[Coco] Anyone else collect other old computers/game consoles beside the Coco?

[Bob Devries]

Joel,

I see your comment about your MM/1 needing a new hard drive.

At this time on the N8VEM mailing list, there is in development a SCSI to 
IDE adaptor. This will make it much cheaper to install a new hard drive. I'm 
looking to get one or two of these also to replace ailing SCSI drives.

http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/browse/#view=ViewFolder&param=MINI%20SCSI%20to%20IDE%20prototypes

Regards, Bob Devries
Dalby, QLD, Australia


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joel Ewy" <jcewy at swbell.net>
To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2011 1:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Coco] Anyone else collect other old computers/game consoles 
beside the Coco?


> The CoCo was my first computer, and will always remain at the top of my 
> list.  But I love all kinds of archaic computers, and I've managed to 
> accumulate quite a pile of them, in various states of functionality.  Here 
> is a list from memory of some of the classics I have (excluding most of 
> the IBM compatible hardware, except especially interesting stuff):
>
> CoCo Stuff:
> 2 512K CoCo 3s (1 with 63C09E, 1 repacked in a mini-tower case, back when 
> that was the cool thing to do)
> 1 128K CoCo 3
> 1 Spartan 3 CoCo3FPGA
> 2 CoCo 2s
> 1 CoCo (1) (Upgraded to 64K ECB, through 16K, from 4K -- my first 
> computer -- in pretty rough cosmetic shape)
> 1 4K CoCo (in pretty nice condition)
> 1 TC-9 Tomcat (sometimes boots)
> 1 Blackhawk MM/1 9M (Needs a new HD, at the moment)
> Various CoCo floppy drives, joysticks, game cartridges, and other 
> hardware, including 1 newer-style MPI, a DISTO Super Controller, and a 
> couple SCIIs, the DISTO EPROM programmer, and a couple 4-in-1 boards, a 
> Glenside IDE, a DS-69B Digisector, an Orchestra-90cc, et cetera.
>
> Other Tandy Stuff:
> 1 TRS-80 Model 3
> 1 TRS-80 Model 4
> 1 Tandy Model 100 (Got wet, and probably needs help)
> 1 Tandy 1000 HX
> several less interesting Tandy 1000 models
> Tandy 4000 with 16 1M SIMMs, TI '486 upgrade processor, running WFW 3.11, 
> and hosting an MCT UDP.
>
> Commodore:
> 2 Commodore 64s (one has a video problem) (1 Enhancer 2000 aftermarket 
> floppy drive.)
> 1 Commodore 128 (has some broken keys on the keyboard, but works)
> 1 Amiga 1000 2M RAM
> 2 Amiga 500 (1 with external HD (needs new drive))
>
> Apple Stuff:
> 1 Apple ][e (rescued from a dumpster -- is in obvious need of restoration)
> 1 Apple 2 motherboard of some sort -- probably broken
> 3 Apple 2c (1 is broken)
> 3 Apple 2gs (I have 1 3.5" drive that will work with the 2gses, but I 
> recently set up an old Mac with AppleShare server so that the 2gses can 
> remote boot over Localtalk, which is pretty slick.)
> 2 Macintosh Plus (1 has a bad analog board)
> 1 Macintosh Classic
> 1 Mac II
> 2 Mac LC II
> 1 Mac LC III
> 3 or 4 Mac IIci
> 3 or 4 Quadra 700
> 2 or 3 Performa 6xx
> 1 Quadra 660AV
> 2 Quadra 840AV
> Loads of other assorted '68K and PPC Macs (some of the '68K macs have had 
> Debian/m68k installed)
>
> CP/M:
> 1 Morrow Micro Decision
> 2 Osborne
> 1 Kaypro 4 (also some Kaypro passive backplane 8088 PC parts)
> 2 or 3 Epson ROM-based CP/M laptop-like computers reminiscent of the Model 
> 100
> (One of my earliest computer experiences was playing 'Hunt the Wumpus' on 
> a Northstar Horizon that the mother of one of my classmates brought to 
> school to show us when I was in 4th grade.)
>
> Miscellaneous:
> 2 Atari 2600 and a few games (the only Atari game I really liked was 
> Warlords)
> Magnavox Odyssey2 that has never worked for me
> 3 TI/99-4A (only 1 working keyboard between them, a pair of joysticks, and 
> a box of game cartridges) (I also have some TI Professional Computers 
> [MS-DOS, but not completely IBM compatible] including 2 luggables)
> 1 Timex/Sinclair 1000 in aftermarket case that includes a 'real' keyboard 
> (with some games on cassette)
> An SGI Indy and a couple large blue SGI workstations (I did have the Indy 
> up and running Irix a few years back)
> An IBM POWERstation 355 (takes FOREVER to boot)
>
> I've also got 'custodianship' of the remains of 2 SWTPC 6809 systems (only 
> 1 CPU board remaining, but lots of other boards) belonging to the late 
> co-worker of one of my friends.  I'm very slowly trying to make it do 
> something useful.  I'd like to make it boot OS-9.
>
> I've never been able to get my hands on any Atari computer (not game 
> console) hardware at a price I can afford (which is little to nothing) 
> with the exception of 2 external Atari 3.5" floppy drives.
>
> JCE
>
>
> On 08/25/2011 06:11 PM, Jeremy Michea wrote:
>> I thought it might be an interesting discussion. Obviously we all love 
>> the Coco but what else do you love? Many of you may know that I'm a huge 
>> Atari fan and have been collecting for the Atari 2600/7800 and 8-bit line 
>> of computers for about 20 years now, on and off as it was my first 
>> console in 1980. Through the 80's I also owned the original Nintendo 
>> (NES) and Turbografx-16 but the only computer I used aside from PC's 
>> (late 80's and early 90's) was my beloved Coco.
>>
>> As a side note, I almost didn't get a coco. Brand loyalty at the time 
>> lead our family to buy an Atari 800XL but my father wasn't interested in 
>> buying all new software and games for a new system so a friend suggested 
>> the coco since he had all kinds of software to share with us (well, 
>> copied software on cassettes but as a 13 year old in 1982 I wasn't aware 
>> or concerned about piracy so that's another story) so we got a used Coco 
>> 1 with the chicklet keyboard, a cassette player and a bunch of cassettes 
>> with, yes, mostly games. I did do some homework but lets be honest, I 
>> spent most of my time playing some great coco 1 games.
>>
>> As another side, yet rambling note, what BBS's did any of you use back in 
>> the day? Here in Southern Ontario, the one I used the most in my area was 
>> called "Route 66". I believe it was the only coco based BBS in my area 
>> where it seemed predominately Commodore 64. Also downloaded a lot of 
>> software from Route 66 as well as a local coco user group that met once a 
>> month in a local french public school.
>>
>> I remember being so excited when the Coco 3 was announced. I spent the 
>> summer prior to its release in the glorious field (literally) of corn 
>> detasseling to save up the money to buy my brand new Coco 3. I remember 
>> being in complete awe of the demo in the store and the manager was nice 
>> enough to make a disk copy that I played a lot at home. :)
>>
>> Anyway, I've rambled enough. Anyone else have any stories about their 
>> other retro passions, coco musings, etc? :)
>>
>> -- 
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>>
>
>
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