Vintage Computers

jannievanzyl said:
Anyone else here collecting vintage computers? Especially from the Home Computer era before the IBM PC became pervasive, i.e. from the 70's and 80's era.

Still building my collection but have the following so far:

- Ohio Superboard
- Apple II
- Vic 20
- Commodore 64
- Sinclair ZX80
- Sinclair ZX81
- Sinclair Spectrum
- HP 85
- HP 86
- Osborne 1
- Texas Instruments 99
- Acorn Atom
- BBC Micro
- microProfessor

Still looking for a few systems.

Would love to hear what you've got.
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A nice collection you have there! Did you get more the past 3 years?
 
rvZA said:
A nice collection you have there! Did you get more the past 3 years?
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Tx! :)

At present, have about 180 different systems, made up of around 90 distinct models. I do try and pass as many extras, as I find them, to others though.

For my own collection, I try and get at least 2 of each model but some of them just seems to breed like the C64s and Speccys. :)

Over the last 3 years, I guess, around 40 to 50 Commodore C64 models went through my workshop. Must say, by now I'm pretty gatvol of repairing them but they just keep on appearing :)

The one thing I learned with collecting, is to just be patient. Machines you thought you would never find eventually appear. I've got a few more systems on my wish list like the PET 2001, Apple II (not plus or E), Altair 8800, Jupiter Ace, Sinclair MK14, Sharp MZ80A or B and a few others. My era is basically the 8-bit systems up to ~1985.

Lately I've starting building some of the kit computers from the late 70's and early 80's that were typically published as projects in the electronic magazines of the day, such as the Elektor Junior Computer, the Practical Electronics UK-101 and the ETI Triton.
 
Hi there
My first computer was a Sinclair Spectrum 16K. Was nice but it overheated when playing games so I eventually gave it away. I wish I still had it now tho to mess around with. Good memories :giggle:.
 
jannievanzyl said:
Tx! :)

At present, have about 180 different systems, made up of around 90 distinct models. I do try and pass as many extras, as I find them, to others though.

For my own collection, I try and get at least 2 of each model but some of them just seems to breed like the C64s and Speccys. :)

Over the last 3 years, I guess, around 40 to 50 Commodore C64 models went through my workshop. Must say, by now I'm pretty gatvol of repairing them but they just keep on appearing :)

The one thing I learned with collecting, is to just be patient. Machines you thought you would never find eventually appear. I've got a few more systems on my wish list like the PET 2001, Apple II (not plus or E), Altair 8800, Jupiter Ace, Sinclair MK14, Sharp MZ80A or B and a few others. My era is basically the 8-bit systems up to ~1985.

Lately I've starting building some of the kit computers from the late 70's and early 80's that were typically published as projects in the electronic magazines of the day, such as the Elektor Junior Computer, the Practical Electronics UK-101 and the ETI Triton.
Click to expand...
I still have my original Tandy TRS-80 in a bedroom cupboard somewhere, got that when I was living in Australia as a laaitie, as Radio Shack was popular there back then. Ive never seen another one here in South Africa

TOSEC: Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer (2012-04-23) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
 
The_Hobbit said:
Yes, definitely only take pics from home after opening the cupboard!
:p

I wonder if yours can be unlocked to 64k :)
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I havent switched it on since the 80's.
The coaxial plug output is tuned for Australia tv's, when I brought it here in '84 I had a technician somewhere install an external RF tuner box that allowed me to dial into a South African tv. That box has since then fallen off and is lost over the years.
I doubt this old computer will even still switch on after so many years of being off. I dunno
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
I havent switched it on since the 80's.
The coaxial plug output is tuned for Australia tv's, when I brought it here in '84 I had a technician somewhere install an external RF tuner box that allowed me to dial into a South African tv. That box has since then fallen off and is lost over the years.
I doubt this old computer will even still switch on after so many years of being off. I dunno
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Don't just switch it on. Caps may need to be replaced.

I'm sure @jannievanzyl can give you some pointers regarding the RF tuner. Or point you to somebody who can help.

Or you can donate it to Jannie for restoration?

Will be a nice project to get it to work again after all the years....
 
Yeah, agree, I still have the manuals and a load of casettes as a tutorial in a binder and there is also a cartridge you plug into the side and it loads a new operating system instead of BASIC. Called Logo or something like that where you give a turtle instructions on how to draw on a screen. Weird but it looked good from what I remembered. I should just box it all up and send to @jannievanzyl seen as I am pretty sure even he hasn't seen one before.
 
Pineapple Smurf said:
I still have my original Tandy TRS-80 in a bedroom cupboard somewhere, got that when I was living in Australia as a laaitie, as Radio Shack was popular there back then. Ive never seen another one here in South Africa

View attachment 1028448
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Oohh..... :love:

Don't have a CoCo yet (have got the drives for it).

Will always be keen to discuss a way to move it from your cupboard to mine :)
 
jannievanzyl said:
Oohh..... :love:

Don't have a CoCo yet (have got the drives for it).

Will always be keen to discuss a way to move it from your cupboard to mine :)
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Deal
All yours
I have been hoarding it for decades and cannot just throw it in the bin
Would much rather donate it to you instead
Lemme find all the stuff and I will PM you later for details etc.
 
The_Librarian said:
Don't just switch it on. Caps may need to be replaced.

I'm sure @jannievanzyl can give you some pointers regarding the RF tuner. Or point you to somebody who can help.

Or you can donate it to Jannie for restoration?

Will be a nice project to get it to work again after all the years....
Click to expand...
I'm actually busy restoring a TRS80 model I at the moment. It was one of the "Holy Trinity" machines from 1977 (together with the Apple II and the Commodore PET) that really started the home computing era.

How beautiful are those gold RAM chips :)
 

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jannievanzyl said:
I'm actually busy restoring a TRS80 model I at the moment. It was one of the "Holy Trinity" machines from 1977 (together with the Apple II and the Commodore PET) that really started the home computing era.

How beautiful are those gold RAM chips :)
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On 2nd thoughts, never mind picking it up at work here, I would rather come drop off your place and see some of your Vintage pc's :D
 
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