Old Computers [PREV] Not your conventional cassette player..

Discussion in 'Home Audio Gear Chat Area' started by Chris, Aug 28, 2017.

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  1. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    There was a different, cheaper one on eBay as well but it didn't include any software. With any of the cheap programmers they are useless without that. Many of them use "bit banging" from the computers parallel port to do the programming.
     
    Longman, Jan 23, 2024
    #101
  2. Michelle Knight

    Michelle Knight Active Member

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    Parallel port eh... er... what's one of those ;-)
     
    Michelle Knight, Jan 24, 2024
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  3. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    This is neat, MCI "E-Mail" from 1988, I love the laptop! I bet it was a zillion dollars at the time.


    email 1988.jpg
     
    Mister X, Jan 24, 2024
    #103
  4. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Another cool little portable, the Sharp Zaurus from 1995, anybody familar with this little guy? The Newton came out in 93 so this isn't a trend-setter but I remember how we were all promised electronic note-pads in the future. Soon, computers wouldn't need a keyboard, you'd be able to do it all with a stylus.


    Sharp Zaurus 1995.png
     
    Mister X, Jan 26, 2024
    #104
  5. Michelle Knight

    Michelle Knight Active Member

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    Don't remember that, but I think I still have my Palm T3 somewhere in the attic.
     
    Michelle Knight, Jan 26, 2024
    #105
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  6. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    After the microcomputers the little note pads took off like a rocket. I was in sales and loved the idea of having so much information without carrying around a laptop. Personally I had an HP but watched with excitment when some guys broke from Palm and started Handspring, after that everyone was making a copy. I think I used my HP until around 2008 then I just went full laptop with MS Streets and Trips installed with the GPS Dongle. Here's a link to a cool article about the good old days.

    https://the-gadgeteer.com/2019/02/0...e-remembering-the-palmpilot-and-its-spinoffs/
     
    Mister X, Jan 26, 2024
    #106
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  7. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Check out this aiwa from 1994, what a killer design, too bad we never saw this over here.


    aiwa computer.jpg
     
    Mister X, Mar 20, 2024
    #107
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  8. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    Nine years later Sony had gone flatscreen
     
    Longman, Mar 20, 2024
    #108
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  9. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Over here you'd think Sony and aiwa would have a huge computer following but we mostly had Packard Bell, Compaq, ACER, AST and a few more. They were cheap, around $600 with lots of discounts compared with over $1500 USD for a real IBM.
    https://dfarq.homeip.net/90s-computer-brands/
     
    Mister X, Mar 20, 2024
    #109
  10. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    1991 and a newspaper advert for the types of computers teenagers (or their parents) could afford. I bought the Atari ST Discovery Pack the year before.
    1991 Amiga 1.jpg
    1991 Amiga 2.jpg
     
    Longman, Nov 3, 2024
    #110
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  11. lupogtiboy

    lupogtiboy Well-Known Member

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    The Amiga Cartoon Classic pack! I remember opening that with my brother on Christmas Day in 1991, never expecting to get one. We'd both asked for a computer, but were constantly told it was 'too expensive' which it obviously was! We thought it was a Scalextrix when our parents presented the large box, which we both had been more than happy with, but our eyes lit up when we opened this! We still have it today, with it's box and loads of extra games, which I must set-up again and have a mess about on it soon
     
    lupogtiboy, Nov 4, 2024
    #111
  12. Michiel

    Michiel Member S2G Supporter

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    Tandy says hello :)

    Hello stereo.jpg
     
    Michiel, Nov 4, 2024
    #112
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  13. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Those were a lot of fun, I had a chance to work with one around 1986 but I think I had to program most of the programs I used.
     
    Mister X, Nov 4, 2024
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  14. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    Made by Kyocera, apparently it is the last computer to have code written by Bill Gates in it.
    I have read they were popular with journalists who could use the built in modem to submit their news rather than having to dictate it over the phone to someone at head office.
     
    Longman, Nov 4, 2024
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  15. Michiel

    Michiel Member S2G Supporter

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    That's right, me too. That's why I still use it sometimes. Learned as a child, because there was no software for it. Now if I want to make a calculation that I want to experiment with, I just write a short Basic program on it. But also small database things, such as colors according to values for resistors or ESR values. It's still a fun and easy machine to use. Immediately ready for use is also great. I also have a TI-85 and TI-92 calculator for the same thing.
     
    Michiel, Nov 5, 2024
    #115
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  16. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Back in the Dungeons and Dragon Days we'd program in the dice rolls, some of the dice went up to twenty (or more?).
     
    Mister X, Nov 5, 2024
    #116
  17. Michiel

    Michiel Member S2G Supporter

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    With a random generator that isn't really random ;) I used to program the same thing too :)
     
    Michiel, Nov 7, 2024
    #117
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  18. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Mister X, Nov 7, 2024
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