But hey, if you have links to new small form factor 386s for under 100 bucks please do share…
Why does it have to be a 386? Why does it have to be new? All that’s really necessary is “DOS Native” and if you head over to ebay and search for “used industrial computer”, you can often find those for around $100.
In fact the YT channel “Cathode Ray Dude” has a series going right now called “Little Guys” where’s he testing a variety of SFF systems, at least some of which are DOS Native industrial computer systems.
Honestly my good person, what you’re looking for is out there if you’re willing to be the tiniest bit flexible.
Yes, alternatives exist. But they can be… how would one put it? Relatively rare and expensive.
I am aware of single board industrial replacement alternatives, but those can be hard to get a hold of, depending on location. Shopping around for used, older thin clients that still have the right I/O and compatible-enough hardware is honestly not a terrible idea, although weirdly the video that you sent as an example highlights a bunch of caveats and issues I wouldn’t even have thought about. Still, that one may be a fun project, if slightly not in the spirit, certainly off-spec for the period and definitely not plug-and-play.
Ultimately, though, I do see the appeal of a period-approrpiate, native revival device. Clearly not alone there, hence the OP and the viral success of the Hand, with all its limitations. I’m not saying you can’t work around the need for that exact thing. You can and I have. To repeat what my first response to the guy was:
“It’s not like there aren’t ways to get there now, they’re just… relatively rare and quite expensive.”
Sure, people have been doing it for years. Here’s a YT walk through for doing it on an HP Thin Client but there’s a whole world of this out there.
So did I.
Why does it have to be a 386? Why does it have to be new? All that’s really necessary is “DOS Native” and if you head over to ebay and search for “used industrial computer”, you can often find those for around $100.
In fact the YT channel “Cathode Ray Dude” has a series going right now called “Little Guys” where’s he testing a variety of SFF systems, at least some of which are DOS Native industrial computer systems.
Honestly my good person, what you’re looking for is out there if you’re willing to be the tiniest bit flexible.
Yes, alternatives exist. But they can be… how would one put it? Relatively rare and expensive.
I am aware of single board industrial replacement alternatives, but those can be hard to get a hold of, depending on location. Shopping around for used, older thin clients that still have the right I/O and compatible-enough hardware is honestly not a terrible idea, although weirdly the video that you sent as an example highlights a bunch of caveats and issues I wouldn’t even have thought about. Still, that one may be a fun project, if slightly not in the spirit, certainly off-spec for the period and definitely not plug-and-play.
Ultimately, though, I do see the appeal of a period-approrpiate, native revival device. Clearly not alone there, hence the OP and the viral success of the Hand, with all its limitations. I’m not saying you can’t work around the need for that exact thing. You can and I have. To repeat what my first response to the guy was:
“It’s not like there aren’t ways to get there now, they’re just… relatively rare and quite expensive.”