manual Archive - 2400+ Service Manuals
Searchable archive of 2400+ arcade video game service, repair, and maintenance manuals. Free community resource.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
I've been a fan of Project Hail Mary for years now and I only just worked this out. Nicely done, Andy Weir.
Rectangular religious textile artwork bordered in intricate navy blue filigree and heart patterns on a light tan background. The prayer titled 'Hail Mary' in large decorative lettering fills the centre, with the text: Hail Mary, Full of Grace (circled in green) The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen. A stylised infinity symbol sits at the very bottom center, surrounded by matching scrollwork
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
I have to say that the new three-part special of The Detectorists was a depressing departure from its usual style.
A medium shot captures two men standing amidst lush green foliage in a sun-dappled woodland. The individual on the left is wearing a charcoal-coloured cap and an olive green utility vest layered over a dark blue shirt. He has a puzzled expression, with his mouth slightly agape. Beside him, the man on the right wears thin, rimless spectacles and a dark green outdoor jacket over a light blue checked shirt. He appears startled, looking directly ahead with a concerned gaze. The background is a soft-focus blur of leaves and branches, with patches of bright light hitting their shoulders and the surrounding greenery.
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Lord Arse! 🕹️ @lordarse.com · 24/02/2026
I don't know what you're reading but I bet it's not Tatung Einstein User.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Thank fuck the Winter Olympics is over. If I heard one more person use the word ‘medal’ as a verb someone was going to get hurt.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
New Business Idea Number 315: Corporate training videos.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Last play of this turntable (brilliant but fiddly, delicate, and just a bit too 'audiophile' for me) before it gets replaced with a chunky Tim-proof Technics. ACiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiD!
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Lord Arse! 🕹️ @lordarse.com · 07/02/2026
Why has there never been a racing game based on this?
Toy car floor mat.
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Virtvic @tenpencearcade.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Part 3 of my Emulation Machine build is up on Substack - open.substack.com/pub/virtvics...
open.substack.com
The Ultimate Emulation Machine (Part 3)
Nearly There!
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Official Childhood Briefing (1970s UK Edition) 1. Substations were electrified murder temples. 2. Ponds were staffed by vengeful ghosts. 3. Fireworks actively wanted to blind you. 4. Cars killed you on sight. 5. Wearing flares (ideally brown) was mandatory. 6. All male children were called Jimmy.
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Lord Arse! 🕹️ @lordarse.com · 01/02/2026
You know it's time to shrink down your collection when you find stuff like this that you forgot you owned.
32 loose Atari 2600 games in vintage cartridge drawers. Original Atari packaging boxes. Sealed Atari 2600 games.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Still very much at the prototyping stage, but if you were or are an #Atari #retrogaming fan and always wanted one of those crazy expensive 10 game cartridge switching RomScanner devices, watch this space!
Green printed circuit board with a row of identical black edge connectors mounted in a straight line, resting on a wooden desk and supported by white foam packaging.Vintage Atari 2600 console on a workbench, fitted with a Hales RomScanner cartridge selector loaded with multiple Atari game cartridges. The console has a woodgrain front panel, black ridged top, and classic toggle switches, surrounded by tools, wires, and electronics, suggesting a retro gaming repair or setup workspace.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
I bet these guys have some strong opinions.
Black shop sign mounted on a white building reading “INCELL” in red, with “Mobile Phone Repairs & Accessories” in white below. Overhead cables run above the sign and part of a smaller matching repair centre sign is visible beneath it.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
If any world leader would like my Cycling Proficiency badge, just let me know (assuming awards are all just vibes based now) Terms and conditions apply* *Badge holders must not arbitrarily claim sovereign territory as their own.
Close up of a small triangular enamel badge held between fingers. The badge is red with a green triangle in the centre showing a black silhouette of a cyclist. The words ‘National Cycling Proficiency’ are printed around the triangle.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
This is the old Cannon #cinema in Hinckley. It closed in 1993. The two pink dots are where my friend Gareth and I sat when we saw Star Wars (and it was just called Star Wars back then!) in 1978. We were eight years old and got dropped off by my dad because he wasn't interested in "that space crap" 😂
Interior of an abandoned cinema auditorium with rows of decaying upholstered seats leading towards a damaged stage. The stage is covered in peeling purple carpet and debris, backed by closed, faded curtains. Walls are stained and crumbling, with exposed brick and flaking paint. The floor is littered with wood fragments and dust, creating a sense of long neglect and disuse.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
I highly recommend finding a #therapist that speaks your language: "Also, guilt here is not evidence of wrongdoing. It’s evidence that you care deeply. Unfortunately, caring brains are absolute bastard bellends and like to invent moral failures where none exist."
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3ccentric @thereal3ccentric.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Without revealing your actual age,what's something you remember that if you told a younger person they wouldn't understand?
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ᗰIᑎᗪᒪEᔕ™️ 🪩 @mindlesmandles.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
I’m enjoying myself this afternoon! 🎶 Found me an old cassette player in the ‘man drawer’!
Happy Mondays cassette.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
I built a #TV station! Well, sort of. I built a UHF transmitter connected to a little hardware media player and it all fits in a cheap plastic case with a power bank in it and 'broadcasts' a folder of MP4s to my old analogue CRT televisions.
Vintage black portable CRT television with chunky dials and knobs sitting on a wooden table, displaying a blue tinted image of the fictional character Max Headroom on screen. The set has a utilitarian 1980s design with a telescopic antenna, control labels on the front panel, and a slightly curved glass screen, creating a distinctly retro broadcast aesthetic.Close up of a red 3D printed UHF RF transmitter inside a black protective case, connected by composite video and audio cables on the left and a coaxial antenna cable on the right. A small blue OLED screen on the transmitter shows frequency settings. Next to it sits a black 4K HDMI media player with connected power and HDMI cables, all neatly packed together for portable broadcast or signal testing.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Bit of an unsung hero these Sony CDit II tapes. They're the later ones in slide cases and they look like they're nothing special but the tape stock in these is phenomenally good for the price, especially used. I've tested them in a Revox B215, a Yamaha KX-10, and a NAD 613 and they rock! #cassette
Transparent blue Sony CDit II 90 cassette tape photographed close up on a desk. The clear plastic shell reveals black tape spools with pale blue hubs. White printed text reads “SONY”, “POSITION CHROME”, “CDit II 90”, and “IEC II TYPE II HIGH BIAS 70 µs EQ”. The cassette is upright, label side facing the camera, with audio equipment and cables softly out of focus in the background.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
One of the most stressful times in anyone's life is when you have to murder a loved one because you discover they pronounce the word lozenges as "lossinjers".
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The Cave (Neil) @visitthecave.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
These promotional tee shirts were fun to rediscover today as I move things into the new store room. All from the period.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Every time I come across a Woolworths price sticker on an old #cassette it makes me somehow simultaneously really happy and really sad. I took #Woolworths for granted because it had been there since I was born and always would be. Until it wasn't :-(
Close up photo of a sealed BASF Ferro Extra I C90 audio cassette in clear plastic retail packaging, with bold red and black branding. A yellow and red ‘Special Buy’ sticker and a white Woolworths price label showing £2.49 are visible on the front. The cassette reels can be seen through the transparent case, and the package is resting on a beige carpet.Photo of a Brownstone ‘5 Miles to Empty’ cassette standing upright on a wooden surface in front of a black hi fi cassette deck. The cassette inlay shows three women posed with a chair in a studio style portrait. A Woolworths price sticker reading 99p is attached to the front. Behind it, the deck’s blue digital display is lit, showing a counter reading 999 and level meters.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Being forced to identify what is clearly a coach, as a bus, really shouldn't annoy me as much as it does.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
It's absolutely not an "air fryer" but I do understand that "compact high-velocity convection oven with top-mounted grill element" isn't quite as catchy from a marketing perspective.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Okay, it's possible that I have too many blank cassettes. I just found this case of Maxell UR tucked behind a boombox on a shelf in my office. I don't even remember putting them there or where they came from. #cassette addiction: it's a thing!
An open cardboard box labeled "maxell ORIGINAL Audio-Cassette" filled with numerous sealed Maxell UR blank audio cassettes, neatly arranged in rows. One cassette is placed on top in the rest. The box sits on a workbench in a cluttered workspace, surrounded by tools, cables, and other items.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Another #cassette rack constructed and populated with 100 tapes to play for next few weeks.
A vertical wooden cassette tape storage rack sitting on a tabletop, filled edge to edge with compact audio cassette tapes arranged in neat vertical columns. The cassette spines are clearly visible, showing a large and varied music collection including artists such as Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Jean Michel Jarre, ZZ Top, The Cure, INXS, Tears for Fears, Iron Maiden, Beastie Boys, The Jam, Human League, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Pink Floyd. The tapes span multiple genres including electronic, new wave, rock, metal, hip hop, and pop, with many releases appearing to be from the 1980s and early 1990s. The rack is light coloured wood, photographed indoors, with a window and soft background lighting behind it
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The Retro Collective @retrocollective.co.uk · 10/12/2025
New Video: youtu.be/jrXO23EJacM Finally, the Amiga of my dreams. And remember to eat your HAM. #amiga #retro #computers #tech
youtu.be
We Finally Found a Commodore Amiga 3000 (pt1)
YouTube video by The Retro Collective
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Couldn't find suitable new #cassette storage racks in the UK and we didn't get the Napa ones back in the day, so they're few and far between on the used market. Solution: Improve the design and make 'em myself. Very happy with the way these came out.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
I don't really buy cassette machinery any more, unless something comes along that's on my short list of 'one day' items. The Sony Walkman WM-D6C was on that list for a long time and I thought I'd missed my chance with the crazy prices they go for. Then I spotted one in a local auction :-)
Black Sony Walkman WM-D6C sitting on a white desk with sony branded headphones in the background. It's larger than a standard Walkman.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Here's an album on #cassette that officially doesn't exist! Public Enemy's cassette release of Fear of a Black Planet was banned in South Africa and all copies were thought to have been destroyed before release. This one escaped. It's not listed in any database. The Discogs entry is one I created.
Black audio cassette with white writing. It's the South African release of Public Enemy's album Fear of a Black Planet.Audio cassette in its plastic case. It's the South African release of Public Enemy's album Fear of a Black Planet.Unfolded J card of the audio cassette South African release of Public Enemy's album Fear of a Black Planet.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Been a while since I posted anything anywhere but here's a big pile of home recorded albums on #cassette because home taping is ̶k̶i̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶m̶u̶s̶i̶c̶ cool!
A large collection of homemade cassette albums and mixtapes stacked in several tall piles on a wooden surface. The cassettes are mostly TDK 90 and Sony FX tapes with handwritten labels in black or blue pen, featuring a wide variety of 1990s and early 2000s artists and albums including R.E.M., Radiohead, Oasis, The Divine Comedy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Spice Girls, Massive Attack, Björk, The Police, Kylie Minogue, Portishead, Blur, Nirvana, Pulp, Sting, Supergrass, Morrissey, Paul Weller, Eurythmics, and many others. The labels show eclectic mixtape titles, track lists, and personal notes, giving a strong nostalgic 90s–2000s bedroom-DJ vibe.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
How's your Saturday going?
MS-DOS error message on an old screen which reads 'Fault outside of MS-DOS Extender' followed by a register dump.
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Tim Nicholls @woodpunk.bsky.social · 07/02/2024
Please hold...
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