8-BIT RETRO COMPUTING

Atari Targets Retro Community

2011-08-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note that there was a post on Slashdot recently about Atari issuing a Cease and Desist order against atari2600.org.

Here is the original post from Slashdot:

http://games.slashdot.org/story/11/08/22/1959255/Atari-Targets-Retro-Community-With-Cease-amp-Desist

And here is the AtariUser article that the Slashdot article referenced:

http://atariuser.blogspot.com/2011/08/atari-continues-efforts-to-alienate-and.html

Please take a moment to read both articles, and feel free to comment here if you wish. This is just ridiculous! Retro-computing fans are the ones that have helped keep the Atari brand alive.

Recollectionware: The AMIGO computer (not to be confused with the AMIGA computer)

2011-03-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

OK, I need some help from the readers of this blog. About the time I was getting out of college (1982) I remember reading an article in one of the computer magazines about a new computer coming out called the AMIGO (not to be confused with the AMIGA computer).

It was supposed to be a modular systems with a backplane that would allow users to run software from various other computer systems by the use of plug in cards which had different processors on them.

For example if you wanted to run TRS-80 software on your AMIGO you would plug in a Z-80 card that not only had the Z-80 processor but also sockets for TRS-80 ROM. There was also supposed to be a 6502 card for the Apple II.

I vaguely remember visiting a local store that was supposed to have one, but I cannot remember if there was one at the store of if it was "on order" (read vaporware).

Does anyone know if the AMIGO computer was ever built, or if it was just vaporware. If it was built, does anyone have one in there collection and would they be willing to provide a photo I can post on the blog?

Drop me a line or leave me a comment if you have any information about this 80's era computer.

Cheers,

Jim Cox
PS: If you are asking what the Hell is "Recollectionware", well it's that memory of some technology from the past that sticks in the back of your mind and not only drives you nuts, but drives your friends and coworkers nuts because you are constantly asking them about it, and their memory is worse than yours.

Updates, Atari music, videos, and more.

2011-01-17T16:34:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I know it's been a while, I profusely apologize for not posting sooner.

I just added a couple new links (Retro Isle, and Retrocomputers) and I am finally catching up with the email.

One interesting email I received included a link to a site of music made entirely on Atari XL/XE computers and recorded on an Atari800XL. If 8-Bit music is your thing then check out YERZMYEY - "XL DIGITAL" (July 2010). I haven't downloaded anything from the site, and the email address of the person who sent me the link is no longer valid, so download at your own risk and if you do be sure to let me know what you think.

If you are in to classic retro computing video's then out QLvsJaguar's YouTube Channel for some really great videos.

I can always use more news so be sure to keep the emails and links coming, and yes, I promise to post them more promptly.

Cheers,

Jim Cox

1st annual Vintage Computer Festival Southwest

2010-07-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

The notice below was recently posted to the Yahoo ColorComputer Group, and I thought I would repost it here for the benefit of others:

"The 1st annual Vintage Computer Festival Southwest will be held August 7th and 8th, in the Rio Grande Ballroom, in the E.H. Hereford University Center, University of Texas, Arlington. The event is sponsored by the Museum of Information Technology at Arlington, the UTA College of Engineering, the UTA Office of Information Technology and Vintage Tech. The VCF is an international event that celebrates the history of computing. There have been VCFs at several locations since 1997."

Below are the pertinent URLs:

The Museum of Information Technology at Arlington: http://mit-a.com/
Vintage Computer Festival: http://www.vintage.org/

Drop me a line if you have any other vintage computing news or announcements that you would like posted to this blog, and feel free to join the 8-Bit Retro Computing Group on Linkedin.com

Video: IBM 5100 First Portable Computer commercial 1977

2010-05-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since I posted to this blog, so I thought that this classic commercial from MrClassicAds would be a great way for me to get the ball rolling again:

I love the line "It weighs about 50 pounds". Now that's a portable, or at least that was the standard back when I graduated from high school.

Feel free to comment and if you have any suggestions for links drop me a line, and if you are on Linkedin.com you are welcome to join the 8-BIT RETRO COMPUTING Group.

Cheers ~ Jim

FORA.tv - Steve Wozniak: How I Invented the Personal Computer

2009-11-29T21:24:00.000-08:00

FORA.tv has an excellent video featuring Steve Wozniak.

I tried to embedded a 5 minute segment where Woz was talking specifically about the Apple I and II, but for some reason the embedded code kept going the wrong section of the video.

So instead I am just going to point you to the 5 minute section here at FORA.tv

Enjoy ~ Jim Cox

Video: FPGA Tuning C64 SID Jeri Ellsworth

2009-10-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a video for all you Commodore 64 and Jeri Ellsworth fans out there:

I need to do some digging around to see what other classic systems and chips are emulated with FPGAs.

Color Computer Manuals And Books AvailableColor Computer Manuals And Books Available

2009-05-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Update 10/18/09: All manuals have now been given away.

I have been doing a little house cleaning, and I have gone through all my Color Computer manuals and books and sorted out all the duplicates. All the manuals and books below are available for the cost of shipping (USPS or UPS, your choice).

I want to give back to the CoCo Community, so I would prefer to give these only to those I know from the CoCo list hosted by Maltedmedia, and not to speculators who will just sell the stuff on eBay.

If you are not a member of the list, but are in need of these manuals feel free to contact me via the email link in the "Welcome" section, and will can discuss your needs.

This list will be updated as items are given away, so check back often to see what is still available ~ Jim

Color Computer Manuals And Books:

Getting Started With Color Basic. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-3191 3 Copies - 1 spoke for
Going Ahead With Extended Color Basic. (No Radio Shack Catalog number listed.) Spoken for
Color Computer 3 Basic Quick Reference Guide Spoken for
TRS-80 Color Computer Operation Manual. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-3001/3002 Spoken for
Color Computer Disk System - Owners Manual & Programming Guide. (No Radio Shack Catalog number listed.) 3 Copies - 1 spoken for
Color Computer 3 Extended Basic. (No Radio Shack Catalog number listed.) Spoken for
Introducing Your Color Computer 3. (No Radio Shack Catalog number listed.) 3 Copies - 1 spoken for
Tandy Service Manual - Color Computer 3 NTSC/PAL Version with 512K Exansion RAM Card. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-3334 - Spoken for
TRS-80 Color Computer Technical Reference Manual Spoken for
Direct Connect Modem Pak Operation Manual 26-2228 Spoken for
Deluxe RS-232 Program Pak Operation Manual. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-2226 4 copies - 1 spoken for
DMP-100 Printer Manual. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-1253
TRS-80 Color Computer Assembly Language Programming - William Barden Jr. Radio Shack Catalog Number 62-2077 - Spoken for
Instructions for Presto Painter for the CoCo

OS-9 Specific Manuals And Books:

The Complete Rainbow Guide To OS-9 ISBN: 0-932471-00-5 2 Copies - 1 spoken for
The Official Basic 09 Tour Guide ISBN: 0-918035-00-7 Spoken for

The following is a collection of Radio Shack OS-9 Manuals that have been hole punched and placed in a three ring binder, and will only be offered as a complete set:

Getting Started With OS-9
OS-9 Commands
OS-9 Program Development
OS-9 Technical Information
This set has been spoken for.

Miscellaneous Manuals and Books:

6809 Microcomputer Programming & Interfacing With Experiments ISBN: 0-672-21798-8 Tentatively spoken for.
Circuit Design Programs For The TRS-80 ISBN: 0-672-21741-4
Color Computer Graphics - William Barden Jr. Radio Shack Catalog Number 62-2076
How To Use Your Radio Shack Printer - William Barden Jr. Radio Shack Catalog Number 26-1242
Motorola MC6809-MC6809E Microprocessor Programming Manual Motorola Catalog Number: M6809PM(AD)
Technical Manual for the Star Mitronics Gemini-10X Dot Matrix Printer
C. Itoh Dot Matrix Printer Model 8510A Users Manual

WIRED: Homebrewed CPU Is a Beautiful Mess of Wires

2009-05-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

If you ever wondered what it would be like to spin you own 8-Bit CPU then check out "Homebrewed CPU Is a Beautiful Mess of Wires" from WIRED.com.

The article details how Steve Chamberlin of Belmont California designed, and wire wrapped his own 8-Bit CPU called the "Big Mess of Wires" or BMOW. The design is similar to the 6502 and the completed project will be on display at the fourth annual Maker Faire this weekend (May 30 - 31, 2009)

Take a look at Steves site for more details: http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/about/

Vintage commercial: Sinclair ZX Spectrum +

2009-05-21T23:40:00.000-07:00

Here's something for all you Zed fans out there:

Have a great weekend ~ Jim

About that "History of the Internet" video, and something for the Apple II crowd

2009-04-29T23:49:00.000-07:00

I have received a couple of emails about how the video in the previous post "Video: History of the Internet" is a little on the inaccurate side, so I would like to invite those of you who are a little more up on their about the history of the internet than I am to comment at that post, and state what you believe the inaccuracies are. (That's a subtle way of encouraging comments to this blog huh? :)

I'll try and do some more research on my own and follow up with another post at a future date, or if someone else want's to submit a more historically accurate article for this blog, I will be happy to post it for them.

Remember that this blog is for members of both the 8-Bit Retro Computing and Vintage Computing & Computers groups on Linkedin.com, so if you are a member of either of those groups you can submit articles for this blog. I am also open to allowing non-members to submit articles and news, so drop me a line if you have something you would like to add to this blog.

Now I haven't done much in the way of adding links or news for the Apple II fans out there, but I do plan to do so in the near future. In the mean time here's a picture I snagged from this site at Flickr that should bring back some memories for you Apple geeks.

Please feel free to comment, and drop me a line if you have any suggestions, concerns, or corrections for anything posted in this blog. And as always, please let me know of any links I should add to the links list in the sidebar. Cheers ~ Jim Cox

Recording audio to a floppy disk

2009-04-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

I came across this article at CrunchGear on how to record analog audio on to a floppy disk. It's a pretty good hack, so check out the article: Video: Recording analog audio to a floppy disk

Below is the video that was featured in the article. It was produced by The Fat Man and Circuit Girl which looks like a great site to find some interesting hacks, some using surplus equipment.

The Fat Man and Circuit Girl are George Sanger and Jeri Ellsworth respectively. Jeri is best known for her work on the Commodore 30-in-1 Direct to TV, and she has a YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/jeriellsworth. I especially like the video: CDROM Tray Cup Warmer / Cooler with Over Clocked 8bit CPU's and Peltier Cooler

Now I know a many of you have lots of surplus stuff lying around, so The Fat Man and Circuit Girl should give you plenty of inspiration to hack away at some of it. Cheers ~ Jim

Video: History of the Internet

2009-04-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

A friend pointed me to a video on YouTube titled "History of the Internet", and while it is not directly related to 8-Bit retro computing it is still pretty cool, so I thought I would share it with you. Cheers ~ Jim

Cool CoCo videos!

2009-03-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

Allen Huffman put together this great video of the 18th "Last" CoCoFest that took place last weekend. I have never been to a CoCoFest, so for me this is a great treat because I finally get to see some of the people who I have only known via email or chat.

So check out Al's great "CoCoFest 2009 Teaser" video, and be sure to read his "2009 CoCoFest Report"!

Allen also let me know (and the entire CoCo News Group) about this video montage from shubibinman titled "Tandy CoCo Tribute" If you are an CoCoNut or an 8-Bit Retro gamer then you should get a blast out of this!

OS News: 8-Bit Game Creator Now Available for Order

2009-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

I just caught this posting over at OS News, thought many of you would be interested in it: 8-Bit Game Creator Now Available for Order.

The system is from Playpower.org, is available from MakerShed for $49.99, and comes with:

6502 processor,
Keyboard, and mouse,
2 game controllers,
Operating system cartridge -
RCA cables (NTSC video and stereo audio)
9 volt power supply
You can also get an adapter for your NES cartridges

At a glance I couldn't see anything about how much memory comes with the system. I did notice that the OS cartridge comes with a GUI in Mandarin Chinese, but fortunately has an DOS prompt in English. Maybe someone will come up with an Englsih version of the GUI in the near future, but then again for me working with a command line is a blast!

It looks like a great little system, and if I were current working and not worried about saving my pennies I would consider getting one.

Take a look at the Playpower.org site. I like the organization's philosophy of getting low cost systems into the hands of kids that provide them enough resources to encourage them to explore computing.

Feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment if you know more about this system ~ Jim

Amazing video of a large vintage computer collection

2009-03-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

Update 05/18/09: Steve just left a comment stating that the Color Computer 1 is not actually black, but it just looks that way due to the lighting ~ Jim

Original Post:

This is just an incredible video of a very large collection of vintage computers and gaming systems. For all you Radio Shack Color Computer collectors take a look at the black Color Computer 1.

Here is the URL for Steve Benway's site: http://www.benwaysworld.co.uk/

If you have any news or links to add for this blog just drop me a line. Thanks! ~ Jim

Basic Stamp Super Computer!

2009-01-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

I came across a video on YouTube title "My Basic Stamp Super Computer" and while it's not exactly 8-Bit, it still is cool:

Now this has got me inspired to play with my Basic Stamp kit ~ Jim

New CoCo links, and some cool CoCo videos

2009-01-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine suggested some CoCo links for me to add to the CoCo Links ( Tandy Color Computer ) list, so I have gone ahead and added them. Check them out when you have the time.

My friend also sent me some cool looking CoCo vidoes; two are Radio Shack Commercials, and the other is a video of the Boink Bouncing Ball demo. Here they are:

Radio Shack Tandy CoCo 3 Commercial: Merry Christmas HQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3dtQ01MFlg
80's Radio Shack Color Computer Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2jRuh1bAxw
Boink Bouncing Ball demo on CoCo 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eonlhPhv01s

I rcouldn't find much in the way of retro computing news except the Slashdot article below:

Slashdot: Apple IIe Emulator Released For the Wii

This blog could use a lot more links, especially for the Apple II, Commodore, and Atari links lists. Feel free to leave a comment with your link suggestions or any leads for articles. You can also send me an email by clicking the "here" link in the "Welcome" section on the left-hand side.

PS: I just found this great CoCo posting! Check it out: The Color Computer (a.k.a. CoCo).

8-BRC: Articles of interest 12/28/08

2008-12-28T22:31:00.000-08:00

I came across a few articles of interest to vintage computer enthusiasts who read this blog. Below you will find links to each article along with a brief note from me. I am still looking for content suggestions, for this blog so drop me a line here if you have any suggestions, or leave a comment.

micsaund.com: Retro 8 bit BASIC computer is a blast from the past
This is a pretty good article about the Retro Computer System from Multilabs. For $100.00 the system looks like a great deal. It can handle a standard VGA monitor, PS2 keyboard, Atari style joystick, and comes with a built-in BASIC interpreter and OS plus an expansion port. If your looking for a low cost and versatile system to relive the past with then give the Retro Computer System a look.

I plan to get one as soon as I get back to work, and I'd like to know what others think of it. If you happen to have one of these systems then leave a comment or shoot me an email, and check out these other articles on micsaund.com:

Slashdot.org: The Return of (Old) PC Graphic Adventures
This article is about the ScummVM virtual machine which according to the article "acts like an interface between the feelings and the puzzles from the good old times and the modern operating systems". I have never heard of ScummVM before, so if you are using it then here's your chance to leave a comment here on the blog. (At least this wans't another Cobol article from Shashdot :-)

techdirt.com: Old Electronics Kit Manuals Forced Offline Thanks To Copyright
Well it looks like the Grinch decided to be mean to all the Heathkit enthusiasts in Whoville this year. Heathkit sold the copyright for it's for legacy products manuals, and the new owner is requiring that those manuals taken down from web sites and only be available for purchase from them. Well I am glad I kept the manuals for all the stuff I have.

Well that's it for now. Hope everyone has a great New Year! ~ Jim Cox

Retro computer gift suggestions.

2008-12-09T22:48:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to post a list of gifts for retro computer enthusiasts to drool over.

Right now I can only find a few items to list, but I will add to the list as I find more stuff, or as group members post suggestions in the forum. Non group members are encouraged post comments to this blog, and I will add their suggestions too.

So check out the list below and feel free to post a comment if you want:

Classic Computer Calendar. Unfortunately the only one I could find online is this 2006 Classic Computer Calendar.
Commodore 64 (C64) Retro Computer T-Shirt
Book - Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer (Paperback)
Atari Flashback Game System
Atari Flashback 2.0
Jakks Atari Classics 10 In 1 TV Games
HYDRA Game Development Kit: Not a true retro system, but it's close enough.

If you are in the UK, you might be interested in the retro computer merchandise that flickbits.com has to offer.

Yet even more news about Cobol

2008-11-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

A while back Slashdot posted another article about Cobol - "Cobol Job Market Heating Up"

Seriously is Cobol really that prevalent that there could be a serious need for Cobol programmers?

If that's the case then here are a few Cobol related links to help those new to Cobol get going with the newest old craze :)

4004 calculator replica

2008-11-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

Slashdot recently posted an article titled "A Replica of the First 4004 Calculator" about vintage computer enthusiast Bill Kotaska building a replica of the Busicom 141-PF.

Give the article a read and also take a look at both Bill's site and the 4004 page.

I wish I had time for a project like this :)

Shots of my CoCo 3 system

2008-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of my "CoCo" (Radio Shack Color Computer Model 3) that I finally got set up again for the n-teenth time. It's been a while since I have really used the CoCo, but now that I have a dedicated spot for it, I am going to dive in and have fun with it.

Here's a shot of the complete system. Note the rats nest of cables from some other systems.

This isn't the intended use for a monitor stand, but I didn't feel safe given the weight of the monitor so I decided to use it to get the disk drives, speakers, and VGA Converter Box out of the way.

And if you are a CoCo enthusiast you may appreciate the "CoCo Cat" in the picture! :-)

Feel free to leave a comment! Cheers ~ Jim

BBC old computer quiz.

2008-10-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

I happened to catch this while scanning Digg, and thought I would share it with you.

Click on the link below to access the BBC Midweek Quiz on Old Computers. Once you are done, post your score in the comments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7671677.stm

I am ashamed to admit it, but I only got 6 out of 10. It's a pity that they didn't list the Radio Shack Color Computer.

More news on Cobol!

2008-09-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to a previous posting I thought I would note that Dr Dobb's has an interesting article on Cobol:

Is Your Next Language COBOL?

There's hope for us retro-geeks still!

Looking for content!

2008-09-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

I have been really busy with a couple other projects and have not had time to do much digging for retro-computing articles. I have some links to add and I am working on an article, but that's it.

If you are a reader of this blog and you have some suggestions for content then feel free to drop me a line via the comments section, or if you are a member of this group on Linkedin.com, then grab my email address and shoot me an email with your suggestion.

I am open to the possibility of letting people who are not members of Linkedin.com post to this blog, but I need to approach that idea on a individual basis.

Hope to hear from someone soon.

Anyone interested in writing for this blog?

2008-08-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am hoping that more members of the 8-Bit Retro Computing group on Linkedin.com will be interested in contributing to this blog by posting an article now and then.

I have outlined the details in the text to the left, so all you need to go is be willing to write something.

I'm also considering opening this blog up to swap and shop listings, so if you have some old systems, parts, or books you want to list here, again drop me line.

Speaking of old books, I have three Windows 3.11 books that are heading for the recycling bin unless someone here is interested. They are yours for the cost of shipping, that's all.

Cheers! ~ Jim

Added some more links.

2008-08-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

You know, I could spend weeks adding links to this site, but since I do need to focus on my job search I can only spend a little time right now.

If you have suggestions for links, please leave a comment to this entry, and I will do my best to add them.

Could Cobol make a comeback?

2008-08-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

While not hardware related, I thought this article on Slashdot.org about the possibility of Cobol making a come backpretty interesting.

It's nice to think that some of the 90K or so Cobol programmers out there may find their skill in need.

Now wouldn't it be nice if there was a need for TRS80 Basic programming skills?

Just getting started

2008-08-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

I just set this blog up today. I am hoping that some of the group members are interested in posting here. ~ Jim