Classic Computing

[Bing Fung]

What do you think, can Computers make some classic comeback in collector appeal like vintage cars?


Here are some beauties that should make you salivate...



NAME CHALLENGER III
MANUFACTURER OHIO Scientific
TYPE Professional Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1978
CPU 6502 + 6800 + Z80/8080
SPEED 1 Mhz / 2 Mhz
RAM 32 KB (up to 1 MB !)
ROM Unknown
I/O PORTS Expansion slots
BUILT IN MEDIA One or two 8'' disk-drives
OS OS-65U, OS-65D, CP/M
POWER SUPPLY Internal P.S.U.
PERIPHERALS RS-232 card, Centronics card, etc.
PRICE $3481 with a dual F.D. drive unit

This computer is an enhanced version of the Challenger IIp. The motherboard was equiped with 3 microprocessors: 6800, 6502A and Z80. An optional 74 MB harddisk was available ($6000 !).

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NAME MZ 80K
MANUFACTURER Sharp
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGINE Japan
YEAR 1978
BUILT IN LANGUAGE Basic available on tape
KEYBOARD Strange transparent square keys. 78 keys. Numeric keypad
CPU Sharp LH-0080 (Zilog Z80 A compatible)
SPEED 2 MHz
RAM 20 KB (up to 48 KB)
MZ-80K2 & K2e: 32 KB
ROM 4 KB
TEXT MODES 40 x 25 (8 x 8 character matrix)
GRAPHIC MODES 80 x 50
COLORS built-in 10'' black & white monochrome monitor
SOUND one channel
SIZE / WEIGHT 410 (W) x 470 (D) x 270 (H) mm / 13 kg
I/O PORTS Expansion bus
BUILT IN MEDIA Tape recorder
POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU
PERIPHERALS RAM expansions, printer, color display
PRICE MZ-80K: 198,000 yen (1978, japan)
MZ-80K2: 198,000 yen (1980, japan)
MZ-80K2e: 148,000 yen (1981, japan)


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NAME ABC 80
MANUFACTURER Luxor
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGINE Sweden
YEAR 1978
BUILT IN LANGUAGE Luxor Basic
CPU Z 80
SPEED 1 MHz
RAM 16 KB (up to to 32 KB)
ROM 16 KB
TEXT MODES 40 x 24
GRAPHIC MODES 78 x 75
COLORS Monochrom
SOUND 1 channel
I/O PORTS V24 / RS232 -
BUILT IN MEDIA Optional 2 x 5.25'' disk-drives


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NAME 400
MANUFACTURER Atari
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1979
END OF PRODUCTION 1982
KEYBOARD QWERTY membrane keyboard, 61 keys
4 function keys (Reset, Option, Select, Start)
CPU 6502
SPEED 1.79 Mhz
COPROCESSOR ANTIC (Scrolling, Sprites, Video), CTIA / GTIA (Color, Sprites, Collisions), POKEY (timers, sound, keyboard, serial I/O), PIA 6810 (I/O, including the 4 joystick ports)
RAM 8 kb or 16 kb (newer models)
ROM 10 kb
TEXT MODES 40 x 25
GRAPHIC MODES several graphic modes, maximum : 320 x 192
COLORS 16 (each color can have 8 luminances) = 128 colors maximum in the lowest graphic mode (requiring display list interruption to have them simultaneously)
and up to 256 colors in some specific modes for machines having the GTIA chip instead of the CTIA
SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves
I/O PORTS RGB video output
1 cardridge slot
Expansion bus
Atari Serial I/O (SIO)
4 joystick sockets
Tape recorder
OS 400/800 OS in ROM

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NAME Hantu
MANUFACTURER NBI
TYPE Professional Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1975
KEYBOARD Full-stroke professional keyboard with two keypads (numeric and editing ?)
CPU Intel 8008
RAM up to 16k
SIZE / WEIGHT Indecent...
BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 8'' floppies, (250k each)
POWER SUPPLY PSU built-in

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NAME 8080
MANUFACTURER IMSAI
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1975
KEYBOARD None, front panel switches are used to program the system
CPU Intel 8080A (rarely 8080)
SPEED 2 MHz (each instruction takes 4 clock cycles)
RAM 256 bytes
ROM Unknown
TEXT MODES None (optional 64 x 12 card)
GRAPHIC MODES None
COLORS None
SOUND No I don't think so
SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown
I/O PORTS I/O port
OS Unknown
POWER SUPPLY Unknown
PRICE Unknown

This is the computer used in the movie Wargames!

A friend of mine said the U of S sold this same PC for $50, then the buyer then turned around and sold it on Ebay for $1000 just because it was in the movie..
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NAME 820
MANUFACTURER Xerox
TYPE Professional Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1982
END OF PRODUCTION 1985
BUILT IN LANGUAGE Basic 80 delivered on disk
KEYBOARD AZERTY/QWERTY, full-stroke keyboard with separated keyboard
CPU Zilog Z80 A
SPEED 2,5 Mhz
RAM 64 kb
ROM from 4 kb to 8 kb
TEXT MODES 80 x 24
GRAPHIC MODES Unknown
COLORS Black and white 12'' monitor
SOUND Unknown
SIZE / WEIGHT Main unit/monitor : 32,8 x 38,1 x 34,3 cm / 13,6 kg
I/O PORTS Serial 9600 bauds, Internal Expansion Slot, External Floppy Connector
BUILT IN MEDIA One or two 5.25'' disk-drives (80 KB formatted each)
One or two 8'' disk-drives (160KB each)
OS CP/ M 2.2
POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU
PERIPHERALS Printers, additional disks
PRICE With double 8'' disks = 3900 (France, 82)

8" Floppies??
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NAME PC XT - Model 5160
MANUFACTURER IBM
TYPE Professional Computer
ORIGINE U.S.A.
YEAR 1983
KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
84 or 101 keys
CPU Intel 8088
SPEED 4.77 MHz
RAM From 64k to 640k, depending on models
ROM 64 kb
TEXT MODES 80 x 24 / 40 x 24
GRAPHIC MODES CGA modes : 320 x 200 / 640 x 200
COLORS 16
SOUND Tone Generator
I/O PORTS eight internal slots (five 8 bit ISA), RS232c, Centronics
BUILT IN MEDIA One 5.25'' FDD, 360k (3.5'' on later models)
10Mb or 20Mb hard-disk
OS MS DOS




Bing

[Andrew Pratt]

Bing I think you have to look older then that

In 1946, The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), under the direction of J.P. Eckert and John Mauchly of the University of Pennsylvania, was unvailed as the first digital computer. This new creation was a computer that could compute a thousound times faster than any previous machine. Under high stress, the computer could output 5,000 adition and subtraction, 350 multiplication, and 50 division problems per second. Unfortunately, te ENIAC doubled the size of the Mark I, and measuring 18 feet, by 80 feet. After leaving the University of Pennsylvania, Mauchly and Eckert formed their own company, but had a hard time selling their computer to financial institutions, because of the cost. It was $500,000, not including the $1,800 per month electrical bill.

Eniac



or a little more modern!

Univac

[SiliGoose]

The Atari 400 brings back memories. That was my first computer.

Couldn't fit a case window in it so I upgraded for an IBM PCjr.




-Sili

[Bing Fung]

Classic stuff Andrew, however I was looking more to what Personel Computers (PC's) can be bought on the open market that is plentifull :LOL:

Sili, I have had a lot of people reminising with the 8088.s and the Z80.




Bing

[Lex]

I need to shoot a pic of my Panasonic FX-600 for them. 8086-2 processor, predecessor of the 80286 CPU. A step ahead of the 8088. Believe it or not, lol. dual floppys, and had 2 CPU speeds. Tell me, with a computer slow as shit, why would you want a slow and overdrive position? :?: :LOL:

Lex

[Bing Fung]

You wanted more drives because it sounded more awesome :LOL:

Post a picture of it, like a classic car Lex




Bing

[Jon]

My first computer was a Commodore VIC 20 and I still have it, in working order too... I fire it up every once in awhile to play a few rounds of Gorf

[Bing Fung]

That's exactly what I'm talking about Jon. See how you fire it up the Vic 20 from time to time to play Gorf, is like pulling a 70's car out of the garage from time to time to go get ice cream :P

Now if only I can get an IMSAI so I can play with the front buttons to program it




Bing

[JonMarsh]

I'm just a newbie to computers...

My earliest computer was a TI Professional, in 1983. Though it came with 5" floppy drives, ThomasW and I actually upgraded ours to 3-1/2" flopyy disks- including quad density ones, which was a big deal in that time.

Tom had one that looked like this- the portable:




-Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

[Trevor Schell]

I love that Atari computer.
I remember wanting that one.

We still have the Commodore 64 with a color monitor and harddrive in working order. This one brings back great memories of the text based adventure games Zork and Enchanter that I used to play.

I still have the Atari 2600..Oh the memories these machines bring back!

Nice collection Bing!,
Well Done.




Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

[Bing Fung]

Oh, all of you with your vintage machines that you pull out on Sunday to wax and play a quick DOS game, I'm so envious... 8O




Bing

[Jon]

Myabe I should take a picture of my freshly waxed Vic-20 with the tape drive attached and all Man the loading times were pathetic with that thing!

[Bing Fung]

Hey Jon, I think we need a picture of you Quaking on the Vic 20...hehe that would kill you to run at 0.0002 frames per/sec, if you could even get it to run :LOL:




Bing

[Jon]

See I think the main issue with that would be the 3k of usable memory, Quake 3 would need some serious optimizing! I'll be in Regina this weekend and will pick it up the ole Vic, Maybe hook it to my Living room TV I don't know how good 20 column resolution would look on 32" of screen.... heh heh.

Any one here play Quake 3? My squad needs a few good Canadian players

[Bing Fung]

Well you know me and 1st person shooters Jon, I'd hurl 8O ops:

I'am getting better though...




Bing