Might be tight on delivery for Christmas but have a look at items like this
This soldering iron is cheap but excellent: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32945257770.html
Iron Tips: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32758473985.html
Heat mat https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000473909134.html
Also look for different coloured wire and different widths. AWG30 is common width for small circuit boards. An iron holder stand with a metal wire ball for cleaning. Lead free solder. Flux.
Multimeter, logic probe.
If they are getting really interested then more advanced kit:
This de-soldering pump is pretty good: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32980178658.html
Good hot air gun: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32818301662.html
Microscope for tiny soldering: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002748557662.html
Oscilloscope: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001009973859.html
Then something to work on or build... Maybe an old non-working bootleg arcade PCB :D
...and found! Drop me a PM with your address and i will pop them in the post
Thanks for the suggestions, even if not for Christmas they could be type of thing for birthday, or if he wants to get himself.
What about something like this ? I got my son one last year that was a handheld game like Tetris or something. It might be too basic for what you are looking for though:
Eight Innovation ERR1493 Eight Retro Construction Kit-Build Your Own Working FM Radio https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0914D5C9J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_DHJVN8RS1GB413AK5VQ3?psc=1
That might be ideal as a start, his attention span is still iffy!
Yeh there’s some other ones too they make I’m sure you will find them on there if you click through. There’s a bat detector , memory game etc. my kid enjoyed making it.
Slowly getting there with the new tv setup!
I now have the following consoles going through the Retrotink, all set up and ready to go with the flick of a switch;
Snes, Megadrive, PCE, Saturn,Dreamcast,Wii, N64 & DD, PS2.
Poor old Sega CD and 32X wouldn't fit, just too big of a space commitment in this unit. Also haven't tried to fit the Famicom or any NES type hardware in. I'm currently using the drawer under the snes for controllers but want to see if I can maybe get some consoles in there instead!
Starter kits like these are usually pretty good, depends on how old the child is though:
Pretty easy to assemble Brick game here;
I'd also recommend getting junk / broken components for them to practise their soldering on. Making a joint, removing a joint, pre-tinning some wires and soldering to contact points, the correct way to apply flux etc, that kinda thing.
Videos like this are great too:
Keep an eye on Lidl or Aldi's websites too as they tend to make really affordable (and still fairly decent) soldering stations from time to time that range from €15 to about €30.
Ohh just wanted to say, those screws came in yesterday. Thanks again mate, such a legend!
The creator of the nes and snes has passed away
Read this sad post about barns full of cabs in Galway rotting away http://www.ukvac.com/forum/where-did-all-the-games-go_topic386791_post1215027.html?KW=#1215027
Does anyone (Ollie?) in Galway know this chap? Seems an awful shame to have these going to waste.
Here's hoping he has a Robotron cabinet that needs adopting... I can open my home to it, so selfless am I...
I firmly believe that the protagonist of this world some time ago made the wrong choice and now we are locked into the darkest timeline.
And the proof of this?
All the apologist articles coming out, like the eurogamer one, about how enter the matrix is actually a good game. There must be another game by the same name because the one I played was one of the worst games of the generation and the PC, Xbox and GameCube releases were barely playable due to bugs.
It was my understanding that Enter the Matrix was terrible.
I mean, they pumped resources into it, it was seen, at the time, as a legit part of the story of the cinematic trilogy.
Just a pity then that it was awful.
Like Rise of the Robots it graced so many magazine covers and lengthy features inside but, when review time came along, mediocre was the typical opinion.
So ok, don't get me wrong I'm enjoying the new GamesMaster and this may be my age showing but...
...is anybody else a tad irritated at the fact that the "contestants" appear to be minor celebrities or Twitch streamers that have been invited on to the show to increase their clout?
I mean, having one or two events with celebs or streamers, that'd be cool but what happened to inviting regular folk onto the show?!
I'm of the vintage that once the word "celebrity" is mentioned, I usually reach for the remote. However, on the whole the first episode for me was better than expected. I'll try catch the other two soon enough. I'd say because they only had three eps to play with, they felt some ribbon cutter celebrities might just help with exposure, and if there's another season, they can expand on it and maybe bring in some more civvies.
Well all I remember was celebrities on the old series seriously struggling with games. I'd rather see what a game has to offer rather than watching Take That struggle in a relay challenge of Contra 3 and playing it terribly.
How many Gs does it get then, the true metric of gaming show greatness
It has to be 3 g's doesn't it? Two seems overly harsh.
Truly, if you ever believe a given gaming show is awful, compare it to Gamezville first and it won't seem so bad
'It has to be 3 g's init?'
FYP
Just gonna leave this here with no context.
Griefing Billy Mitchell is a national passed time.
I love when famous people can't take a joke on Twitter, it's just too easy.
That is the crowning achievement of your life, deserves a place on the wall beside those photos of you and the TNG cast!
This was over on Lady Decade's Instagram... but close enough.
Billy has been creeping on her socials so she responded that she was scared to be tongue in cheek. Of course Billy mistook this for adulation like the bloody plumb that he is... I fancied knocking him down a peg. He hasn't responded to this at all yet. :-D
I'm waiting for him to report me to Twin Galaxies as we speak...
Doesn’t seem worth the effort tbh, even if he is a dick.
More like sending you papers for a libel lawsuit for denouncing his sense of humour.
Be fairly expensive for him to do that across a country border.
If he wants to try though he can have at it, I'll hire a no win no fee lawyer... something they don't have in The USA.
Actually I'd bloody LOVE it if he tried suing me, lol. It'd be hilarious.
Was wasn't aware that shitposting towards somebody on Instagram constituted as effort, other than for my own amusement.
I'm hardly expecting him to change his ways. It's just hilarious that he didn't understand Lady Decade's original joke. Typical narcissist.
Didn't think Billy Mitchell was a holy roller, kind of suits him really.
I honestly **** love the dude, he's like a character from Tim and Eric or SNL except he's real 🤣
I do wonder how much of that he puts on and how much is legit....the U.S.A handle for his high scores is too good 🤣
