Clint Thompson Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 The original 800 is definitely one of the most 70s feeling computers I've ever owned - granted, rightfully so haha... very basic in package and typewriter appearance... but I'll never forget being blown away with its graphics and sound capabilities the first time I used one. After seeing dozens of other floppy drives, this one had me perplexed from the onset. I couldn't tell if I was looking at an 8-track style cartridge based storage system or some other sort of prorietary data storage tape drive. Once you get past the bulky and dated apperance though, there's a ton of fun to be had. It's whats on the inside that counts, so they say... lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I like the look of the 800. Yeah it's a bit typewriter but I like it. The peripherals were absurdly massive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I like the look of the 800. Yeah it's a bit typewriter but I like it. The peripherals were absurdly massive. Yeah, but ol' Jack had it straight with his policy of re-use. Look at how many peripherals were made using the same case as the 810. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yeah, but ol' Jack had it straight with his policy of re-use. Look at how many peripherals were made using the same case as the 810. Can't blame them really - from a business standpoint it definitely makes more sense to modify an existing mold. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy B. Coyote Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Though it may not be quite as classic or well known as some of the other computers in this thread, for my money there just isn't any classic PC with more aesthetic appeal than the Toshiba Libretto 50/70CT. It fits in your pocket and it runs Doom! What more could a handheld retro gaming fan want? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Though it may not be quite as classic or well known as some of the other computers in this thread, for my money there just isn't any classic PC with more aesthetic appeal than the Toshiba Libretto 50/70CT. It fits in your pocket and it runs Doom! What more could a handheld retro gaming fan want? That's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeguychicago Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 (edited) I always thought the Timex/Sinclair 2068 looked pretty sleek. Or the Apple //c Edited August 3, 2015 by bikeguychicago 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I'm totally surprised that nobody's mentioned the Mindset computer. It's obscure, but not nearly as obscure as some of the machines posted here so far. According to Wikipedia the machine made it into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The Mindset is kind of like an Amiga would have been if it had been Intel-based and ran MS-DOS. The graphics resolutions and color palette was much the same as the Atari ST, but like the Amiga it had hardware graphics assist, interlaced display modes and could genlock video. Also like the Amiga, it was designed by ex-Atari engineers. I've never seen one for real, but I knew about it BITD and might even have bought one if I could afford it. History says that would have been a bad decision (I got an Amiga 1000 instead), but the Mindset is still a cool-looking machine. Edited August 5, 2015 by FifthPlayer 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I'm totally surprised that nobody's mentioned the Mindset computer. ... They did over 100 posts ago. But they didn't post pictures. I only hung onto two old byte magazines from when I subscribed. The Mindset PC issue and the Amiga 1000 issue. <edit> Seems to me the MS-DOS compatibility was iffy. Edited August 5, 2015 by JamesD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) They did over 100 posts ago. But they didn't post pictures. <edit> Seems to me the MS-DOS compatibility was iffy. Ah, I missed it. I did go through the entire thread looking for pictures. Yes, the dodgy MS-DOS compatibility (and its closed approach to peripherals) appears to be responsible for its failure - and why it would have been a poor choice for a daily-driver PC. Edited August 5, 2015 by FifthPlayer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 That is a pretty machine, alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) I always thought the Timex/Sinclair 2068 looked pretty sleek. Or the Apple //c The Apple IIc with modernized modded LCD is definitely a thing of beauty... Edited August 5, 2015 by Clint Thompson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 The Apple IIc with modernized modded LCD is definitely a thing of beauty... It is beautiful, but the squashed aspect ratio of the display makes it a non-starter for me. I really like/prefer the original Apple design with the tiny green-screen CRT + monitor stand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troff Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Now take the functionality of a Altair 8800, give in built in audio, the ability to display to television monitor, add a full stroke keyboard, then give it a casing in IBM blue with actual treated walnut wood sides that a wife is more likely not to have you kick into the garage, and you have the Sol Terminal 20. I know the post is over a year old, but I have to second the Sol. I have a thing for systems with woodgrain. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd_1138 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Tandy 100 portable. My Jr. High shop teacher had one. He'd track our grades with it and would use it to print out our tests. He'd sit there and hunt and peck type with his somewhat missing fingers (had the ends of a few fingers missing). He had a lot of accessories -- small little printer, data recorder (cassette), carrying case. I don't think he had the modem, though. Edited August 26, 2015 by Trekker_1138 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 That was my portable computer I had in the 80's. Had a decent Defender style game. What my Dad was able to get ahold of which I did not find was a docking station that allowed it to have a 80 column display, serial ports, and floppy drives. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Ah, I missed it. I did go through the entire thread looking for pictures. Yes, the dodgy MS-DOS compatibility (and its closed approach to peripherals) appears to be responsible for its failure - and why it would have been a poor choice for a daily-driver PC. the tandy 2000 was ms-dos compatible, but not IBM pc compatible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 the tandy 2000 was ms-dos compatible, but not IBM pc compatible... Not that I had any experience with it, but it sounds like the Mindset was less PC compatible than some other "MS-DOS compatible" machines like the Tandy 2000. From a review that ran in Creative Computing back in 1985: I found that the Mindset would boot just about anything out of its version of MS-DOS, with the exception of some programs in extended Basic. Wordstar ran without problems. However, no protected programs would boot from cold start or out of MS-DOS. I could not try Lotus as we were supplied with a 128K machine. So if it is games compatibility you are after, the Mindset is not your machine. If you need to run copy-protected programs, the Mindset is not your machine. Ironic that the PC compatible with the best graphics of its day was a terrible games machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0078265317 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I loved apple macintosh back in the old days. Had the very first one but ebayed it for little less than 200. Still have my sisters se though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Tandy 100 portable. My Jr. High shop teacher had one. He'd track our grades with it and would use it to print out our tests. He'd sit there and hunt and peck type with his somewhat missing fingers (had the ends of a few fingers missing). He had a lot of accessories -- small little printer, data recorder (cassette), carrying case. I don't think he had the modem, though. Ah yes, I have the 102 which was given to me a few years back by a fellow collector. Used to belong to a local CBC reporter and still has the sticker on the bottom. I've played around with it but don't really know what to do with it. What's a good generic adapter to use with these as the battery compartment has some corrosion and I'm reluctant to use batteries because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 No wonder all those are so attractive that you barely can keep your hands away, after all they've all got keyboards designed to put your hands on in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 No wonder all those are so attractive that you barely can keep your hands away, after all they've all got keyboards designed to put your hands on in the first place. *snarf* *snarf* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thekng123 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 nec pc-98: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Tandy 6000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Because nobody's posted this yet: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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