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My latest stuff

Z

Zeela

Experienced Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
242
Location
Åtvidaberg, Sweden
My collection grows bigger and bigger ;)

The latest additions are

An Atari 800XL


Two COMX with a Data Recorder


A swedish Sinclair QL

I keep a updated list of my collection here.

// Z
 
That is an impressive list Mikael,

I am enjoying my recently obtained (and restored) Atari 800XL, myself.

Are you collecting anything and everything, or is there a theme?

As to my own collection, I'm looking just to get models that had some kind of historical significance (good or bad). So either they were wildly popular, started (or finished) a popular "branch" of microcomputing or were notorious for some reason.

The exceptions would be the Colour Genie (not notable, but related to the Dick Smith System 80, which WAS popular in Australia and New Zealand..I just had to have it!). I guess the Mac Classic II would also be excluded from the description above but I don't have an original Mac so this is the next best thing.

The problem I now face with my own collecting is that many of the machines I have yet to get are either rare or large. Shipping costs are therefore a factor with the latter. If one appears for sale in my own home town (or even my part of the Island) that would be great, but I'm not holding my breath! ;)
 
tezza said:
That is an impressive list Mikael,

I am enjoying my recently obtained (and restored) Atari 800XL, myself.

Are you collecting anything and everything, or is there a theme?
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Thanks, I'm quite happy about my collection ;)
The theme of the collection would be Commodore and Swedish computers. But I seem to collect every computer I find interresting. I'd sure like a PDP-8 or a Datasaab D-21 or some other huge computer, but there is no room... So I'm focusing on home computers from the late seventies and early eighties.

tezza said:
The problem I now face with my own collecting is that many of the machines I have yet to get are either rare or large. Shipping costs are therefore a factor with the latter. If one appears for sale in my own home town (or even my part of the Island) that would be great, but I'm not holding my breath! ;)
Click to expand...
I have the same problem, The ones missing from my collection are not too common and therefore costs a bit... And I'm sure it's hard to find them in Sweden so there would be some shipping expenses. :(

I see that you are from New Zeeland, how hard is it in New Zeeland to get hold of the John Sands and Dick Smith licesed version of computers, líke the Dick Smith VZ 200 (which basically is a hotter version of the good old VTech Laser 200). I'm looking for some of these beasts :)

// Z
 
Zeela said:
I see that you are from New Zeeland, how hard is it in New Zeeland to get hold of the John Sands and Dick Smith licesed version of computers, líke the Dick Smith VZ 200 (which basically is a hotter version of the good old VTech Laser 200). I'm looking for some of these beasts :)
Click to expand...

Not too hard. I've been looking on ebay and our own trading site, Trademe for the computers I'm after, and I've seen several of VZ 200s offered from Australia and at least one from New Zealand. Dick Smith promoted the VZ 200 quite aggressively as their colour "home computer" replacement to the System 80.
 
I just added an 800XL and 1200XL to round out the Atari 8-bit computer part of my collection as well. I already had two 400s, one with a real keyboard and expanded memory, an 800, an XEGS and a 130XE. I'm not going to bother with the sub-classes of machines - the 600s - as it wouldn't offer anything of particular interest from the more powerful models. It would be great to get a prototype in the 14xx-series, but that will probably never happen...
 
carlsson said:
Wasn't Dick Smith's computers just rebadged VTech computers, or do they differ in other ways: keyboard, case, interiors?
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Not sure. I know with the earlier System-80 and EACA, Dick Smith worked closely with the company and insisted on some of the improvements. As far as I know the "blue lable" System-80 (see http://www.webweavers.co.nz/system-80/hardware_s80.htm#s80_bluelab) didn't have an equivalent in the Europe-distributed Video Genie line, so it seems it was a Dick-Smith customised varient.

Dick Smith could have done the same with VTech and the VZ-200. I'd be interested to know myself.
 
I've recently got hold of a Colour Genie EG2000, very hard to find in the UK
 
Panther said:
I've recently got hold of a Colour Genie EG2000, very hard to find in the UK
Click to expand...

I've got one of these too. Quite rare everywhere I think?

What is even rarer is a manual. If you have one, and decide to scan it, I'd love a copy!
 
Lydia said:
Where do you keep it all? Do you have a room dedicated to it?
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I have a storage shed attached to my garage ;) I fondly call it "Kaosboden" or "The chaotic shed" in english. There I keep all the computers I don't use for the moment. In my "playroom" I have some computers ready to use. (Amiga 500, Atari Mega ST4, Commodore 128D, Mac Performa 400 and a couple of Sinclair QLs) I also keep all games and books for the computers in the playroom as well as my Ghosts 'n Goblins collection.

Some pictures of the shed... A few months old, but you get the picture :)
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10
Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 Pic16 Pic17 Pic18

// Z
 
Nice photos Zeela, thanks for posting. I think you've crossed from "collector" to "packrat" status, though. LOL
 
Shelving

Shelving

I ilke the shelving idea. I think I'm going to copy that.

Currently I have everything on the floor, and it seems no matter how strong a cardboard box looks, they always collapse if you stack.

Paul.
 
paul.brett said:
I ilke the shelving idea. I think I'm going to copy that.

Currently I have everything on the floor, and it seems no matter how strong a cardboard box looks, they always collapse if you stack.

Paul.
Click to expand...

Yes at the moment that's where my collection is. Stacked in cardboard boxes in a study room above the garage. Not ideal, but I have a manageable number of units at the moment so it's no problem to drag them out and play with them.

Of course, I'd love to a have a huge room dedicated to them where they are are all displayed, but that's impossible at this stage of my life.

Maybe when retirement rolls along...
 
I Own an assembled lates rig that My bro assembled.
Its an 333mhz processor celeron I suppose.
4 gb HD
floppy drive

Bought way back 10 years ago
 
One of the common threads in most old computer forums is the problems of storage. One can even use them as beds with a proper mattress. I've used big old 5meg RS HDs stacked, as coffee tables on occasion.

Of course that leads to the second most common thread. What about my wife?

Wives are replaceable, many old computers aren't.

Lawrence

Zeela said:
Now you are starting to sound like my wife... ;)

// Z
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