Archive

Archive for the ‘Retro Computers and other stuff…’ Category

Donation of the sunday (Commodore 1085S and Amiga 500)

February 24th, 2013 No comments

Material donated:

  • Commodore Monitor 1085S (The 1085(S) is a cost-reduced version of the 1084, with lower resolution (.52 mm dot pitch) and no non-glare screen treatment.)
  • Commodore Amiga 500 + 512k Expansion.

Commodore VIC-1020 Expansion Box

February 22nd, 2013 No comments
Commodore VIC-1020 Expansion Box

Autopsy:

from Denial Wiki Homepage:

The VIC-1020 (known as the VC-1020 in Germany) expansion chassis is a large metal enclosure which provides the VIC-20 computer with six additional expansion slots for cartridges (five pointing upward and one lying horizontally and pointing toward an opening on the the back of the VIC-1020). The entire VIC-20 computer is placed into the VIC-1020 and a male edge connector on the 1020′s slot expansion board is mated with the VIC-20′s internal cartridge port. A monitor can be placed on top of the VIC-1020, giving the entire setup a PET computer-like appearance. Indeed, the black “CBM” label across the front of the VIC-1020′s casing is similar to that used on the the PET line of computers. The choice of sheet metal for this enclosure seems natural, as Commodore had a sheet metal fabrication plant for the production of office filing cabinets and desks.

The VIC-1020′s chassis has additional storage space which can be used for the computer’s power supply (a pass-through for the power supply is provided). There is also a metal clip on the underside of the lid which can hold the RF modulator.

Slot expanders such as this allowed the simultaneous use of several cartridges on a single VIC-20. This allowed features of utility cartridges (like the Programmer’s Aid cartridge) and RAM expanders to be combined. Unlike some other slot expanders, however, the VIC-1020 lacked switches to enable or disable individual cartridges – meaning cartridges had to be physically removed to disable them. This emphasizes what seems an apparent design flaw of the VIC-1020; the monitor needs to be lifted off the chassis and set aside to enable the user to open the lid and access the extra cartridge ports – a cumbersome process if repeated often.

source: sleepingelephant.com

Mattel Intellivision Video Composite Amplifier

February 21st, 2013 No comments
Mattel Intellivision Video Composite Amplifier

Autopsy:

You can found Parts list and Schematics here

from wiki.intellivision.us Homepage:

The Intellivision directly generates composite video using the AY-3-8915 Color Processor and a set of resistors. This video gets fed to the ASTEC UM1285-8 video modulator for conversion to RF for display on a television set. It is possible to tap this composite video directly to avoid the distortion and static associated with RF modulation and demodulation. On older units, the RF modulator can decay rather noticeably, leading to very low quality video.

Typical composite video inputs have an input impedance of 75Ω. In contrast, the composite signal generated by the Intellivision has a very high output impedance. (We estimate the output impedance is around 2KΩ.) Tapping this output and feeding it directly into a typical composite monitor does not work. (It will work if your monitor has a “high impedance” input, but such monitors are atypical.) Thus, an amplifier/impedance matching circuit is necessary.

It is also possible to tap the audio the Intellivision generates. The audio output by the Intellivision is nearly directly suitable for feeding line-level inputs on most AV equipment. All that’s required is a coupling capacitor.

The modification should work equally well on all Intellivision variants, including the Intellivision 1, Intellivision 2, the various rebranded units (Sears, Tandy), and the later INTV releases.

source: wiki.intellivision.us

Commodore SX-64 JiffyDos installation and keyboard repair

February 18th, 2013 1 comment

Kernel JiffyDos Installation and Keyboard Repair for my friend Damiano (manosoft.it). To repair the keyboard you must clean the contacts very well on the pcb.

Working Commodore SX-64 in cluster ;-D

February 17th, 2013 No comments

Working Commodore SX-64 in cluster ;-D

New donations: Intellivision + Boxed Games / SX64 Manual / TV +4 …

February 17th, 2013 No comments

Today a friend has donated to me some nice things. Thanks Damiano (Manosoft).

Things that have been donated:

  • Commodore SX64 Manual.
  • TV +4 Pong Clone.
  • PCB Multi Kernel C64/C64C Switch.
  • PCB Universal PLA Adapter.
  • Atmel 27C512 PROM 70ns.
  • Some DIMM Memory (256mb and 512mb)
  • Mattel Intellivision.
  • Mattel Intellivision Boxed Games:
    • Football.
    • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
    • Skiing.
    • Maze-A-Tron.
    • Sea Battle.
    • Tennis.
    • Basketball.

Spectravideo SV-318: Loading a game

February 3rd, 2013 No comments

Spectravideo SV-318 (Boxed)

February 3rd, 2013 No comments
Spectravideo SV-318 with Accessories (Boxed)

Autopsy:

This configuration includes:

from Wikipedia:

Spectravideo, or SVI, was a U.S. computer company founded in 1981 as “SpectraVision” by Harry Fox. They originally made video games for Atari 2600 and VIC-20. Some of their computers were MSX-compliant or IBM PC compatible. They ceased operations in 1988.

SpectraVision was founded in 1981 by Harry Fox and Oscar Jutzeler as a distributor of computer games, contracting external developers to write the software. Their main products were gaming cartridges for the Atari 2600 VCS, Colecovision and Commodore VIC-20. They also made the world’s first ergonomic joystick, the Quickshot. In late 1982 the company was renamed to Spectravideo due to a naming conflict with OnCommand’s Hotel TV system called SpectraVision.

In the early 1980s, the company developed 11 games for the Atari 2600, including several titles of some rarity: Chase the Chuckwagon, Mangia and Bumper Bash. A few of their titles were only available through the Columbia House music club.

The company’s first attempt at a computer was an add-on for the Atari 2600 called the Spectravideo CompuMate, with a membrane keyboard and very simple programmability.

Their first real computers were the SV-318 and SV-328, released in 1983. Both were powered by a Z80 A at 3.6 MHz, but differed in the amount of RAM (SV-318 had 32KB and SV-328 had 80KB total, of which 16KB was reserved for video) and keyboard style. The main operating system, residing in ROM, was a version of Microsoft Extended Basic, but if the computer was equipped with a floppy drive, the user had the option to boot with CP/M instead. These two computers were precedent to MSX and not fully compatible with the standard, though the changes made to their design to create MSX were minor. The system had a wide range of optional hardware, for example an adapter making it possible to run ColecoVision games on the SVI.

A later version, the Spectravideo SVI-728 was made MSX compatible. SVI-738, also MSX compatible, came with a built-in 360 KB 3.5″ floppy drive. The last computer produced by Spectravideo was the SVI-838 (also known as Spectravideo X’Press 16). It was a PC and MSX2 in the same device.

Today the Spectravideo name is used by a UK based company called SpectraVideo Plc, formerly known as Ash & Newman. That company was founded in 1977, and bought the Spectravideo brand name from Bondwell (SVI owner) in 1988. They sell their own range of Logic3 branded products, and do not have any connection to the old Spectravideo products.

source: wikipedia

Spectravideo SV-803 16k RAM Cartridge (Boxed)

February 3rd, 2013 No comments
Spectravideo SV-803 16k RAM Cartridge

Autopsy:

from Roger Spectravideo homepage:

The SV-803 16K RAM Pack allows you to easily and economically add 16K worth of “Random Access Memory” to your SV computer.  You can bank switch to a second bank of memory from BASIC.

Download: SVI 803-807 Users Manual (1140)

source: roger spectravideo homepage

Spectravideo SV-602 Mini Expander (Boxed)

February 3rd, 2013 No comments
Spectravideo SV-602 Mini Expander

Autopsy:

from Roger Spectravideo homepage:

SV-602 Single Slot Expander it houses one interface cartridge, and provides a very economical means of interfacing your SV computer with a single peripheral at a time.

source: roger spectravideo homepage

Spectravideo SV-904 Data Cassette (Boxed)

February 3rd, 2013 No comments
Spectravideo SV-904 Data Cassette

Autopsy:

from Roger Spectravideo homepage:

SV-904 Data Cassette it connect easily to the SV-318 or SV-328, our data cassette provides an inexpensive means of running and storing a wide range of computer programs.

source: roger spectravideo homepage

Dragon 64 (Dragon Data Ltd) Boxed

February 1st, 2013 No comments
Dragon 64 (Data Ltd)

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Dragon 32 and Dragon 64 are home computers that were built in the 1980s. The Dragons are very similar to the TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo), and were produced for the European market by Dragon Data, Ltd., in Port Talbot, Wales, and for the US market by Tano of New Orleans, Louisiana. The model numbers reflect the primary difference between the two machines, which have 32 and 64 kilobytes of RAM, respectively.

In the early 1980s, the British home computer market was booming. New machines were released almost monthly. In August 1982, Dragon Data joined the fray with the Dragon 32; the Dragon 64 followed a year later. The computers sold quite well initially and attracted the interest of several independent software developers, most notably Microdeal. A magazine, Dragon User also began publication shortly after the machine’s launch.

In the private home computer market, where games were a significant driver, the Dragon suffered due to its graphical capabilities, which were inferior to contemporary machines such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro.

The Dragon was also unable to display lower-case letters easily. Some more sophisticated applications would synthesise them using high-resolution graphics modes (in the same way that user-defined characters would be designed for purely graphical applications such as games). Simpler programs just managed without lower case. This effectively locked it out of the then-blooming educational market.

As a result of these limitations, the Dragon was not a commercial success, and Dragon Data collapsed in June 1984.

Video of Chuckie Egg game for Dragon 64:

source: wikipedia archive.worldofdragon.org

Sega Pico (NTSC-USA) Boxed

January 30th, 2013 No comments
Sega Pico (Testing game)

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Sega Pico, also known as Kids Computer Pico (キッズコンピューター・ピコ Kizzu Konpyūtā Piko?), is an electronic toy by Sega. The aim of creating the Pico was to get more young children (specifically, ages 2–8) to use video game systems. The Pico was the first Sega-branded console to carry an officially licensed game from former competitor Nintendo.

The Pico was released in 1993 in Japan and 1994 in North America and Europe. In Japan, the system was a huge success and games were developed until 2005. In North America and Europe, however, the Pico was less successful and games were only developed until 1997. The Pico was also released in South Korea, and it seems to be more successful unlike the west. To celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2003 in Japan, Sega re-released some of the Pico games. As of April 2005, 3.4 million Pico consoles and 11.2 million software cartridges had been sold.

The Sega Pico’s slogan was: “The computer that thinks it’s a toy.”

The ROM cartridges were called “Storyware,” and were book shaped. Each time a player turned the page of the cartridge the screen changed to replicate the image in the book. The games were controlled by a “magic” pen and buttons. The last page of each book features a freehand drawing mode, where the player can also insert stamps of characters shown previously in the game. All software released for the Pico received a rating from either the V.R.C. or the ESRB.

source: wikipedia

Recovered a Commodore 128 with manuals and Tape Recorder

January 29th, 2013 No comments

Recovered a Commodore 128 in good conditions with manuals/software and a Tape Recorder.

Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1 – Original Dust Cover

January 24th, 2013 No comments

Keep your system in top condition when it’s not in use. Custom vinyl covers fit snugly over the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1.