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

Fri Aug 26 19:26:18 EDT 2011

On 08/26/2011 05:02 PM, Bob Devries wrote:
> 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.
>

Cool.  Thanks, Bob.  I'm actually a member of the n8vem forum, but 
haven't checked it out in a long time.  I probably still have some 
working SCSI drives I could put in the MM/1 (it's just a matter of 
finding the time and motivation to do it and then re-install OS-9) but 
the supply is inevitably dwindling.  Even parallel ATA drives are 
becoming harder to find new.  I'm glad to know about this.  I think 
there are, or were, commercial SCSI->IDE adapters available, but my 
recollection was that I wasn't enthusiastic about paying the price they 
wanted for them.  Maybe I should check into it again.

JCE

> 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? :)
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Coco mailing list
>>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>>
>>
>>
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