Retro Computing :D Now what to do with it???!!

[Nutcase]

Just picked this up off freecycle. No idea why, just used to have them at school and fancied it :)

http://www.saabcentral.com/phpgallery/albums/Allsorts/DSCF1233.sized.jpg

Now what the heck do I do with it???!!! ;D It's an A3020 so pretty basic, don't think it's even got an econet port :( And the hard drive is either dead or wiped. I can hear it chuntering, but throws up and adfs error.

[Goose]

Red function keys?

[iCraig]

Retro project. Fit a linux system into it, or maybe turn it into a coffee table. :D

[Feek]

Put it back on eBay?

[Nutcase]

Don't think anyone ever did a linux type of thing for an acorn risc machine did they?

ebay sounds good ;D

[Mark]

A3020 - circa 1992 then. :)

I'll see that and raise you a 1988 RM Nimbus. :)


NAME Archimedes A3020
MANUFACTURER Acorn Computer
TYPE Professional Computer
ORIGIN United Kingdom
YEAR 1992
BUILT IN LANGUAGE BBC BASIC / RISC OS 3.1
KEYBOARD Full-stroke PC-102 style
CPU ARM 250 32 bit RISC
SPEED 12 MHz
CO-PROCESSOR MEMC (memory), VIDC (Video and Sound), IOC (I/O)
RAM 2 MB (up to 4Mb possible with socketed zip ram chips)
ROM 1 MB
SOUND 8 voices
I/O PORTS Centronics, RS423, VGA, Network, 1 expansion slot (same as A4000, A3000 and A3020)
BUILT IN MEDIA One 3.5
OS RISC OS 3.11
POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit
PRICE £749 with floppy, £899 with a 60Mb hard disk.

[Nutcase]

Yup, dated '92. I have several BBC's from the mid 80's up to '89 I think :)

And an intel "SDK" from late 70's which uses a seven segment display thing. No idea what it's supposed to do, but it turns on and lights up ;D

[Mark]

Grandparents used to have an Acorn Electron (the 'corners cut' BBC Micro). Dunno what happened to it. Wouldn't mind having a play with that again for some retro action.

[Burble]

This thread has inspired me to go into the loft next time I'm at my parents place and dig out the BBC model B that's still up there.

From what I remember the floppy drive is buggered so no doubt I'll ged fed up of waiting an hour for games to load from tape and then shove the thing away again.

[Zirax]

I have an Acorn 3020 o/ Keep the mouse as its worth a sodding fortune! I had sooo sooo much fun on them as a kid. Infact I have an entire box full of games. Arcade soccer, quazar, e-type, hostages :D

If you get rid, pass it over here as my monitor blew up.
-----------------------------

On the retro gaming thread, I have the original megadrive with arcade style joypads (v.v.rare) thats just begging for some old school fun. I'll have to dig it out at some point

[Matblack]

My father and I built one of these when I was 7

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2442/280pxzx80126d6410nd9.jpg

Now thats retro :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_ZX80

MB

[Mark]

Remarkably, that's the first time I've ever seen one of those. :o

[Matblack]

LOL

Its younger brother was more famous, maybe because the 80 had issues such as this

The video display generator of the ZX80 used minimal hardware plus a combination of software to generate a video signal. As a result of this approach the ZX80 could only generate a picture when it was idle, i.e. waiting for a key to be pressed. When running a BASIC program, or even when pressing as key for any input, the display would, therefore, black out momentarily to support the function!

We built one of these too and I had the 15k RAM pack for it taking it up to a whopping 16k!

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1762/280pxsinclairzx8112722cvt3.jpg

MB

[Mark]

Seen those. I can't remember if it was the ZX81 or Spectrum I started my programming 'career' with. Definitely did 'stuff' with the Spectrum though - an upgraded one at that - with proper size keyboard and microdrives. :cool: :)

[FakeSnake]

I loved my zx80 and zx81!

my mother worked as a design tech at 'Kempston Micro' who, in the day were huge in the sinclair market

[rich99]

I have an Apple IIe (think that's it anyway) at home under my bed - will have to get some pics :p

Got it from a friend who had it kicking around in her loft, thankfully we were raised on Spectrums then Amigas before getting sidetracked by a P100 :o

[Nutcase]

I had a IIe for a while, with twin disc drives etc. Didn't really want it as not my thing, but couldn't find any takers so it went to the tip :(

Wish ebay was around then! Our old Vic 20 went the same way (but when I wasn't in - I'd have definitely kept that!!!).

Zirax, if you're interested you can have it :)

[Feek]

I will get my Acorn Atoms out and take pictures :)