Oldest computer? - Techwatch: Satellite TV forums, FTA, Cable, Hardware, & Tech forums

charlie1966 · 29-11-08, 08:39 PM

What was your first computer?
Mine was the Commodore Vic 20 with its 3.5k of ram and a cassette tape recorder for data storage. You have never waited like you would for one of these to load a file, but programming was easy(relatively). Cant remember the year I got it and I still have it somewhere, buried under everything else I should have thrown out.

nvingo · 29-11-08, 10:28 PM

Sinclair ZX81 £80 ready-built from WHSmith Christmas present from Mum to Dad and me (mostly me

) 1KB RAM, BW text/block graphics display which shared that 1KB with programs and data - and the display switched to flickering stripes when loading or saving to cassette as the processor could only control one interface at a time.
1981 but I'm not sure if it's still in my possession.
I did rid myself of the Memotech MTX512 and Tatung Einstein (and possibly Acorn Electron) but have kept a Spectrum 128K, Oric Atmos 48K, BBC-B 32K, BBC Master, Sinclair QL, and Cambridge Z88.
I never owned any Commodore machines, but did use (sorry, experiment with) AppleII (Dad's company "PC"), RML380Z, Acorn Atom, Video Genie (all school "IT" department machines) and Apple Macintosh (computer studies loan demo).

Analoguesat · 29-11-08, 10:43 PM

The first one I ever used was a Tandy TRS 80 green screen thing with cassette drive circa 1983. It was given to my school by the PTA.

I still occasionally find old BBC B's and Micros forgotten in cupboards around my workplace! I only scrapped half a dozen micros a few weeks ago..

madrat · 29-11-08, 10:57 PM

Acorn Electron.
The cut down version of the BBC used in schools, taken over by Apple if I remember correctly.

pontiend · 29-11-08, 11:07 PM

Mine was a vic20. bought it 1982.
Went though all the comadores to the a1200.
Went downhill in 1996 and bought a pc.
2008.Trying to blow windows out, now trying to get to grips with linux.

PS The only reason that windows is still on my laptop is that ubunto has no drivers for my netgear wireless buscard. Sorry for going on a bit.

Jay-Nitro · 30-11-08, 10:21 PM

spectrum 48k

comodore 64

amiga 500

snidey sega megadrive!

c64's were class!!! good old days

pontiend · 30-11-08, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay-Nitro

spectrum 48k

comodore 64

amiga 500

snidey sega megadrive!
c64's were class!!! good old days

The one that I never had was the amiga 500.
The 64 was a classic.Primitive by todays standards.But it was magic then.
You had to work at it.No forums then,you had to find your own way .

Jay-Nitro · 01-12-08, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pontiend

The one that I never had was the amiga 500.
The 64 was a classic.Primitive by todays standards.But it was magic then.
You had to work at it.No forums then,you had to find your own way .

the amiga 500 was amaing when it came out, i always memba seeing the intro for shadow of the beast playin in a shop window and thinkin wowwwwww ha!

loved the c64 though....free games on tapes with zzap64 magazine, memories lol

kaptinkopter · 16-03-09, 12:51 AM

wow shadow of the beast on amiga! awesome

harlequin had the best ever music on the a500 ...GODS came a close second

c64-amiga500/600/1000-Smega Drive then a 286x

Matt34 · 16-03-09, 09:38 PM

I had a Dragon 32. Quite good for learning BASIC programming, but I certainly don't miss fiddling with the cassette player volume control to get the programs to load!

29-11-08, 08:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
charlie1966 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Co. Wicklow, Ireland Posts: 325 Thanks: 6 Thanked 35 Times in 32 Posts	Oldest computer? What was your first computer? Mine was the Commodore Vic 20 with its 3.5k of ram and a cassette tape recorder for data storage. You have never waited like you would for one of these to load a file, but programming was easy(relatively). Cant remember the year I got it and I still have it somewhere, buried under everything else I should have thrown out. __________________ THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD!...................Now I'm happy.

29-11-08, 10:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
nvingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cambs, UK Posts: 266 Thanks: 3 Thanked 30 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? Sinclair ZX81 £80 ready-built from WHSmith Christmas present from Mum to Dad and me (mostly me ) 1KB RAM, BW text/block graphics display which shared that 1KB with programs and data - and the display switched to flickering stripes when loading or saving to cassette as the processor could only control one interface at a time. 1981 but I'm not sure if it's still in my possession. I did rid myself of the Memotech MTX512 and Tatung Einstein (and possibly Acorn Electron) but have kept a Spectrum 128K, Oric Atmos 48K, BBC-B 32K, BBC Master, Sinclair QL, and Cambridge Z88. I never owned any Commodore machines, but did use (sorry, experiment with) AppleII (Dad's company "PC"), RML380Z, Acorn Atom, Video Genie (all school "IT" department machines) and Apple Macintosh (computer studies loan demo).

29-11-08, 10:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
Analoguesat satellite expert Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Scottish Borders Posts: 10,056 Thanks: 11 Thanked 480 Times in 428 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? The first one I ever used was a Tandy TRS 80 green screen thing with cassette drive circa 1983. It was given to my school by the PTA. I still occasionally find old BBC B's and Micros forgotten in cupboards around my workplace! I only scrapped half a dozen micros a few weeks ago.. __________________ To all the cable boys - do not post: keys of any sort firmware for receivers links to sites carrying files, keys or fixes Anyone pm'ing me about any cable related issue will be banned instantly

29-11-08, 10:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 1,899 Thanks: 6 Thanked 22 Times in 20 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? Acorn Electron. The cut down version of the BBC used in schools, taken over by Apple if I remember correctly. __________________ *I want it and I want it now*

29-11-08, 11:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
pontiend Senile Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south yorkshire Posts: 500 Thanks: 40 Thanked 36 Times in 36 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? Mine was a vic20. bought it 1982. Went though all the comadores to the a1200. Went downhill in 1996 and bought a pc. 2008.Trying to blow windows out, now trying to get to grips with linux. PS The only reason that windows is still on my laptop is that ubunto has no drivers for my netgear wireless buscard. Sorry for going on a bit. __________________ TM-5400 CI+ triax 88 cm dish stab hh90 motor.12''T&K brackets holding the wall up. Last edited by pontiend; 29-11-08 at 11:15 PM. Reason: PS


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30-11-08, 10:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jay-Nitro Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 26 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Oldest computer? spectrum 48k comodore 64 amiga 500 snidey sega megadrive! c64's were class!!! good old days

16-03-09, 12:51 AM	#9 (permalink)
kaptinkopter newbie Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: GLASGOW Posts: 26 Thanks: 18 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? wow shadow of the beast on amiga! awesome harlequin had the best ever music on the a500 ...GODS came a close second c64-amiga500/600/1000-Smega Drive then a 286x

16-03-09, 09:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
Matt34 Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 42 Thanks: 3 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Oldest computer? I had a Dragon 32. Quite good for learning BASIC programming, but I certainly don't miss fiddling with the cassette player volume control to get the programs to load!

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