computer stuff

Welcome to the computers part of NothingLess.org.
See my Linux page for my experiences using the Debian GNU/Linux system
There's a seperate page for my MSX collection and another page for my Videopac collection.

Another hobby of mine is to collect old computers, mostly so-called home computers from around the time of the Commodore C-64 and the MSX series. The first computer I worked on was a C-64 from the local library. Then I got a Philips VG-8010 MSX at home, and later bought an Amiga 500 (had to sell the MSX, though :( ). Now I work on PC-clones like everyone else, but I also have some older computers ready to run. On this page I will show my collection and some useful links. Not everything is here yet, but eventually it will (with photos of my equipment).

2004/03/14: Who can identify this card? It looks like a ISA riser card/slotexpander but I have no idea which computer it belongs to.

2004/03/13: New: Commodore C16 and power supply. Unfortunately the same as my Plus/4 below (or is it me? :)
2004/03/13: New: Commodore Plus/4 and power supply. Unfortunately the Plus/4 doesn't seem to work properly, power LED is on, but screen only goes dark without text.
2004/03/01: Added page about my Palm IIIc
2003/01/30: Some updates to MSX and Videopac collection
2002/07/27: Bought a BS-500AS NES clone
2002/07/04: Bought a Philips G7000 Videopac machine.
2002/04/24: Bought a Philips :YES for 1 Euro.
2001/12/05: Added MSX page
2001/10/02: Bought two pocket calculators: TI-1200 and Qualitron 2444R/16
2001/09/13: Bought a Philips VG-8230
2001/09/13: Bought a Tokyo Sportsman and another 'pong'-like game computer
2001/09/08: Bought a Super Nintendo (SNES)
2001/09/02: Bought a Timex Sinclair 1000
2001/05/21: Added TRS-80 Model 100
2001/03/24: Started this page

Atari 600XL
8-bit color home computer

Atari 1040STfm
16/32 bit (SixteenThirtytwo) Motorola 68000 system with GUI based on GEM and built-in MIDI ports, including 3,5" floppy drive and TV modulator.
With SF-314 external 3,5" floppy drive
With original box

BS-500AS NES clone
An obscure (and even illegal?) NES clone.
Includes one (yellow color) game cartridge with a few games-
pictures: console + box, motorrace screenshot, menu screenshot.

Philips G7000 Videopac
A popular game computer (Odyssey2 in the US)
Unfortunately it seems to be defective, as I get only garbage on the screen.
Made in France, Model G7000/21, SF01141.
Odyssey2 homepage

Philips :YES P2016-2
An incompatible XT-like PC with 80186 CPU.
This is the two 3,5" FDD model. The keyboard slides under the housing. Thanks to Walter Belgers and Peter de Vroomen I now have a working system with special :YES DOS bootdisk.
Bought it for 1 Euro at the annual flea market in Hilvarenbeek.
Allard Schaap has one
Stefan Mansier has one
This guy has one

Texas Instruments 1200 pocket calculator
I'm not sure if you would call this a computer, since it is not programmable by the user, but it's an old piece of computer history nevertheless. Similar to the calculators you use in school, but thicker, and with only the basic functions. It's got a really nice 8-digit red LED display, different from the current LCD displays. It works fine after I replaced the rusty 9V battery by a new one. Released about the time when I was born (in 1976), it cost me HFL 1 (less than EUR/US$ 0.50). Serial number is SP0005699.

Qualitron 2444R/16 pocket calculator ('slide rule')
An old Taiwanese calculator with a green 9-digit, 7-segment per digit (plus '.') display. I believe Stan Shih, the founder of computer giant Acer, first worked for this company before he decided to make PCs. Bought it for HFL 1, not tested (yet) because it needs a 'suitable battery charger or AC adaptor'. It's got the basic functions, plus memory, sqrt, x^2 and 1/x functions.

Schneider CPC6128
128Kb Colour Personal Computer with built-in 3" floppy drive and GT 65 green monitor

Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Not really old yet, but a nice game computer
Released: 1991
Bought at an auction for NLG 26
Takes cartridges
PAL version, display on TV
Game console, so no keyboard, only a game pad
16-bit CPU, 16-bit PPU, 8-bit APU, 128Kb RAM, 16Kb Video RAM, 256 colors out of 32768, 512x448
Game cartridges I have: Super Mario All-Stars, Tintin Au Tibet/Kuifje in Tibet, Mortal Kombat
What I find most noticeable about this system is that the buttons, connectors, etc. seem to be made very much kid-proof which ofcourse is good for a game system
Current location: In our games room, being heavily tested by my housemates :)

Timex Sinclair 1000
First cheap 'real' computer
Original price: about US$100
Released: 1981
Bought at: flea market for NLG 10 (with box, without manual and PSU)
2Kb of RAM
BASIC in ROM
CPU: Zilog Z80
40 key Membrane keyboard
Similar to and compatible with the ZX81
TV output switcheable between channels 3 and 4 (US NTSC?)
Not tested (yet)
Current Location: In its original box in my room.
myoldcomputers.com

Tandy TRS-80 Model 100
"The original laptop computer"
Original price: about US$799
Bought at: flea market for NLG 5 (around US$2)
32Kb of RAM.
32Kb of ROM includes a kind of file manager, Microsoft BASIC, address book and terminal program.
CPU: OKI MSM80C85ARS (iNTEL 8085 clone)
Runs on 4 AA-type batteries (6V)
Built-in b&w 240*64 LCD screen with contrast wheel
Bar code reader port (DB-9, looks like a home computer joystick port)
Serial, printer and data recorder ports
Current location: In my room most of the time (ready to run)
Web100
Club 100 user group.
The Little 100 in Africa
Computer Closet nice photos
TRS-80.com

IBM PS/2 Model 56 SX (8556-045)
System Unit - Type # F826-23
8 Megabyte of RAM.
2.88 Megabyte 3,5" floppy disk drive
16-bit Micro Channel bus
iNTEL 80386SX at 20MHz
PS/2 keyboard and mouse connectors
80Mb SCSI hard disk drive (at SCSI id 6)
VGA-compatible on-board with 256Kb memory
Olicom Token-Ring MCA 16/4 network card
Current location: the attic
IBM page about this machine
A page from Alfred Arnold about his 56SX
Kees Stravers' PS/2 computers

IBM PS/2 Model 56 SX (8556-043)
2.88 Megabyte 3,5" floppy disk drive
16-bit Micro Channel bus
iNTEL 80386SX at 20MHz
PS/2 keyboard and mouse connectors
IBM Token Ring 16/4 adapter /A short model
Current location: the attic
For links see my other PS/2

Monitors
CTX PR-960F 19" VGA (and higher) Trinitron
Commodore 1702 PAL, CVBS connectors on front and back
Apple M1212 color monitor for Macintosh
Grundig pm015rgb PAL monitor with SCART on back

Kees' computer home
Allard's Computer Museum Groningen
Ruud Baltissen
Hans Otten
Manuel Bilderbeek MSX
F.J. Kraan
Sander Schram: Atari-NL
Henk's DIGITAL computer room PDP/11
Jetze Mellema
Lino Lampers
Stefan Mansier's oldcomputercollection.com includes bootscreens
Ton den Hartog
Gabriele Bozzi
Stijn Wolters

The Dot Eaters/The Number Crunchers A German page about old games and computers
Verzameling Oude Computers A Dutch collector
House for retired and aged computers 16-bit minicomputers private collection
University of Virginia
Vintage computer lab message board
Computergarage by Peter Zwijnenburg
Carl Friend's minicomputer museum
Paul Pierce's computer collection
Jim's computer garage
www.pugo.org by Anders Karlsson
www.silicium.org a French museum
Virtual computer museum of Albert Stuurman
HCM HomeComputer Museum big German collection
heimcomputer.de another german collector
8-bit nirvana yet another German collector
computer-archiv big listing of manufacturers and their models
Zzap64 a C=64 magazine
MSX startpagina
Oude computers startpagina