Good News and Bad News: Unpacking the Hot Wheels Computer

I have got the Hot Wheels computer in my possession, thanks to a viewer who reached out to me after discovering that it didn't work. We worked out a deal, and here it is, in all its glory! The monitor is in the other room, but I'll show you that in a second. As you can see, it's got the steering wheel and pedals, the keyboard with the flames, and all that crap... and uh, we got a mouse with the Hot Wheels logo worn off. It's been used quite a bit, I guess.

Manual

The manual is sweet, which is great. However, things don't get much better when you see what's inside the computer itself. There's nothing inside of it! But man, doesn't it look cool? It's gonna be such a fast computer once I get it working. Hmm... but why isn't it working?

Taking Apart the Hot Wheels Computer

Well, let's take a look, really quick... because, uh... it's in progress. Ah, excuse the mess, um... but here it is, this is the innards of the Hot Wheels computer, and this thing is a complete disaster! I mean, it was before I started taking it apart, but, I mean, this thing really is just overall, a joke. The monitor's here, the monitor is working well despite some damage... right down here, and actually, the VGA port itself is letting us down. It's rusted on the connector, I mean terribly, so I'm probably gonna have to replace that. But it does actually work, even with the rust because the pins are fine.

The Power Supply

But, yeah, this thing had a bad power supply, and um... yeah. Screw that piece of junk. Basically, what we had to do is last night... ughhh. Sorry for the shaky cam footage here, but too lazy to do anything else. Ah, I just took everything apart and seriously, look, my hand is like it's bigger than the inside of that whole computer. It is such a tiny case. The Flex ATX motherboard uses this bizarre design, which... Bizarrely, this back pane of the computer opens up, and it's attached to this panel... Let me get that to focus there...

The Interior of the Hot Wheels Computer

Everything is just crammed in there. In fact, even the CMOS battery is behind the RAM, so you have to take the RAM out to replace the battery, and then the RAM doesn't even fit back in there because the CPU cooler is in the way, so you have to move that too! It is... everything is so cramped. Um... there are no expansion ports whatsoever; it's just ridiculous.

Getting the Computer Working

So, here's the deal. I just stuck a random ATX power supply in here to see if it worked at all... and here's what you get. Oh, yes, I do have to turn this thing on with a screw right now because there's no power button. Hmm... So, uh, we got the hard drive in here, 10 gigs, floppy disk drive, replacement CD drive... I'm going to try to get the original put back in there.

The First Start-Up

But... the computer *does* work! BROUUUUUNK! I love that old CRT sound, except it's also scary. Alright, Windows 98 there... Oh, yeah, it shut down weirdly last time... because ah... I can't get the mouse working. Eh... But that's okay; who needs a mouse? The keyboard works, though, or at least *a* keyboard works. There's no PS/2 connectors on this thing whatsoever.

The Port Configuration

I was trying to show you earlier, but here you go. Um... You get your audio, a modem, VGA, and a couple USB; that's it! Other than the serial port over there for... it's weird, right? Why is there a serial port on this, and not like parallel or y'know whatever?! That's fine. Thing is cheap.

The Final Thoughts

Cheaply made, that is. Hrm... I'ma get this thing working, and it's going to be great; Hot Wheels are gonna lead the way... and this room is a complete and total mess right now, but... that's 'cause I'm working on things... I'll clean it up in time for the next video, but yes. Anyway, thanks for watching!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enGood news, everyone!I have got the Hot Wheels computer in my possession.A viewer of mine got in touch and said he had one...and um... that it doesn't work.So, you know, we worked out a deal, and here it is, in all its glory!The monitor is in the other room. I'll show you that in a second.But, yeah, it's got the steering wheel and pedals,the keyboard with the flames, and all that crap...and uh, we got a mouse with the Hot Wheels logo worn off. It's been used quite a bit, I guess.Manual.Which is sweet.And this, which doesn't have the software in it, but yeah, I mean... the mousepad, it's all here.The speakers, and of course the Hot Wheels computer itself, which as you might be able to tell...um, it's a little lacking at the moment.There's nothing inside of it!But man, doesn't it look cool?It's gonna be such a fast computer once I get it working.Hmm...But why isn't it working?Well, let's take a look, really quick...because, uh... it's in progress.Ah, excuse the mess, um... but here it is,this is the innards of the Hot Wheels computer,and this thing is a complete disaster!I mean, it was before I started taking it apart,but, I mean, this thing really is just... overall, a joke.But the monitor's here, the monitor is, uh...Y'know, it's working well... despite some damage, uh... right down here, and actually, the...VGA port itself is... let's see if I can get it...It's- it's rusted, on the connector, I mean terribly...So I'm probably gonna have to replace that, but it does actually work, even with the rust,because the pins are fine.But, yeah, this thing had a bad power supply, and, um... yeah.Screw that piece of junk.So, basically, what we had to do is last night... ughhh.Sorry for the shaky cam footage here, but too lazy to do anything else.Ah, I just took everything apart and...Seriously, look, my hand is, like... it's bigger than the inside of that whole computer.It is such a tiny case. It uses a Flex ATX motherboard, which...Bizarrely, this back pane of the, uh, computer opens up,and it's attached to this panel, and, uh...Let me get that to focus there...Everything is just crammed in there. In fact, even the CMOS battery is behind theRAM, so you have to take the RAM out to replace the battery, and then the RAM doesn'teven fit back in there because the CPU cooler is in the way, so you have to move that, too!it is... everything is so cramped.Um... there are no expansion ports whatsoever, it's just... ridiculous.So, here's the deal.I just stuck a random ATX power supply in here to, uh... see if it worked at all...and here's what you get.Oh, yes, I do have to turn this thing onwith a screw right now because there's no power button.Hmm...So, uh, we got the hard drive in here, 10 gigs, floppy disk drive, replacement CD drive...I'm going to try to get the original put back in there.But... the computer *does* work.BROUUUUUNK.I love that old CRT sound, except it'salso scary.Alright, Windows 98 there...Oh, yeah, it shut down weirdly last time...Because... ah... I can't get the mouse working.Eh.But that's okay, who needs a mouse?The keyboard works, though, or at least *a* keyboard works.There's no PS/2 connectors on this thing whatsoever.I was trying to show you earlier, but here you go.Um... you get a serial and USB just right there...and then the rest is just these few things.So, uh... there we go.You got your audio, a modem, VGA, and a couple USB. That's it!Other than serial over there for...it's weird, right?Why is there a serial port on this, and not, like, parallel or, y'know, whatever?!That's... that's fine.Thing is cheap.Cheaply made, that is.Hrm. I guess that's whoever had this last?But, uh, at this point...Yeah, totally doesn't work. Uh, the keyboard doesn't do anything.PS/2, uh... there's no PS/2 anything, so I can't try other types of keyboards.The USB things just don't work.Soooo... it still needs a little more...But, that's okay.I'ma get this thing working, and it's going to be great,and Hot Wheels are going to lead the way...and this room is a complete and total mess right now, but...that's 'cause I'm working on things...I'll clean it up in time for the next video, but yes...Anyway, thanks for watching!\n"