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

SuperModulo ^ Clementoni (Expansion Modules by Texas Instruments)

January 30th, 2010 No comments

Thanks to My Brother for the Photo.

Cartridges (also known as expansion modules) are freely exchangeable ROM libraries that provide additional content without providing additional functionality. These cartridges are plugged into a slot near the battery compartment in order to introduce new software libraries.

Word and game lists are of differing lengths depending upon the cartridge and the word lists in models marketed for different languages reflect the language marketed for. Separate word lists also exist for regional variants such as the American and British English versions.

The word list used in each of the regional models reflects the recommendations of educators in each country. The English, French, German and Italian versions were all created by a team of non-specialists, in TI’s plant near Antibes, France, under the watchful eye of Larry Brantingham who had patented the underlying technology.

source: wikipedia speaknspell.co.uk

Some things for Sinclair QL from RWAP Software

January 25th, 2010 No comments

Autopsy:

source: rwapsoftware.co.uk

A new Sinclair QL Membrane from RWAP Software

January 21st, 2010 No comments

Replacement the Sinclair QL membrane and reassemble the Keyboard.

source: rwapsoftware.co.uk

Sinclair QL

January 21st, 2010 No comments
Sinclair QL

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Sinclair QL (for Quantum Leap), was a personal computer launched by Sinclair Research in 1984, as the successor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. The QL was aimed at the hobbyist and small business markets, but failed to achieve commercial success.

The QL was originally conceived in 1981 under the code-name ZX83, as a portable computer for business users, with a built-in ultra-thin flat-screen CRT display (similar to the later TV80 pocket TV), printer and modem. As development progressed, and ZX83 became ZX84, it eventually became clear that the portability features were over-ambitious and the specification was reduced to a conventional desktop configuration.

Based on a Motorola 68008 processor clocked at 7.5 MHz, the QL included 128 KB of RAM (officially expandable to 640 KB) and could be connected to a monitor or TV for display. Two built-in Microdrive tape-loop cartridge drives (first seen as a peripheral for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum) provided mass storage, in place of the more expensive floppy disk drives found on similar systems of the era.

Interfaces included an expansion slot, ROM cartridge socket, dual RS-232 ports, proprietary QLAN local area network ports, dual joystick ports and an external Microdrive bus. Two video modes were available, 256×256 pixels with 8 RGB colours and per-pixel flashing, or 512×256 pixels with four colours (black, red, green and white). Both screen modes used a 32 KB framebuffer in main memory.

The hardware was capable of switching between two different areas of memory for the framebuffer, thus allowing double buffering. However, this would have used 64 KB of the standard machine’s 128 KB of RAM and there is no support for this feature in the QL’s original firmware. The alternative and much improved operating system Minerva does provide full support for the second framebuffer.

source: wikipedia

Commodore VC-1010 (VIC-1010) Expansion Module

January 15th, 2010 1 comment
Commodore VC-1010 (VIC-1010) Expansion Module

Autopsy:

from Bo Zimmerman Homepage:

The VIC-1010 is an optional expansion to the VIC-20 manufactured by Commodore UK. It plugs into the VIC-20′s game/expansion/bus port, providing 6 more such ports along the top.

The rest of the unit sits behind and a bit off to the right of the machine, preventing any obstruction of the VIC’s other ports. Built into the 1010 is a 220V power supply to supplement the computer’s supply.

source: zimmers.net

 

Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Grillo Fonillo SuonaParla

January 14th, 2010 5 comments
Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Grillo Fonillo SuonaParla

Autopsy:

from Datamath:

This funny synthesizer based product from Texas Instruments generates a lot of different sounds and stores them into internal memory. Compared with earlier products of the Speak & line this one uses a quite simple technology.

This educational toy is very similar to the Speak & Music but uses an Italian speaking language.

source: datamath.org

Eprom Test Board and RS232C Interface for Commodore 64

January 2nd, 2010 3 comments
RS232c Interface and Eprom test Board for Commodore 64

Autopsy:

Description:

  • On the left: RS232c Interface for Commodore 64 (KIT: LX719 from Nuova Elettronica)
  • On the right: Test Eprom Board cartridges.

3½ Floppy Disk Notcher (720k to 1.44Mb)

January 2nd, 2010 2 comments
Disk Notcher 720k to 1.44Mb

A disk notcher used to convert 3½ Floppy Disk 720k/800k to 1.44Mb HD.

Conic Electronic Basketball Handheld

December 27th, 2009 No comments
Conic Electronic Basketball

Autopsy:

Description:

  • Name: Electronic Basketball
  • Manufactured: Conic
  • Year: 1979
  • Display: LED
  • Battery: 9 Volts
  • Cpu: TME300 from Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Math Star (Pitagora)

December 25th, 2009 No comments
Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Pitagora

Autopsy:

from Datamath:

This educational toy for youngsters replaced the Math Marvel. The Math Star is preprogrammed to teach the basic four mathematic functions through different games. This educational toy was rated by Texas Instruments for childrens aged between 6 and 11 years.

The Math Star shared the housing with the Spelling B teaching word games. In the United Kingdom the game was sold as Maths Star, in Germany as Mathe-Star, in Italian it was labelled Pitagora and France knows the Les Nombres Magiques.

source: datamath.org

Broken console Coleco Vision for spare parts

December 23rd, 2009 No comments
ColecoVision Broken for spare parts

Special thanks to a friend. He donated this console for spare parts.

Scsi Mirror “SyQuest” 44Mb + Removable disk cartridge

December 20th, 2009 2 comments
Scsi Mirror Syquest 44Mb

Autopsy:

Many thanks to a friend for the Apple SCSI terminator.

Hints: Macintosh Plus can boot from Cartridges.

from Wikipedia:

SyQuest Technology, Inc., now known as SYQT, Inc., was an early entrant into the removable hard disk market for personal computers. The company was started in 1982 by Syed Iftikar; it was named partially after himself because of a company meeting wherein it was decided that “SyQuest” ought to be a shortened name for “Sy’s Quest”.

Its earliest products were 3.9″ (100mm) removable hard drives, and 3.9″ (100mm) ruggedized hard drives for IBM XT compatibles and military applications. Some of their early fixed drives appear to be rebranded Seagate drives, especially when one compares the drive lists on this data recovery site with this product table. For many years SyQuest held the market, particularly as a method of transferring large desktop publisher documents to printers.

SyQuest aim their products to give personal computer users “endless” hard drive space for data-intensive applications like desktop publishing, Internet information management, pre-press, multimedia, audio, video, digital photography, fast backup, data exchange, archiving, confidential data security and easy portability for the road.

source: wikipedia

Coleco Vision Expansion Module #2

December 19th, 2009 No comments
Coleco Vision Expansion Module #2

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Expansion Module #2 is a driving controller expansion that consists of a steering wheel, gas pedal and the pack-in game Turbo. The driving controller is also compatible with the games Destructor and Dukes Of Hazzard.

source: wikipedia

Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Dotto Conta-Parla

December 19th, 2009 No comments
Texas Instruments (Clementoni) Dotto Conta-Parla

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

The Speak & Math was published in 1980 with a shape identical to both the Speak & Spell and the Speak & Read but with a completely different keyboard layout, different game features, and a different color scheme. Where the American Speak & Spell had been colored red with yellow and orange accents, the American Speak & Math was gray with blue and orange highlights. The Speak & Math was designed to focus on mathematics in children of ages 6–12 with a library of over 100,000 random and preprogrammed problems.

It was regarded as the spiritual successor to TI’s earlier DataMan series[81], with the difference mainly relating to the addition of speech synthesizing software and the visual display. The Speak & Math was only released to American and British markets.

In 1982, a compact version of the Speak & Math was developed contemporaneously with the Speak & Spell Compact. This version was only released in French as Les Maths Magique (lit. The Magical Math). A redesigned version was developed in 1985 for British markets under the name of Maths marvel. This was later released in Italian as Dotto Conta-Parla, in French as le Calcul magique (lit. Magical Calculator), and in German as Mathe-Fix.

The Speak & Math was very minutely redesigned in 1986, under the same name, with the new version representing nothing more substantial than a redesign of the faceplate graphics. In 1990 the Super Speak & Math was released as a major redesign similar to the first version of the Super Speak & Spell. As with the Super Speak & Spell, the display screen of the Super Speak & Math was changed to an LCD screen instead of the former VFD screen.

The keyboard was also expanded and given more functions. The general structure of the console was also altered similarly to the Super Speak & Spell such that the handle which had come at the top of the screen in prior Speak & Math units was now found on the bottom of the toy and ergonomic features were added to the shape.

source: wikipedia

Macintosh Memory Expansion Kit (4Mb)

December 19th, 2009 No comments
Macintosh Memory Expansion Kit

Autopsy:

Memory expansion boards add random access memory (RAM) to your computer system, often increasing the speed, storage, and power of your machine.