Retro Computers – vswitchzero
I’m always keeping an eye out for old parts on eBay. One of my saved searches, of course, is for the string “3dfx”. I’ve always had a soft spot for the original king of 3D gaming, but just about everything made by 3dfx is collectable and commands a hefty price premium these days. I usually try to steer clear of things marked “untested” or “for repair” but sometimes a deal is just too good to pass up.
When I came across this as-is, untested 3dfx Voodoo 2 for a great price, I decided to take a chance on it. It did show some obvious signs damage in the eBay listing pictures, including some visible scratches and a bent PCI bracket. I could also see some of the chip legs were bent, which can sometimes be tricky to get straightened out. I knew it would probably not work without a repair or two, but maybe I’d get lucky?
Continue reading “3dfx Voodoo 2 Repair Attempt”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro Computers10 Comments on 3dfx Voodoo 2 Repair Attempt
Better protection and storage for old Socket 7 and Socket 370 CPUs.
As you may know, I’ve been amassing a bit of a collection of retro hardware from the early to late nineties. This includes a number of CPUs from that era – especially those of the socket 7 variety. Storing these has been a bit of a challenge. I’ve never been satisfied with the protection a static bag alone provides for the delicate pins, and I don’t want to wrap up each CPU in bubble wrap either.
About ten years ago, I used to write PC hardware reviews and would quite often get processors from AMD in these neat little trays. Sometimes they held a single CPU, and sometimes as many as eight. They weren’t anything fancy but were perfectly sized for the chips and made of rigid plastic to protect the pins. You can still find these trays on eBay for more modern socket types, but they are much harder to come by for old processors.
There are many varying socket 7 and socket 370 CPU designs out there.
Having acquired a 3D printer earlier this year, I thought this would be the perfect project to learn how to create 3D models from scratch.
Up until now, I’ve mainly just printed community provided models and haven’t really done anything from scratch aside from some very basic shapes.
Getting the Measurements
I had already printed a couple of single CPU protectors from Thingiverse, but they were either not a good fit, used too much filament or took too long to print. I also wanted something that I could put a lid on and create trays that hold more than one CPU. These existing models gave me some ideas, but ultimately, I’d need to take some precise measurements of my CPUs and start from the ground up.
A digital measurement caliper. A must-have for anyone with a 3D printer.
To begin, I used a ‘digital caliper’ tool that I purchased on Amazon for about $15. I can’t say enough how helpful this tool is to get precise measurements – it makes designing your objects so much easier.
To make sure the tray would work with a wide variety of socket 7 and socket 370 processors, I took a sample of each type I had in my collection:
- Intel Pentium P54C (133MHz, ceramic top)
- Intel Celeron Mendocino (400MHz, metal heatspreader).
Same design and dimensions as later Pentium MMX CPUs. - Intel Pentium 3 (1000MHz Coppermine, no heatspreader)
- Intel Pentium 3 (1400MHz, Tulatin, different heatspreader design)
- Cyrix 6x86L (133MHz, gold-top, short heatspreader)
- AMD K6-2 (500MHz, full heatspreader)
- AMD K5 (100MHz, similar to Cyrix heatspreader).
Measuring all of these processors got me to the following conclusions:
- The dimensions varied very slightly, but all were about 49.5mmx49.5mm +/- 0.1mm.
- Pin height is 3mm on all CPUs
- Most CPUs had a notch out of the corner, but some didn’t – like Coppermine P3s.
- CPU thickness (not including pin height) varied from processor to processor due to the heatspreader designs. The thinnest was the P3 coppermine at only 2mm where the exposed core is located. The thickest was the Tulatin at 3.4mm.
Continue reading “3D Printing CPU Trays”
Author MikePosted on Categories 3D Printing, Retro ComputersTags 3D Printing, retro hardwareLeave a comment on 3D Printing CPU Trays
Being a retro PC enthusiast, my eyes are always open for deals on old hardware.
A couple of weeks ago I came across an eBay listing for an as-is “Motherboard with ISA slots”. Looking closely at the posted images, I could see that the board was late-80s to early-90s vintage with sockets for individual memory ICs rather than the usual 30-pin SIMMs. Straining my eyes, I could faintly make out the markings on a Siemens brand 12MHz 286 processor. Having never owned a 286, I thought this may make a fun new project.
It was listed as-is because the seller didn’t have the hardware to test it. This is always a risky proposition, but when dealing with AT based systems, chances are that most people genuinely won’t have what’s needed. This is especially true if the seller doesn’t specialize in vintage hardware – which seemed to be the case here.
Continue reading “The 286 Revival”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags 286, retro hardware2 Comments on The 286 Revival
About a year ago, I bought a dusty old Panasonic WU-475 1.
2MB 5.25” floppy drive from someone on Kijiji. It was being sold as-is, but for the price I decided to give it a go. To my surprise, it seemed to work initially, but within a few minutes it began to emit a horrid clanging and grinding noise. After opening the drive up, it was clear that the stepper motor had completely ceased up.
After applying some lubricant to the rail and cleaning the drive out, the motor was again functional. Thinking it would be good to go, I installed it and tested it out again. Excitement quickly turned to disappointment, however, when I discovered that the drive could no longer read any of my 5.25” floppies. After troubleshooting for a while, I discovered that if I formatted a disk using the drive, it could be read/written just fine. It was only diskettes from other sources that wouldn’t work. This behavior seemed to indicate that the drive somehow went out of alignment during my disassembly and cleaning.
I didn’t know much about floppy alignment aside from the fact that some specialized equipment that I didn’t have would be needed to correct the problem.
Generally an oscilloscope is used to take readings during sector reads and then fine adjustments are made until the waveform looks correct. This was the suggested method I discovered in the Panasonic service guide for the WU-475.
Discouraged, I had shelved the drive and let it sit for the better part of a year. Fast forward to May 5th – the 26th anniversary of the classic PC game Wolfenstein 3D. It was time to do something retro. I really wanted to get this drive working again, so I did some more research on the subject. That’s when I came across an old thread at the Vintage Computer Forum. A commenter named Rick discussed a great piece of software called ImageDisk by Dave Dunfield. Because I had some brand new 1.2MB IBM formatted diskettes that had never been used or formatted by another drive, I could use these as a reference point and make the necessary adjustments. At any rate, it was certainly worth a try!
Every drive is different, but the WU-475 has a pair of screws that hold the stepper motor in position.
The screw openings are not perfect circles and allow the mechanism to be slid back and forth a millimeter or so in each direction.
Firing up ImageDisk and running the alignment test, I was initially greeted by lots of question marks scrolling down the screen indicating that each sector could not be read. As I loosened the screws and slid the mechanism forward slowly, the PC speaker sprung to life and began to beep indicating successful reads. Once I had it in the position that seemed to yield the best results, I scrolled through all 80 tracks to ensure they could all be read. I then tightened the screws well and lo and behold, the drive works wonderfully again! I’m sure my alignment isn’t perfect, but for all intents and purposes, the drive works.
It’s always a great feeling when you can restore something old and forgotten. As always, do this at your own risk. Making adjustments like this on a live system is inherently risky, so be careful!
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags floppy drives, retro hardwareLeave a comment on 5.
25″ Floppy Drive Alignment
Finding a functional serial mouse for my ongoing 486 restoration project has been a challenge. Up until now, my retro rigs have had PS/2 ports that work with a variety of older optical mice. This isn’t the case with many custom-built systems from the early to mid-nineties. Unless your system was an IBM or some other name brand, you likely had to use a serial mouse.
Because of the peripheral divide in those days, there was demand for PS/2 as well as serial mice. This prompted manufacturers to create what was then known as ‘combo mice’. These mice would come with a simple PS/2 to serial adapter to allow support for both standards. When it came to keyboards, most if not all PS/2 keyboards were compatible with the common 5-pin DIN connector with a simple adapter. This is because the two connectors are electrically compatible and just need pin translation. With mice, however, this is not the case. For a PS/2 mouse to work with a PS/2 to serial adapter, it must have hardware support for both standards under the hood.
Today I’m going to be looking at one of the iconic combo mice from the mid-nineties – the Microsoft Mouse.
I was fortunate enough to find this ‘new old stock’ mouse on eBay from a Canadian seller. It was brand new and still sealed, which is quite rare these days. Most of the serial compatible mice I’ve come across are quite worse for wear and demand exorbitant prices.
Continue reading “Unboxing a 22 Year Old Microsoft Mouse”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags retro hardware1 Comment on Unboxing a 22 Year Old Microsoft Mouse
Welcome to part three of my 486 restoration project! Check out part one and two for more information on the parts I rescued from a badly neglected machine. I’m happy to report that the purchase of this banged up machine was not in vain. It didn’t come without it’s share of challenges but as you’ll see in this installment – it’s alive!
After removing the barrel battery and constructing an external battery pack in part 2, the next order of business was to get the machine put together on the work bench and powered up.
My test-bench isn’t pretty but it’s functional!
I’m using a modern PFC Seasonic 350W power supply with an AT 12-pin adapter. These old systems run almost entirely on 5 volt power and draw nothing from the 3.3V and little from the +12V rails. This can cause problems with some newer PSUs, but this Seasonic model fairs well with a 130W rating on the 5V rail. The only side effect of this power draw imbalance is a higher than usual +12.6V on the 12V rail. It’s not ideal, but I’d rather this than a flaky 25 year old AT power supply.
Since the system didn’t come with a video card, I pulled out an old ATI Mach 32 ISA card from the parts bin.
I recently picked this up from the great folks in the computer recycling department of The Working Center in Kitchener. It was sitting in a box full of old PCI graphics cards destined for e-waste. It’s always awesome to keep classic parts out of the landfill and support a great cause at the same time.
Continue reading “The 486 Restoration – Part 3”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags 486, retro hardware
Welcome to part two of my 486 restoration project! In my last post, I took a look at some of the rescued parts from a badly neglected tower.
Today, I’ll be going through my adventures of getting a functional CMOS battery working on this system.
As mentioned briefly in part one, most 386 and early 486 systems included what are referred to as ‘barrel batteries’. These are rechargeable nickel cadmium (NiCAD) batteries and are usually rated at 3.6V fully charged. Unlike the coin cell batteries in newer systems, the battery charges whenever the system is powered on. In theory, this was great because the CMOS battery could last a long time in the system. Using a multi-cell rechargeable battery increases the cost of the board, so the CR2032 coin cell solutions were most likely used for cost savings first and foremost in the years following. This is all well and good, but nobody really envisioned these systems to be in use 25 years later as is the case with this system here.
A 25 year old Varta 3.6V NiCAD – it’s gotta go before the inevitable happens.
A quick google search on these barrel batteries, and you’ll see just how problematic these can be when they age.
Not only can they leak and cease to function, but when they do they are very corrosive to copper traces and other types of metal on the board. If caught early enough, the board can be cleaned and may still be functional. Unfortunately, the damage can sometimes be permanent.
Continue reading “The 486 Restoration – Part 2”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags 486, retro hardwareLeave a comment on The 486 Restoration – Part 2
As you may have noticed in my recent Building a Retro Gaming Rig series, I’m quite passionate about 1990s era PC hardware. Machines from this time are very nostalgic to me as this is when I really started getting interested in PCs and technology in general. Granted, PC gaming is what really drove my interest in hardware initially, but down the line, I really started enjoyed the hardware just for the sake of it.
I’ve only recently started acquiring and collecting vintage hardware in the last year or so, but I’ve always been drawn to 486 systems. Although we had an old monochrome 8-bit machine growing up – some kind of XT clone – the first PC I was really interested in was a 486 system bought in 1994.
This won’t be the first 486 system I have in my collection. I got a well maintained DEC low profile system from my brother-in-law last summer. It’s a nice system that I hope to take a look at in another post, but it’s very integrated. Everything is on-board and proprietary so it leaves very little room for tweaking. That said, I really wanted something I could customize.
Today’s project all started with an ad on Kijiji I stumbled on a few weeks back – a 486 tower system in “working condition”. Inspecting the posted images carefully, I could see that the system was far from complete – it was missing a video card and didn’t have a hard drive.
Continue reading “The 486 Restoration – Part 1”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags 486, retro hardware5 Comments on The 486 Restoration – Part 1
It’s been a while since my last retro build post, but the build is finally complete! Actually, it’s been done for several weeks, but I just haven’t have time to break out the camera and get some pictures.
Without further ado, let’s have a look at the finishing touches and the final build!
Completed Build
For the case, I decided to use an old Antec NSK 3480 that I had lying around. I love the very simple appearance, but most of all, the small dimensions. With a depth of only 14 inches, it’s only as deep as it is tall. This can make for some challenges, but also makes it a perfect fit for slim boards.
Although it really doesn’t look like a retro box, I like that it’s very unassuming and feels a lot like a ‘sleeper’ build. I’ve got an old Pentium 90 and yellowed 486 rig that I’ll save for that true old-school appearance!
The Antec case was perfect for the MSI MS-6160 board. It even left enough space at the front of the case for the IDE-to-SD adapter board. For more detail on the motherboard, check out Part 3 of the series.
Continue reading “Building a Retro Gaming Rig – Part 6”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags retro hardware3 Comments on Building a Retro Gaming Rig – Part 6
In Part 4 of this series, I took a look at some sound card options.
I’m now getting a lot closer to having this build finished, but there is still one key piece missing – storage.
When dealing with old hardware, hard drives simply don’t age well. Anything with moving parts is prone to failure and degradation over time. Not only this, but as the bearings wear down, the drives begin to have an annoying whine and droning noise that can be heard rooms away.
I’m all for the genuine nostalgic experience, but slow and noisy drives with 20 years of wear behind them are not something I’m particularly interested in. That said, I knew that I wanted to retrofit a modern storage solution to work with this machine.
Challenges and Limitations
Having worked with older hardware before, I was prepared for some challenges along the way. There are numerous drive size limitations and other BIOS quirks that I’d need to navigate around. Below are just a few:
- Most 486 and older systems are limited to a 504MB hard drive due to a limit of 1024 cylinders being supported in the BIOS.
- Many systems in the late nineties simply didn’t support drives larger than 32GB due to other BIOS limitations.
- With a newer BIOS, some IDE systems can support drives as large as 128GB, which was the LBA limit with an ATA interface.
Clearly there are newer IDE drives with capacities beyond 128GB, but these drives require newer Ultra ATA 100/133 controllers. After doing some testing, I discovered that the Asus P2B that I outlined in Part 1 of this series had a 32GB drive limitation with the latest production BIOS and a 128GB limitation with the newest beta BIOS. The MSI MS-6160 that I covered in Part 3 was limited to 32GB. Since this was the board I wanted to use, I could only consider IDE solutions of 32GB or less if I wanted to stick with the onboard controller.
Continue reading “Building a Retro Gaming Rig – Part 5”
Author MikePosted on Categories PC Hardware, Retro ComputersTags compact flash, retro hardware, sd cardsLeave a comment on Building a Retro Gaming Rig – Part 5
RetrO | ORIGIN PC
- 24/7 Lifetime Support
- 1-877-674-4460 (US & CAN)
- Contact
Introducing the
Take on the past, present, and future with the ORIGIN PC RetrO, a special edition BIG O hybrid gaming desktop that breaks reality as we know it.
With every console, board game, arcade game, and a godlike PC inside, the RetrO is the one machine that can truly play everything.
TOP SECRET SPECS
As with the original BIG O, the RetrO is split between two sides a PC side and an “everything” side. On the PC side, our engineers have cracked the code and stuffed the PC with hardware that doesn’t even exist yet. How they managed to get this hardware is unknown. Was it dark magic? Was it twisted science? Technology from distant galaxies? We’ll never know.
BRING ME EVERYTHING
We read the comments. “Why only one console on the BIG O?” We listened to all of your comments so we’ve included everything inside the RetrO. Seriously. EVERYTHING. Every console, every portable console, every arcade game, every board game, and the peripherals too. Like the PC, we’re still trying to understand the unrealistic technology that made this all possible.
Is it even safe? We can confirm that it is the heaviest system we’ve ever made. Don’t try lifting it.
THE ULTIMATE CUSTOM MACHINE
Did you think that by including everything we were done? Think again. You can customize your RetrO to look like an old-school console with a matching color scheme, you can make it look like a hot rod, or even a picture of another RetrO! How are these designs even feasible? Rumors say that we have an in-house wizard that makes these designs possible, including the ones that don’t belong in our reality.
AVAILABLE NOW (OR SO THEY SAY)
We’ve received word that the RetrO is available now, but you are unable to add it to your cart even if you tried. Sorry. Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know about our latest hardware including other wild concepts!
Subscribe
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ORIGIN PC RetrO?
A hybrid gaming system that combines a futuristic gaming PC of unknown origins with every game console, portable console, board game, and arcade game inside.
You can’t carry it.
Are the accessories included?
I have no idea how they did it, but yes all the accessories are included. Even those plastic instruments!
Can I get a free RetrO?
Sure, just give us the soul of a cyber dragon fueled by the hatred of a thousand suns from dimension 1337.
My [insert Origin game] isn’t working, how can I get it working?
Oops! We’re not EA! We’re ORIGIN PC! You have us confused with EA’s Origin client. Contact their support team.
Will you include [insert game platform here]?
If it was ever a game it’s inside the RetrO. We did it. We’ve managed to include every method of playing games inside a system.
Why use unobtainable PC technology?
It didn’t make sense to me either until I saw the indoctrination video.
How did you fit EVERYTHING inside the RetrO?
Open it up and find out. On second thought, that would be a bad idea.
We don’t want any skeleton armies spilling out of the RetrO. Unless you’re reaching for your copy of your favorite board games, just make sure you reach in the right place.
How do I insert my game?
There’s a place in the front panel that takes in your game and absorbs it. You won’t get your game back. It’s part of the RetrO now.
Can you use more than 1 game at once?
If you don’t mind the risk of multi-dimensional collapses, sure!
Can I upgrade the PC?
Why would you? It’s the peak. You can’t get better than this.
Can I meet the wizard?
No, we’ve trapped them behind extensive security so our RetrO customization secrets stay secret.
Can I stream with my RetrO?
Our engineers have confirmed that streaming the greatness that is RetrO is possible and even recommended. The overlords demanded more eyes.
Why is it called RetrO?
Because the marketing research showed that a friendly and nostalgia-inducing name would be the perfect way of taking over.
I have a question that’s not answered here, where should I ask?
Tweet at us: @ORIGINPC
Wait, I’ve been here before, isn’t this just ANOTHER elaborate April Fools’ joke?
You mean to tell me, that stuffing EVERYTHING and impossible PC hardware into one of our cases is a meticulous April Fools’ joke? Well, I’ve played on the RetrO, and it’s real. Do you want the proof? You can’t handle the proof. None of us can.
Explore our custom PCs you can’t find anywhere else, featuring only the highest quality components!
Customize Yours Today
Gaming Desktops
Gaming Laptops
Disclaimer: The ORIGIN PC RetrO is not real. Happy April Fools’!
examples of successful recovery of retro computers / Sudo Null IT News
Nostalgia for retro computers sometimes makes you do absolutely crazy things. Someone watches tons of movies and series, trying to collect all the devices that appeared on the screen.
And someone is engaged in necromancy, reviving to life computer «old men» of the 1970-90s of release. And it does not just restore the device’s performance, but brings it to an ideal state.
Below are examples of successful revival of devices that were in a very poor condition. And a little more details can be obtained if you follow the links sewn into the nicknames of computer enthusiasts.
IBM PS/2 35SX
Fully restored 1992 IBM 35SX
Reddit user TheRealShyzah restored a 1992 IBM35SX personal computer. The device was released not so long ago, but the condition in which it was found was truly hopeless. The computer looked like this:
Several of these machines were found in an abandoned mental hospital in California, which were converted into a data center for the city of Los Angeles and abandoned in the middle of 1990s. The computers were dusty and some of the front cases were missing. In general, they looked like they should have gone to the landfill long ago.
However, TheRealShyzah completely restored the device. Now it not only works, but also looks great.
TDP System100
Refurbished 1982 TDP 100 The
TDP System 100, an offshoot of Tandy Corporation’s legendary color computers, was released in 1982. While the main line was sold in Tandy stores, the TDP System 100 was made specifically for sale in other outlets. And that was its only difference from the TRS-80 Color Computer.
Reddit user Jonny_Swanny has restored a TDP System 100 to near factory condition. The computer is equipped with a 5-inch monochrome Portavision device. Yes, many smartphones now have a larger screen than this display.
Commodore PET 2001
Commodore PET 2001 1977: before and after
Commodore PET is one of the representatives of the legendary «1977 Trinity». This computer had a huge impact on personal computers and popular culture in general. It was inspired by the famous HAL 9 computer000 from Stanley Kubrick’s A Space Odyssey.
Hence the name PET 2001, consisting of three letters and four numbers, as well as the design of the keyboard, reminiscent of a movie brother.
Reddit user Amazingprojectionist restored PET 2001 and now it looks like new. To eliminate corrosion, the body had to be sandblasted and powder coated, which made the surface look smooth. According to the author, he not only restored the appearance of the device. Now his 40-year-old computer even boots.
Olivetti Quaderno PT-XT-20
Refurbished and working Olivetti Quaderno PT-XT-20 from 1992 The
Quaderno PT-XT-2 is one of the first laptops to weigh less than 3kg. It was released in 1992 by the Italian computer manufacturer Olivetti. Reddit user EkriirkE received this device in extremely poor condition. His hard drive was spinning up, but otherwise the computer seemed completely dead. EkriirkE decided to bring the piece of iron back to life.
To do this, he disassembled the device, thoroughly washed it, returned the memory to working condition, replaced the cable, repaired the screws and went through everything again to get a fully working machine (details of the restoration process are shown here) .
Computer equipped with NEC V30 8086 @ 16MHz, 1MB RAM, 20MB HDD, 640×400 B&W monitor. It also has built-in voice recording software, so it’s a «computer tape recorder» with controls on the lid and main keyboard.
Grid GridCase 3
Refurbished and working 1985 GridCase 3
GridCase, the closest relative of the trendy Grid Compass portable computer, was released in 1985. The device turned out to be more reliable than its predecessor.
Early Grid devices were the first to use the clamshell design (a flat screen that covers the keyboard). It was they who determined how laptops will look like in the future. Reddit user CB_HK restored and updated a 30-year-old device, and now it looks like it was just delivered from the store. Specifications: 8086 (5 MHz) and 8087 with 512 KB RAM and 760 KB disk drive. The launch of GRiD-OS is done via ROM. A hard drive is not installed, so it operates silently unless a floppy drive is used.
Packard Bell PC
Refurbished PC Packard Bell early 2000s
At one time, Packard Bell were one of the best selling IBM clones on the market.
During its heyday in the mid-90s, Packard Bell consistently dominated the US market in terms of units sold.
Ravenshaddows was able to mine one from Packard Bell in the early 2000s. The computer was in a terrible state. The enthusiast had to completely redesign the device to make it look as fresh as possible. The PC case had to be sanded to remove rust and repainted several times. Also Ravenshaddows replaced the dead motherboard with a Slot 1 IBM. Replaced the power supply. And the floppy drive has been removed as the machine can now emulate it. Current device specs: Pentium 2 @ 233MHz, 384MB RAM, Radeon 9250 and a 20 GB hard drive. He also got a built-in USB port, network and sound.
IRIS Indigo
Refurbished 1991 IRIS Indigo. 2020 refurbished photo
Launched in 1991, the Indigo was one of the most powerful graphics workstations of its time and led the 3D graphics rendering market. For eight years, from 1995 to 2002, all films nominated for the Academy Award for Excellence in Visual Effects were created by Silicon Graphics, the company behind IRIS Indigo.
This computer was restored by Reddit user CB_HK, he returned the device not only to a presentable appearance, but also to working condition. He did not disclose the restoration details, but gave the characteristics of his cheerful zombie:
-
MIPS R4000 100MHz CPU
-
64 MB of RAM
-
HAS GB SE SCSI
9000
- 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000
-
IRIX 5.3
-
AUI Ethernet
-
Discis drive
-
20-inch SGI monitor with a resolution of 1280×1024
-
Company
And what kind of livelords of old computer are you?
What else is interesting on the blog?0003
→ Failed keyboards
→ How the tricks of ancient warlords are resurrected in modern mathematics
→ The largest Webb space telescope should change our understanding of space
Subscribe to our Telegram channel so as not to miss the next article.
We write no more than twice a week and only on business.
Top 20 famous retro PCs ideal for gaming and programming Read more about the history of appearance, features of models and their impact on the global computer industry in the Selectel material.
2226
views
All PCs in the top 20 once looked like alien objects. But they were the beginning of the modern computer industry. Models of different years are arranged by the author in ascending order of importance. The list prepared by Keith Stuart ( Keith Stuart ), a journalist for The Guardian , is very subjective, but it really turned out to be models that have become history.
Eternal.
Selectel
20. Dragon 32 (1982)
The computer, developed by the British company from Swansea, was equipped with an MC6809E processor, a comfortable keyboard and excellent analog joysticks. The PC had a feature — the graphics subsystem gave each program a bright green tint.
The iconic playable character of the most popular PC game was a schoolboy named Cuthbert.
I put the Dragon 32 on this list instead of another Swansea made PC, the Sam Coupe. The fact is that it was for Dragon that I developed two popular games, Impossiball and Utopia. Unfortunately at 1984 Dragon Data went bankrupt.
19. Atari ST (1985)
The first home PC with a color image and great hardware features, including a 16-bit Motorola 68000 processor and 512 KB of RAM. It was a breakthrough…until two months later the Commodore Amiga came along with its Midi interface. Atari was unable to compete with this machine for long as a gaming PC. But he left his mark on history.
18. Acorn Electron (1983)
Designed as a competitor for the ZX Spectrum, the Electron was a budget version of the BBX Micro, with a Synertek 6502A processor, operating system, and Basic on board. It was compatible with a wide range of games, so it was good as a gaming PC too.
Unfortunately, the production of this model was quite expensive and difficult, as a result, Acorn Electron did not become a real competitor to the ZX Spectrum.
17. Sinclair ZX81 (1981)
The successor to the ZX80, the Sinclair ZX81 has become truly accessible to almost everyone. Inexpensive and reliable, it became a bestseller. Many veterans of the computer industry started their journey with the Sinclair ZX81, developing various BASIC programs on this comfortable keyboard. Games like 3D Monster Maze and Mazogs have been a real eye opener.
16. Texas Instruments TI-99/4A (1981)
With a 16-bit processor, 16 KB of RAM, and the advanced TMS9918 video chip (its legacy would be used in the Sega Mega Drive), the TI-99/4A was one of the most powerful PCs of its day.
The original price of $525 did not last long. As a result of price wars, it quickly dropped to $100. But unfortunately, the manufacturer, Texas Instruments, decided to tightly control the software for this computer.
So the attractiveness of the system has declined sharply in the eyes of buyers (especially gamers).
15. Altair 8800 (1975)
At one time, this PC cost only $400 (professional personal computers of that time cost an order of magnitude more). It is based on the Intel 8080 2 MHz processor. The PC literally burst into the market, becoming the forerunner of most portable computers. It was possible to program using the switches on the front panel, so it did not become truly massive. However, he caught the attention of young geeks (like Bill Gates and Paul Allen). The addition of a terminal and monitor made development a much simpler process.
14. Amstrad CPC 464 (1984)
The
Amstrad has been recognized for its performance and design. A keyboard and a tape recorder fit in one case, which made using the Amstrad very convenient. The graphics and sound were top notch, overall the computer was a workhorse that never fails.
13.
Sharp X68000 (1987)
A Japanese computer with a 16-bit Motorola 68000 processor, the Sharp X68000 also received an excellent graphics subsystem with support for hardware sprites and scrolling. In general, it can be called an arcade machine disguised as a PC.
12. Apple Macintosh (1984-)
Although the Mac 128k had a monochrome display, plus the IBM PC became much more common, this model can be considered one of the pioneers of the era of computer games. It was on it that Myst appeared, and Halo developer Bungie started with Marathon and Myth. The same model has become one of the incentives for the development of the indie industry.
11. MSX (1983)
Developed by Microsoft Japan, this computer has become the hardware standard for VHS video computers. It was supported by a number of manufacturers including Sony and Toshiba. The PC was based on the Z80 processor and the Texas Instruments TMS9 video chip918. MSX has become the ultimate gaming platform.
By the way, MSX2 came with Metal Gear.
10. Tandy TRS-80 (1977)
This PC case contained a monochrome monitor (it was an inexpensive television kinescope) and a standard cassette deck. The computer was renamed by Apple II and Commodore PET users to Trash-80. But it was a great car, available to a wide range of users. The computer was sold throughout America through the RadioShack chain of stores. He also became one of the founders of text adventure games, for example, Zork.
9. Commodore Vic-20 (1981)
This computer was positioned by the manufacturer as «user friendly». It was designed to be a mass product. This was facilitated by a low price (only $300), a good graphics system, a port for a ROM cartridge, and a large number of accessories. Despite 5KB of memory, Sword of Fargoal, Metagalactic Llamas Battle and Edge of Time could be played on it.
8. NEC PC-88 (1981)
The Japanese personal computer faced stiff competition from the Sharp X1 and Fujitsu FM7, but retained its lead with more powerful next-generation models.
But this model was good too. The PC-88 boasts titles from every major arcade and console developer of the day, including Sega, Namco, Square, Hudson, and even Nintendo, which released the obscure Super Mario Bros Special for the machine.
7. Atari 800 (1979)
Launched alongside the weaker Atari 400, the 800 was a real breakthrough. It was a great home PC with graphics and audio co-processors plus four joystick ports. The latter made it possible to play multiplayer games including MULE, Airline and Dandy. Atari was able to attract a whole team of experienced developers for the classic games Star Raiders and Missile Command, as well as a community of programmers through the Atari Program Exchange (APX) initiative. In fact, the company began to set the tone for the entire indie scene of that time.
6. BBC Micro (1981)
This computer, developed by Acorn and the BBC Computer Literacy Project, was widely used in schools in the UK.
Yes, and it was created — to popularize programming. It was a high quality and expensive PC. The BBC Micro was expensive for the home, but it was available to any schoolchild in the UK. The model will remain famous thanks to Elite, Repton and Granny’s Garden.
5. Apple II (1977)
The UK had the BBC Micro and the US had the Apple II, a fairly powerful, expandable multi-purpose PC. It was the first computer with Basic in ROM, color graphics, and up to 48 KB of RAM. In addition to programming, it allowed you to run a lot of games. Many of the most famous series and gaming hits, including Lode Runner, Choplifter, Prince of Persia, Castle Wolfenstein, Ultima, John Madden Football, debuted on the Apple II.
4. ZX Spectrum 48K (1982)
A truly «people’s computer», the ZX Spectrum 48K became one of the most popular PCs of its time. Programmers and gamers were very pleased. Thanks to him, Jet Set Willy, Horace Goes Skiing, Knight Lore and Lords of Midnight were born.
3. Commodore 64 (1982)
With a mammoth 64GB of RAM, color graphics, hardware-assisted sprites and scrolling, the C64 was one of the most powerful and desirable PCs of its day. And part of it was a revolutionary sound SID chip. You could play anything on it, including Bubble Bobble, Green Beret, Sentinel, Hacker, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, simulations from Epyx Games. The developers also doted on this PC. Its sales amounted to 20 million, at not the lowest price.
2. Commodore Amiga (1985)
This is the last gaming home PC, after which the world was taken over by game consoles. But it was with him that the history of such studios as Sensible Software, LucasArts, DMA Design, Bitmap Brothers and Psygnosis began. They developed game design ideas that are known so far. A large number of developers who started their journey with the Commodore Amiga are still working.
1. IBM PC (1981)
The IBM PC had many competitors.
