Q&A Interview with PICOGUS creator polpo

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šŸ“° New article from RetroRGB

Q&A Interview with PICOGUS creator polpo

https://retrorgb.com/qa-interview-with-picogus-creator-polpo.html

### Making Retro Computing Affordable (and Fun)

If youā€™ve ever tried to build a period-accurate DOS PC lately, you know the struggle: finding working vintage hardware is like hunting for rare PokĆ©mon, and the prices are absolutely eye-watering. Enter Ian Scottā€”known to the community as polpoā€”the mastermind behind the PicoGUS and the upcoming PicoIDE.

In a recent Q&A with RetroRGB, polpo shared how his lifelong obsession with sound cards (specifically the legendary Gravis Ultrasound) turned into a mission to save retro computing from skyrocketing costs. Using the tiny, dirt-cheap Raspberry Pi Pico, heā€™s creating hardware that emulates expensive ISA sound cards and even replacing dying CD/IDE drives.

The highlights:

  • PicoGUS: A tiny powerhouse that emulates the Gravis Ultrasound and now supports Sound Blaster 16.
  • PicoIDE: An upcoming 3.5ā€ bay device that replaces floppy/CD drives with SD card images, featuring an OLED screen and even WiFi.
  • The Goal: Keeping hardware affordable and accessible during a time when vintage parts are becoming “endangered species.”

Whether he’s pulling late nights after his day job or dreaming up “next-gen” sound cards with full audio codecs, polpo is proving that you don’t need a massive budget to keep the golden age of computing alive.

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