Author Topic: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers?  (Read 2474 times)
Cole D.
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Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « on: August 18, 2024, 12:12:47 PM » Author: Cole D.
I think they’re interesting, but rare to see here.

I have an Atari 400 that I bought at a thrift store a long time ago.

I remember seeing a Radio Shack computer once at a thrift store when I was a kid, and once seeing an Apple II at a yard sale.

But yeah, it seems like those computers are rare to be seen in my area.

That Atari I have works but I only have one cartridge for it and the keyboard doesn’t seem to work on certain keys. So I’ve never messed much with it.

I’ve been thinking about getting one of those mini Commodore 64 computer toys but I don’t think I would use it.
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #1 on: August 18, 2024, 01:40:10 PM » Author: icefoglights
My parents' first home computer was an Atari 400, but I was too young to remember it.  I grew up using an Apple IIc, and later they bought a IIGS.  The school I went to had a lab full of assorted Apple II computers.  Mostly II+ and IIe systems, and there were a few IIc systems and even some Bell & Howell "black apples".
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #2 on: August 19, 2024, 07:38:33 AM » Author: rjluna2
I still have the original IBM PC that my late father bought it new back in 1983.  I bought him 8087 math coprocessor for this machine later on.  I also have IBM PC XT that I found in my community college in the late 1980s.  This model had two (x2) half height 360 KB FDD with 640 KB of RAM on the system board.  I have installed 10 MB HDD and external 3.5" FDD on that machine.  I also have a few of IBM PS/2 machine among in my collection as well :)
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #3 on: August 20, 2024, 02:29:04 PM » Author: RRK
My parents' first home computer was an Atari 400, but I was too young to remember it.  I grew up using an Apple IIc, and later they bought a IIGS.  The school I went to had a lab full of assorted Apple II computers.  Mostly II+ and IIe systems, and there were a few IIc systems and even some Bell & Howell "black apples".

Yep, love IIgs, remember how I was impressed when I have first seen it a computer club back in the end of 1980's - start of 1990's, brought by some Americans. Though today I understand that Apple management deliberately crippled it with a slow CPU to avoid it competing with Macintoshes. Also had Laser 128, ever popular //e - IIc clone. Put a major effort of restoring a computer partially burned by a failed power supply back to full life (all custom chips survived, but there was burned RAM, some small logic, keyboard controller, and so).

A cool thing about Apple II was that you could always break into ROM monitor program and touch the hardware directly - a feature that all subsequent computer lacked, both PCs and MACs.

And //e 's interleaved-memory 80-column ans super-HGR hardware was definitely some fun! 
« Last Edit: August 20, 2024, 02:46:22 PM by RRK » Logged
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #4 on: August 20, 2024, 11:35:02 PM » Author: xmaslightguy
first computer my parents got was an Apple II+ . That got quite a bit of use back in the day. I kinda wish they never would have gotten rid of it.

my first computer was an IBM XT, still hsve it but unfortunately there's something wrong with it & it will no longer boot up (gives some sorta memory error)
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rjluna2
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #5 on: August 21, 2024, 07:38:38 AM » Author: rjluna2
@xmaslightguy: For the IBM PC XT that gives memory error.  Ouch :(

I bought a used IBM PS/2 Model 70-A61 and was able to tinker with maximum memory installed (it had 160 MB hard drive), threw in 10Base2 MCA card and XGA-2 video card.  I even put Windows 95, but surely was very slow.  At the end, I reverted back to DOS/Workgroup for Windows 3.11 for my mother to use.  Eventually, it failed to boot due to the FDD controller on the system board failed.  I stripped everything to save what I can and ending up posting this processor daughtercard:
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #6 on: August 21, 2024, 11:07:51 PM » Author: xmaslightguy
@rjluna2:
Yep, I was saddened to see when it did that. I'd planned to take the cover off & have a look inside Just to see if there was anything obvious. But never did so it just sits on a shelf..

Amazing that Win 95 would even work on an oldie like that! Neat 'test'. Nice that you put it to use afterwords. Sad that it eventually failed, but atleast you saved the parts :)
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #7 on: August 22, 2024, 08:03:53 PM » Author: Lcubed3
I enjoy them. I have a PC clone from the 80s, and a PCjr (complete set). The PC has a video card issue. It has two cards - a CGA one and an MDA one. The CGA one has some sort of issue, and the MDA one works fine to my knowledge. However, I don't have an MDA display, so I can't really test it.

The PCjr works perfectly fine, it is just extremely limited in the RAM department since I don't have an extender
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rjluna2
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Re: Does anybody like vintage (70s-80s) computers? « Reply #8 on: August 23, 2024, 07:38:00 AM » Author: rjluna2
Oh wow, you got the PCjr on your hand :)

I remember the PCjr I had.  I did try to access to the local library via 300 baud modem on that machine :poof:
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