View Full Version : 1980's (90's) Computer fun.
So, which did you own?
http://0.static.wix.com/media/9f9ebf_25fe51046d4766ae6e836af783f45b4a.jpg_256
I started with a Sinclair ZX81 family pack (ZX81, Sinclair 16k ram pack, Sinclair printer and three Psion games. I still have this system packed up in it's original box complete with manuals and games. Saving it for a rainy day :)
http://oldwww.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/images/spectrum_48k.jpg
I moved on from there to a Sinclair Spectrum 16k (couldn't afford the 48k machine) with its 'dead flesh' keyboard. It soon became apparent that 16k memory was insufficient to run the best games so I bought a second-hand 48k machine around a year later. As well as the Spectrum I also ended up with a prototype Commodore 64 (housed in a modified and de-badged Vic20 case). I acquired this machine from a good friend who worked in the Commodore R&D lab at the old Corby factory. I wish I'd hung onto this as it is probably worth something to the right people these days (this will be a recurring theme in the thread I'd wager) :doh:
http://www.grospixels.com/site/images/oric/oric1.jpghttp://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/oric_atmos_a.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Bf6hSJaCL._SX300_.jpg
An Oric 1 joined the fray soon after (nice machine, shit keyboard) as did an Acorn Electron. The Electron was a lovely machine to use and looked more classy than its bigger brother, the BBC Model B, to my eyes, no Mode 7 graphics on the Electron though which hobbled it somewhat. The Oric 1 is still about somewhere (probably in the garage) as is its successor, the Oric Atmos, which sports a proper keyboard making it a far nicer proposition to use.
http://www.tradeinpost.com/www.tradeinpost.com/atarist1.jpg
After a brief flirtation with a Jupiter Ace, its USP being that it was the first home computer not to come bundled with Basic (it was designed around the Forth programming language), I set the bar high and saved up for an Atari 1040 STe. This computer was a revelation to me, not least because I no longer had to wait tem minutes to install a program due to the built in 3.5" floppy drive. The main reason I plumped for a 1040STe over the slightly more capable Amiga from Commodore was that mine came bundled with an early version of Cubase which subsequently lead to hours of fun sodding about with music and various synthesisers via the ST's native Midi functionality.
Windows PC's were der rigour for me after the Atari, all self-built, on up to the present day, however I miss the excitement and sheer diversity of those 1980's pioneers with a passion. Happy days... :)
walpurgis
01-09-2014, 10:08
I'm a relative 'newbie' when it comes to computers. Bought my first, an Acer laptop in 2004 and taught myself how to use it. But I found a clean, boxed Commodore (64 I think) for a couple of quid in a charity shop and got sixty nicker for it on eBay. There is now great interest in early computers it seems. They no longer go in the skip!
It doesn't seem that long ago but it is....A pal of mine had the 1K ZX81 which was a technological marvel at the time, when the Spectrum came out he got one of those. I too ended up with the 16K version since the 48K was considerably more expensive. Fortunately my 16K died before the warranty expired and WH Smith replaced it with a 48K as they had stopped doing the 16K version since there was no demand for it except from people with skinflint fathers like me....
Thanks to Sinclairs inability to make a product that could last out the warranty period I eventually upgraded in this same fashion to the 'plus' version with the fancy keyboard.
I was a pretty good programmer with BASIC and could do pretty much anything, I wrote quite a few games that were of commercial standard and I used to help out the kids in my class who were doing O level computer studies. Then I discovered beer and girls and forgot all about it.
Incidentally the Jupiter ACE used Fortran I think, not Forth. There was also a machine that used the awful PASCAL as well I think but I don't recall what it was called. If you could afford a BBC B or an Electron your were rich (or your folks were). There was also the Dragon 32 which looked a bit like the BBC and was pretty good, having a proper keyboard. A bit undersung that one.
Oddest thing I ever had was the 'Sinclair PC' with add on hard drive, but that was much later, early 'nineties.
One thing that pisses me off these days is the crappy quality of keyboards. The things they issue for the PCs at work are awful, made of tic tac box plastic with hardly any key travel whereas I recall the first home machines like the Apple II, 380Z and the various Tandy's and Commodores all had superb quality keyboards and then things went rapidly downhill from there.
The Amiga was after my time but I recall a mate at University had one and it was massively impressive to me since I had had pretty much a five year break from computers. He even had Cu-Base running on it.
Work computer around 1987. A 'Sirius' which ran DOS, Multiplan (spreadsheet) & Delta (database). Had a built in 5mb(!) hard drive with an external drive for back ups.
http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/royssirius_zps6ffd1dd7.jpg
mmmm...dot matrix printers where you had to align the sprockets up with the holes in the paper and if you didn't get it right you printed across the page break and had to start all over again. Okay, modern printers are still a pain in the arse but compared to those old things they are a marvel.
The Black Adder
02-09-2014, 13:44
Daisywheel printers were fooking loud though... lol
It doesn't seem that long ago but it is....A pal of mine had the 1K ZX81 which was a technological marvel at the time, when the Spectrum came out he got one of those. I too ended up with the 16K version since the 48K was considerably more expensive. Fortunately my 16K died before the warranty expired and WH Smith replaced it with a 48K as they had stopped doing the 16K version since there was no demand for it except from people with skinflint fathers like me....
Thanks to Sinclairs inability to make a product that could last out the warranty period I eventually upgraded in this same fashion to the 'plus' version with the fancy keyboard.
Ah the Plus, forgot about that one. I acquired a 128+ from somewhere (a mate probably) just before Amstrad bought out Sinclair and stuck a cassette drive in the redesigned trademark Amstrad enclosure. The Sinclair 128+ was housed in a similar case to the 48k version however it sported a heatsink on the right side of the case.
Incidentally the Jupiter ACE used Fortran I think, not Forth.
Nah Martin, definitely Forth matey ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_Ace
Oddest thing I ever had was the 'Sinclair PC' with add on hard drive, but that was much later, early 'nineties.
Not familiar with that one but another friend of mine did have a Sinclair QL complete with 'dongle'. Extra points to whomever can remember why the QL initially shipped with its infamous appendage. Built in removable data storage in this machine were two of Sinclairs absolutely dreadfull Microdrives... :eek:
Work computer around 1987. A 'Sirius' which ran DOS, Multiplan (spreadsheet) & Delta (database). Had a built in 5mb(!) hard drive with an external drive for back ups.
http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/royssirius_zps6ffd1dd7.jpg
Aha, the ACT Sirius 1 had a a baby brother called the Apricot IIRC. 80's computers were bursting with vitamin C, Apples, Apricots and Tangerines could all be found in the old digital fruit bowl... :lol:
I can remember the QL coming out and I wanted one quite badly but could not afford it. There was a game brought out for the Spectrum where if you were the first to finish it they would give you a QL but I couldn't afford to buy the game, either...
http://www.rwapadventures.com/images/hardware/early_sinclair_ql_with_dongle.jpg
QL and 'dongle'
http://studium.chytrak.cz/nostalgia/Setup/Sinclair/ZxPages/Hw/Obr/128kplus.jpg
Speccy 128+
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/Sinclair_PC200_System_s1.jpg
PC200
:cool:
Will have one of these in the house very soon, will be fixing and restoring it for a mate. If you are Welsh be very proud, this hails from Swansea and was designed and manufactured there by MGT (Miles Gordon Technology) ;)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BDCqpuwRnf4/R7wE9pQXUAI/AAAAAAAAC0U/vYu1FKiHWSo/s400/sam+coupe.JPG
I had a Spectrum and an Acorn BBC one, then after a longish period without one I got a windows 95 one...so long ago I cant remember the make, but it cost me a fortune and my mpc abilities were shown up for what they were...ZILCH.:eek:
twickers
06-09-2014, 18:28
I had a ZX81 with the 16K expansion that was always F***ed. The bloody thing was always being taken back.
Then a bit later I got a Commodore 64 for chrimble. They were great. The Spectrum was good also, except for the colour bleed and shitty sound. Some of the best games in the 80's were from British software companies, many of which (apparently) weren't available to buy in America. I don't miss the tape loading times tho'. 20 mins for Football Manager.:eek: Fook that!
Yes, I'd forgot about the tapes and the time it took to load. 'R: Tape loading error' - that will be forever etched on my mind.
I'm not bothered about vintage computers that much but I would quite like one of those table top Scramble arcade machines you used to see in pubs occasionally. That is quite high on my list of pointless things to waste money on.
Yes, I'd forgot about the tapes and the time it took to load. 'R: Tape loading error' - that will be forever etched on my mind.
I'm not bothered about vintage computers that much but I would quite like one of those table top Scramble arcade machines you used to see in pubs occasionally. That is quite high on my list of pointless things to waste money on.
My first job involved assembling and testing those Martin... :)
My first job involved assembling and testing those Martin... :)
Cool first job. Mine was stacking shelves in Gateway. I have a pal who is big into pinball machines so I could get one through him but it would be a bit of an extravagance. I bet you got pretty god at Scramble with all that 'testing' ;)
Cool first job. Mine was stacking shelves in Gateway. I have a pal who is big into pinball machines so I could get one through him but it would be a bit of an extravagance. I bet you got pretty god at Scramble with all that 'testing' ;)
Scramble, Pacman, Defender, Phoenix, Space Invaders... Oh I was good. it's all the 'testing' you see, well that's what I told the boss anyway... :D
Five of my favourites, plus Asteroids, Bezerk, Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom, Gauntlet II and Galaxians. I've revisited some of them on emulators but it's not the same as playing on the proper machine.
I still have my C64, tape, floppy and Commodore monitor! Jeff Minter was my hero, he wrote some really addictive games.
I still have my C64, tape, floppy and Commodore monitor! Jeff Minter was my hero, he wrote some really addictive games.
http://www.lemon64.com/games/screenshots/full/a/attack_of_the_mutant_camels_02.gif
:)
Remember Zzap64! Still have a few copies somewhere, all those peek and poke commands aargh! And deciphering the programming symbols published in the magazine.....spend ages typing them in only to end up with a really poor game at the end. LOL!
Remember Zzap64! Still have a few copies somewhere, all those peek and poke commands aargh! And deciphering the programming symbols published in the magazine.....spend ages typing them in only to end up with a really poor game at the end. LOL!
Oh but it was fun though, the anticipation made it for me even though the results were, more often than not, a bit disappointing. Zzap64, now there's a blast from the past... :)
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