Panasonic RL-H7000W
Posted by musovern on Apr 6th, 2018 in Panasonic, Vintage Computers | 0 comments
Panasonic Model RL-H7000W
This is a luggable IBM-PC compatible system. It tends to offer an all-in-one solution for the perfect 80’s business man. Back in 1983 it was the first Japanese computer completely IBM-PC compatible (hardware & software).
It has a built-in thermal printer (80/132 columns, 8.5” wide) using paper-rolls. This was quite useful where you were on the move, but the weight of the whole system is also quite impressive. It is maybe transportable but surely not portable !
It was also possible to connect a more sophisticated printer through the Parallel port.
There is a 9” CRT green display built-in along with a brightness control.
MPF-1 (MicroProfessor 1)
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Micro-Professor, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The MPF-1 (MicroProfessor 1) was a computer system specifically designed by Multitech (now known as Acer!) as a learning tool for use in the teaching of microprocessor, microelectronics, and control technology. In the 80’s it was sold as an Z80 CPU learning and initiation system, and believe it or not, it is still in production and sold by http://www.flite.co.uk/.
The capacities of the system were quite poor. The standard model could be programmed only in machine code through a small hexadecimal keyboard. When sold in it’s original package it had the particularity to look like a book when closed.
There was an EPROM socket, which can be compared to a cartridge slot. A mini-Basic EPROM and some other utilities and languages were available as options.
There are in fact two models: MPF-1 (later called MPF-1A) and MPF-1B. The MPF-1(A) is machine code programmed only whereas the MPF-1B offers a really crude version of BASIC (one button = 1 command, as per the early TRS-80) in addition to the machine code capabilities.
Read More...Dream 6800
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Dream 6800, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
The DREAM 6800 (Domestic Recreational Educational and Adaptive Microcomputer incorporating the Motorola 6800 microprocessor) was designed by Michael J Bauer from Brisbane’s Deakin University. It is not particularly sophisticated but at the time offered those handy with a soldering iron the opportunity to build a simple computer that would be a lot of fun to use. It offered programming in two languages: native 6800 machine code and a strange but quite powerful language called CHIP-8 (Comprehensive Hexadecimal Intetpretive Programming- 8 bit).
Read More...PET 4016
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Commodore, Vintage Computers | 0 comments
The PET 4032 was released three years after the original PET 2001. Although it has the same CPU running at the same speed, improved circuitry allows the 4032 to run substantially faster. Other improvements include more memory and a better keyboard.
4032 refers to 40 character display, with 32K RAM memory.
The 4032 has four ports to the outside world. An eight-bit parallel port, a port for a cassette recorder, a port that brings out the system bus, and an IEEE-488 port. Still in use today, the IEEE-488 bus is relatively complex, allowing up to 15 devices on the bus, but is mostly used for laboratory and scientific instruments.
Read More...Heathkit ET-3400
Posted by musovern on Apr 4th, 2018 in Heathkit, Single Board Computers | 0 comments
Heathkit ET-3400
The Heathkit/Zenith Microcomputer Learning System model ET-3400 was a very popular item designed to teach principles of computers and programming at Universities in the 1970s., and to educate the students of internal computer hardware and software components by self-assembly and programming the machine in pure Hexadecimal language.
It was delivered in assembled or kit form. It also featured a prototype area and could be used as a design aid for developing special interface circuitry with common 6820 parallel interface or 6850 asynchronous chips.
Several software in ROM were also available, among them an Assembler and a Tiny BASIC.
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