retrocomputing

Back in the early '80s I built a kit computer (Compukit UK101), a 6502 based machine with 4K of RAM and BASIC in ROM.

I took the circuit for the UHF output and made my own 6809 based system initially with 4K of RAM and a simple IO board that talked to a 7 segment 8 digit calculator display.

That machine grew to four double Euro sized breadboard with 64K of dynamic RAM, a simple video controller based on the 6545 chip and a floppy disk board based on Western Digital chips.

All done by contacting manufacturers by post and asking for datasheets as a student.

I ran a commercial OS called FLEX/09 (much like CP/M). I had a language called PL/9, a one pass 6809 compiler that was C like but much simpler. Barely any runtime, squeezed to fit into 48K of RAM - an editor and compiler. I wrote my floppy disk formatter with it.

It all died when the wire wrapped wires turned black and the system stopped booting. By then I'd moved onto BBC machines - Electron, Master and Archimedes (ARM based). Eventually I bought a 486-DX2 50MHz - a machine I still have but no idea if it will still even switch on.

Having a hardware background got me a job working for an audio company doing device drivers and eventually a job in audio working for Codemasters, my first games company.

Howdy! To celebrate the Old Computer Challenge 2023 and to help people stay connected to Mastodon on their retro machines, I've put up an instance of the wonderful, sparse Mastodon client Brutaldon. It's available both via HTTP and HTTPS on any reasonably good browser with basic CSS support (ie; netsurf, older firefox, mozilla). Netscape support is forthcoming.

Hi,

I am planning to build a computer based around a Motorola 68000 just for fun. I already ordered 3 MC68HC000FN20's from a Chinese eBay seller but they are visibly rebadged chips with rough surface so there's a chance they are not 68000's at all - we'll see when I can test them in an open loop as described in '68000 Hardware Manual'.

Anyway, I think it would be wise to buy a non-counterfeit one from a trusted seller. I tried to search for a shop where 68000's still sold and I found that I could buy a "MC68HC000FN, 20 MHz" or a "CPU 68000/8 MHz Motorola (64-pin DIL)" from Vesalia Computer for 11.9 EUR. I would like to ask is there a trusted shop where I can buy a not necessarily NOS MC68000/MC68HC000 for a cheaper price within the EU?

The first computer I ever worked on had 8KB of core memory. It was an old Digital Equipment Corporation pdp-8/e. I loved that machine and its open face tale drives and teletype with paper tape punch and reader and card reader.

@retrocomputing

Just how old qualifies as retro computing?

I'm fitting a Marpet 4MB upgrade to my STFM today. What a hassle! PLCC socket hot glued on top of the surface mount MMU, interposer board inside the metal can and further mods needed to disable the onboard RAM.

Painting by Younga Barlow for Pacific Commodore Expo NW 2023

I've been using it recently on a machine that formerly used a tweaked version of the "Anonymous Super Turbo XT BIOS" and it offers subtle, modest improvements.

In my narrow experience, it fixed some freeze issues with Civilization when using a NEC processor, and the boot display is clean and more informative.

Anyone using their retro machines to make music or for live use? I experimented with making live Acid music with a C64, using Mssiah, and a 303, etc. The timing of the 303 clone wanders sync too much as is but maybe adding a better midi clock like a modern drum machine to help keep it all synced.

Thought, opinions?

Hi, first time posting on lemmy, I hope yall will enjoy my late grandfather's happy lil Mac Plus! Maxed out at 4MB of RAM and modded with power through SCSI and a low rpm fan. That's a fully working ImageWriter on the left. :)

Fantastic article about setting up 2FA using a Commodore 64. I'd love to see people port this to more platforms as well.

My first post on Lemmy. I'm sure I did something wrong, so let me have it. But first enjoy this excellent video about a giant, custom-built midi control specifically designed for use with ReBirth RB-338 software.

My latest project is an XT-class build in a modern looking case (Sergey's Xi 8088) complete with LED fans, window in the side panel, etc.

Normally, I would try to source real floppy drives for a project like this. However, in this case, to make it more modern-looking, I'm going GOTEK+FlashFloppy.

My question is: let's say I want to be able to use most kinds of DOS floppy images, including 5.25", 3.5", double density and high density. If I configure the GOTEK in the BIOS as a 1.44mb drive, would it also accept 720k images? Would it also take 360k or 1.2mb images or would I need a second GOTEK configured as a virtual 5.25" drive to cover all the bases?

The Pacific Commodore Expo NW is being held this weekend June 24th and 25th! Please feel free to stop by and play with your favorite Commodore and Amiga computers.

Location: 3100 Airport Way S, Seattle WA 98134 (old rainier brewery at Intraspace in front of Lula Coffee) Hours: 11am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday Admission: FREE - (Donations can be made to SDF.ORG)

Does anybody have any experience of trying to fit internal storage into their ST? I'd prefer to have everything all in one unit drawing from the internal PSU if possible. I'm using a 1040 STFM.

I've seen references to a product called Lightning ST which has a wiki page but no indication of whether or where it is for sale.

I've also found this project: https://github.com/agranlund/STBlitter_RevA but no reviews or information from people who have built it.

If you have tried it, what kind of clearance issues did you have? Did you run without shielding? Did you cut parts of the shielding away? How does it fit with other expansions e.g. 4mb RAM?

cross-posted from: https://sopuli.xyz/post/818040

AmigaGPT is a text generation program that runs on the classic AmigaOS. Utilising the power of the OpenAI's GPT-3 and GPT-4 architectures, this program brings state-of-the-art language modeling to your Amiga computer.

I turned my Octane into a bad ass workstation for cruising the deep web :D