Author: Dave Farquhar

Nonpareil tinplate trains

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Nonpareil tinplate trains

Nonpareil is an unsung brand of tinplate toy trains from the early 20th century. Based in Newark, New Jersey, they made floor trains out of lithographed tin that resemble Ives trains, but they are less well known. The company, whose full name was the Nonpareil Toy and Novelty Company, was in business from 1914 to 1933.

Read more

Do the date codes in a retro computer matter?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Do the date codes in a retro computer matter?

Youtuber Dave Plummer made an interesting argument in his PET 2001 repair video. He said he wants the date codes on his chips to match as closely as possible, arguing that it matters to vintage car enthusiasts, so it’s going to matter in the future on vintage computers too.

He has a point.

Read more

Types of keyboard connections, illustrated

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Types of keyboard connections, illustrated

Someone asked me recently to help them identify the type of keyboard they needed. And I realized that some of the keyboard connector types that used to be easy to find, common, and common knowledge are no longer any of those things. And then I realized that this is an area that is still changing. So let’s go over the common keyboard connector types or types of keyboard connections.

Read more

Is it cheaper to repair or replace a refrigerator? It depends

Dave Farquhar DIY
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a refrigerator? It depends

How long does a refrigerator last? Is it cheaper to repair or replace a refrigerator? How much does a refrigerator cost to repair? Those are all very valid questions, and unfortunately, answer is it depends. But let’s dig in.

In the short term it’s usually cheaper to repair a refrigerator. But in the long run, the older the refrigerator is, the more likely it is to be cheaper to buy a new one.

Read more

Lionel Laser train set

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Lionel Laser train set

The Lionel Laser (or L.A.S.E.R.) train set from 1981 and 1982 was a product of its time. Very much so. In some ways it was the perfect thing for Boomer parents to buy for their Gen X kids. At least that was the intent. And while the Lionel Laser is not the pinnacle of Lionel trains, there are reasons to be nostalgic for it, at least if you’re of a certain age.

Read more

Who makes Insignia TVs for Best Buy

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Who makes Insignia TVs for Best Buy

Insignia is one of Best Buy’s house brands. Best Buy doesn’t manufacture any products, but they contract manufacturing out to other companies. So who makes Insignia TVs for Best Buy? And how long do they last? Should you buy one?

Insignia is Best Buy’s house brand for various consumer products. Insignia TVs are currently made for Best Buy by Hisense.

Read more

Will CRT monitors make a comeback?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Will CRT monitors make a comeback?

A friend asked me if CRT monitors will make a comeback. I can tell from the way he asked that he expected my answer to be no. “Do they hold up?” he asked.

CRT monitors already have made a comeback. At least that’s what the numbers say. I had a basement full of them and it took me years to get rid of them. I couldn’t give them away. They’d be worth a fortune now, but I needed the space for other things. That said, I’m glad I kept the three that I did.

Read more

Atari 400 versus 800

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Atari 400 versus 800

The Atari 8-Bit line is the most underrated 8-bit computer. And I’m biased. I’m a Commodore fan going way back. I’m not supposed to like Atari. The 400 was the low end of the line, and the 800 was the original high end machine. Atari expanded the line over time, but let’s look at the 400 versus 800, the first two machines in the line. Read more

American Flyer whistling billboard

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
American Flyer whistling billboard

You know what your train layout needs? More commercialism. Or maybe not, but here’s why you may want an American Flyer whistling billboard anyway, even if you’re trying to make your layout an escape from the less happy real world.

Read more

Declutter the title bar in Microsoft Office

Dave Farquhar Office
Declutter the title bar in Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office has had the ability to place icons in the title bar for a long time. I seem to remember doing that way back in Office 2007. But recent versions put a lot more things in the title bar by default. This makes certain commonly used functions readily available regardless of which part of the ribbon you have visible. But the downside is when you need to move the window around. With all of those icons and the search bar up there, there isn’t a lot of clickable space left in the title bar to use to drag it around. If you can’t drag your window in Word, I have a fix.

Here’s how to declutter the title bar in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office apps to make multitasking a bit easier.

Read more