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RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:51:37 GMT

Hi ChinaTown,

Feel free to ask any programming questions. I can help with most variants of BASIC and some 6502 machine level programming too. I can also point you in the right direction for more advanced coding :-)

Your point had me thinking, would a basic introduction to machine level coding be a good idea? I'm thinking of the main three machines, as in the Commodore 64 (128), Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. Maybe also the BBC Micro too?

Regards,

Shaun.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

ChinaTown — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:07:42 GMT

Actually I would would my old computers again, probably because for programming yes, and to give reviews on games etc from the yester day.

Though I wouldent trade my current one in...

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Slipstreem — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:54:48 GMT

Ditto. Thanks for all of your efforts, Shaun. :)

Cheers, Slipstreem. :cool:

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

bombus — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:46:58 GMT

[quote][b]Shaun.Bebbington (25/07/2008)[/b][hr]For Speccy fans: this is an interesting page regarding modern networking...

http://spectrum.alioth.net/doc/index.php/Main_Page

Regards,

Shaun.[/quote]

Good work! Interesting stuff!

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:32:20 GMT

For Speccy fans: this is an interesting page regarding modern networking...

http://spectrum.alioth.net/doc/index.php/Main_Page

Regards,

Shaun.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:51:22 GMT

Hi,

I know there has been some experimenting into networking a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, but that is new hardware hacks and so on, and not old dial-up 300baud or so modems.

I'll do some digging to see what hardware would allow connecting a Speccy to a modern network.

Regards,

Shaun.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

bombus — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:34:36 GMT

is it possible to surf the net with a speccy and a vtx500 modem thingy?

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

wyliecoyoteuk — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:58:37 GMT

[quote][b]Shaun.Bebbington (13/04/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]wyliecoyoteuk (12/04/2008)[/b][hr]Last time I used my Amiga 1200 (towered and 68040 accelerated) I was surprised how fast it was compared to many far newer PCs[/quote]
Of course. If only my Commodore 128 would have an email client (it can be networked), and a few other bits and pieces, I wouldn't be using this Win XP PC whatsoever.

I do have an A1200, which I may upgrade at a future point in time. I hope ;-)

Regards,

Shaun.[/quote]

There is an excellent A1200 PCMCIA Network card/software combo being sold on ebay on a regular basis, and YAM is still available for the Amiga classic.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:53:22 GMT

[quote][b]wyliecoyoteuk (12/04/2008)[/b][hr]Last time I used my Amiga 1200 (towered and 68040 accelerated) I was surprised how fast it was compared to many far newer PCs[/quote]
Of course. If only my Commodore 128 would have an email client (it can be networked), and a few other bits and pieces, I wouldn't be using this Win XP PC whatsoever.

I do have an A1200, which I may upgrade at a future point in time. I hope ;-)

Regards,

Shaun.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

wyliecoyoteuk — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:29:15 GMT

Last time I used my Amiga 1200 (towered and 68040 accelerated) I was surprised how fast it was compared to many far newer PCs

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

allanco — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:33:09 GMT

[quote][b]maticus2 (11/04/2008)[/b][hr]soz allanco. If I could get XP to run on a speccy that would be stuff of legend!:w00t:[/quote]

Doh!
that was really cool and it fooled me (easy task though!) so close to April fools day too
It looked legit, I'm laughing as I type this cos I feel like a plonker!:P

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

maticus2 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:57:28 GMT

soz allanco. If I could get XP to run on a speccy that would be stuff of legend!:w00t: It was a mock up using a program called [b]BMP2SCR[/b]. witch basicly converts jpgs and bmp`s in to speccy graphics. it took quite a bit of work tho as it only converts 256 x 192 portions (the same resolution as a speccy) so to make a 1024 x 768 screen capture look like a speccy means
cutting the screen up in to 16 tiles and converting them each in turn.

you can download it from this link

[url]http://www.worldofspectrum.org/utilities.html#screen[/url]

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Phitore — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:28:08 GMT

I'm not really an expert on 25 year old tech, but i'm sure i remember the Atari 800XL was in many ways better than the BBC Master. Even though the Master was a few years newer didn't it still have relatively poor graphics and only 8 colours compared to 256 on the XL?
If i'm wrong, like i said , it was a long time ago. :P

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Spedley — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:53:08 GMT

My cousins had a BBC Master. I knew it was a lot better than my Atari 800XL at the time but I was too young and didn't know it's potential, nor did I kow that there was so much to be learned.

I'd love to have that time again being 16 in the era of the BBC rather than 10.

Not quite what you asked but more or less :)

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Just Jon — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:33:10 GMT

I loved my old computers, A500 / 1200, Atari 520 STe - till they broke :(

I was given an ST FM with 4 meg of ram, and a 40 Meg HDD a few years ago. It's great. It runs Cubase and it fequently visits the studio I work at to show poeple the old school methods of music creation. the Atari mono monitor is slowly dying, but I can still mess about with Pro Tracker on a TV.

I also use Pagestream 2, if only to hear a piece of A4 get hammered by my Star LC10 printer. Pagestreams method of printing can make some great hi res printouts even from a lowly 9 pin head, but it's a good idea to use a high GSM paper :D

If it was a faster machine (the lack of Blitter doesn't help), suported higher resoloutions with a 24 bit colour depth and had better quality audio capabilities I'd be using it more.

@Allanco

If you have problems finding a cassette player with a DIN socket, you can find the pinout info for the din in the Electron user guide [url]http://www.acornelectron.co.uk/info/acornsoft/user_guide.zip[/url] (r click, save as). With this you'll be able to make your own lead so you can use any player you like :)

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Phitore — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:25:39 GMT

I love my Atari 800 and 130XE, and the old Atari games like Asteroids take me back to my childhood.
I don't have any other use for them except to play all those old games which are simple but still great.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Jason — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:14:38 GMT

[quote]only problem at the moment is I no longer own a cassette player[/quote]

You can get a traditional "shoebox" player from Argos for about £19. No doubt eBay has some seond-hand ones. Don't be put off! Get the beast fired up again!

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:19:37 GMT

There are plenty of ideas floating around my head... the problem is time at the moment. However, I've got more of an idea now of people's conceptions (and misconceptions) of 'retro gaming and computing', as well as their habits, fears, likes and dislikes. It should all help, at the very least, to improve the Retro column. I hope.

Regards,

Shaun.

RE: If you could use your old computers again...

allanco — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:01:29 GMT

I'd like to resurrect my old Acorn Electron bought from WHSmith in 1984, I have hundreds of games for it and would like to have a go at them again, only problem at the moment is I no longer own a cassette player..
A thing that I would love to be able to try is to get windows XP on it like Maticus2 did on his Spectrum, and who knows maybe even get it online!
But I have to admit to not having a clue where to start.
Are you lining up a feature for the mag by chance?

If you could use your old computers again...

Shaun.Bebbington — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:19:15 GMT

Greetings folks,

I'm interested in knowing, if you could use an old 8- or 16-bit computer again, what would it be, and why? Also, what would convince you to turn back the binary clock and start using an old machine again? Programming, gaming, hardware modding, or whatever... all opinions welcome :-)

Regards,

Shaun.