Old Computers

So, I got a Turbo232 Clone to beta test for the cost of shipping as long as I agreed to actually test it and then post a review. It works, so done and done. It got me wanting to put a C128 back online, so getting everything ready. I'll set up a slave rpi as a gateway, using a serial console in a tiny Linux distro.

Here some pics from testing of the device.

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51590bps?! My god man at that speed the bits will suffocate due to the air being sucked out of their lungs! Think of those poor little bits!

Next thing you'll be telling me is that Railway Locamotives have somehow managed to exceed 100MPH!!

:lol:

Seroiusly though, it's great to see these old girls being given new leases of life :pint:
 
the_leander said:
51590bps?! My god man at that speed the bits will suffocate due to the air being sucked out of their lungs! Think of those poor little bits!
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Well keep in mind the Turbo232 is early 1990s tech. This is a clone of that. In theory with the right protocol / circumstance could push twice this number on a stock 128. With an accelerator maybe 4 times that. But still, yeah, old tech! Retro is just that, retro :banana:
 
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Robert said:
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28-Amp Power Supply!??!?! Good lord, the thing electrocute you if you enter something wrong? It really could do Star Trek style explosions for an overload! :D Assuming that is 120 volt (US, reasonable assumption) I think that'd be something like the equivalent of a 3400 watt power supply. LOL!
 
ilwrath said:
28-Amp Power Supply!??!?! Good lord, the thing electrocute you if you enter something wrong? It really could do Star Trek style explosions for an overload! :D Assuming that is 120 volt (US, reasonable assumption) I think that'd be something like the equivalent of a 3400 watt power supply. LOL!
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It got me at 10 slot S-100 motherboard! Me wants! (Despite needing a power plant in your back yard to power)
 
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Robert said:
I'd be surprised. Turns out there's still a 25-strong Amiga user group in Glasgow (who knew?) and he said he'll donate to them what he doesn't use himself.
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So, I went along to the pre-Christmas meet up and was warmly welcomed as "the guy who donated all the Amiga gear". Nice bunch of folk and I think I'll go along to the next one too. Might even take my Peg1 along as that was one machine that didn't seem to be represented.

Some pics of the meet
 
ilwrath said:
28-Amp Power Supply!??!?! Good lord, the thing electrocute you if you enter something wrong? It really could do Star Trek style explosions for an overload! :D Assuming that is 120 volt (US, reasonable assumption) I think that'd be something like the equivalent of a 3400 watt power supply. LOL!
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It has to be US 220V then (two breakers, two 120V circuits off phase). 28 amp is too big for single breakers in most residences (20 Amp), and too close to the max breaker rating in most commercial buildings (30 Amp). 14 amp on each leg, but yeah PSU something like 3,400 Watt. That's old school sever territory.
 
ilwrath said:
28-Amp Power Supply!??!?! Good lord, the thing electrocute you if you enter something wrong? It really could do Star Trek style explosions for an overload! :D Assuming that is 120 volt (US, reasonable assumption) I think that'd be something like the equivalent of a 3400 watt power supply. LOL!
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Star Trek explosions that makes people jump away from?
 
I don't know how many of you guys are into keyboards, but I know I've developed a bit of a fascination with them as of late, I picked up this Datacomp DFK191 from eBay recently:

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It's a bit yellow, but the Alps SKCM White's seem to be in really good condition with no binding at all. I've always loved Cherry MX Blue's however having used these, I think I have a new favourite, they even feel better than IBM buckling springs :eek:
 
adz said:
I don't know how many of you guys are into keyboards..
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The A4000 keyboard was always a favourite of mine but it was included in the pile of gear I gave away.
 
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adz said:
I don't know how many of you guys are into keyboards, but I know I've developed a bit of a fascination with them as of late, I picked up this Datacomp DFK191 from eBay recently:

It's a bit yellow, but the Alps SKCM White's seem to be in really good condition with no binding at all. I've always loved Cherry MX Blue's however having used these, I think I have a new favourite, they even feel better than IBM buckling springs :eek:
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Mmmmm… So tactile and clicky. That keyboard even looks clicky. I have an SGI Granite keyboard with Alps switches. It's always a joy to use. (Also loud enough to be annoying to everyone else in the room! lol!)
 
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ilwrath said:
Mmmmm… So tactile and clicky. That keyboard even looks clicky. I have an SGI Granite keyboard with Alps switches. It's always a joy to use. (Also loud enough to be annoying to everyone else in the room! lol!)
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Yeah, it's clicky allright! I'd love to get my hands on a IBM Model F as I am led to believe that is the epitome of buckling springs.
 
Ya'll probably know Commodore 8bit computers (mainly C128 and C64) are my soft spot. You never forget your first love. This is something I have been following for 6 years. The release date is almost here.

HOT NEWS! Super Mario Bros is coming to the C64!

VIDEO LINK HERE (can't embed for some reason)

It is finished. The author of the port stated on Lemon 2 days ago that it would be released in "a couple of days". It will happen any time now. He even answered a lot of questions today, see below cut & paste from Lemon64.

DEV UPDATE : antoniomauro: Yes, it relies on the VSP-technique for scrolling.
redrumloa (and others): It will try to detect and use any kind of turbo functionality, such as:
- Commodore 128 (2 MHz in the border)
- C64 DTV
- Schnedler Systems Turbo Master CPU (untested)
- Swisscomp Turbo Processor (untested)
- Rossmoeller Flash 8 (untested)
- CMD SuperCPU Accelerator (untested)
- Icomp Turbo Chameleon 64
It works on xscpu64 (VICE), so it should hopefully work on a SuperCPU, but you never know.
Generally speaking, at times you do notice the slowdowns on a stock C64. The music makes you aware of the speed, so you tend to compensate for it. I have finished the game on a stock C64 many times. A Commodore 128 does improve the experience a lot.
Jammet: Have you not heard NESsivE ATtaCK? That music disk inspired me in the first place.
Overlay: The game is controlled using joystick (or gamepad) in either control port and supports 2 button joysticks (using POT X, like the C64GS joystick).
m0lebrain: The pixel ratios are different depending on the TV-standards. If you are from United States, you are used to taller C64-pixels (because there are only 262/263 lines on a NTSC C64, compared to 312 on PAL/PAL-N C64). You can see in the video that a Commodore 64, PAL was detected in the option screen.

To say I am excited about this would be an understatement. I own a PAL 64. I own a 128. I own a Turbo Chameleon. I own a SuperCPU 128 (recently re-acquired). It has a been a decades only dream for a proper 64 port, and yes this is a proper 64 port. It is a near perfect 1-1 port, as it is based on reverse engineered original code for the NES. That's why there is some slowdown on a stock system.
 
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