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YouTube videos of some of my other computers

Micom 2000 said:
What cassette player did it use ?
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I think it had a branded one of it's own but any old audio cassette player will do providing you have a cable that's wired the right way. Funny thing is I had this DIN to twin RCA jacks cable in my junk box. I don't know where it came from. The DIN fitted the Aquarius and when I checked out the pin allocations with a multimeter and looked up how the Aquarius cable was wired, it matched it! So with a mini-jack 3.5 adapter at the RCA end I could use it on the cable from my sound card.

Yay!

Tez
 
tezza said:
I think it had a branded one of its own but any old audio cassette player will do providing you have a cable that's wired the right way.
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FTFY. ;)

Funny thing is I had this DIN to twin RCA jacks cable in my junk box. I don't know where it came from. The DIN fitted the Aquarius and when I checked out the pin allocations with a multimeter and looked up how the Aquarius cable was wired, it matched it! So with a mini-jack 3.5 adapter at the RCA end I could use it on the cable from my sound card.
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DIN-to-two-RCA sounds like a Commodore/Atari/TI composite monitor cable.
 
Tezza your videos are fantastic I've watched quite a few. Is there a computer you've always wanted but don't have yet, a holy grail of sorts?
 
I spent hours watching those videos - even though I own many of the computers mentioned and already know everything about them. He's just so hypnotic. I'd like to see a Tezza in a big-budget Hollywood movie - where his character uses vintage computers to go back in time and stop aliens from destroying the Earth. Tom Cruise can get second billing as the janitor who dies when a PET 4032 capacitor explodes.
 
LOL Mr Amiga500!

Thanks for those kind words both of you. Umm...I've got nearly all of the computers I want now...at least those I considered "classic" from an '80s point of view. No holy grails but I wouldn't say no to a disk-based IMSAI or Altair. An original chiclet keyboard "blue" PET would be cool too.

Some bad news on the YouTube front though. Today I was filming video for my "now-fixed" Epson QX-10 (the next on the block) when my video camera gave up the ghost. It's old (2004) and the electronics have failed. The tape playback but no image appears. This will mean a hiatus on the collection video project unfortunately. I need to get a replacement and I'm not sure when that will be. Money is tight at the moment. There are at least 14 more computers I want to put up there before I finish.

The good news is that a modern camera should give far better audio on the live shots (and a better image all round).

Tez
 
tezza said:
Some bad news on the YouTube front though. Today I was filming video for my "now-fixed" Epson QX-10 (the next on the block) when my video camera gave up the ghost. It's old (2004) and the electronics have failed. The tape playback but no image appears. This will mean a hiatus on the collection video project unfortunately. I need to get a replacement and I'm not sure when that will be. Money is tight at the moment. There are at least 14 more computers I want to put up there before I finish.
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Maybe the camcorder needs its heads cleaned? I've had success at using a head cleaning tape to restore a Sony Hi8 camcorder to proper working order.

I'd donate one of my spare camcorders to you, but all of mine are designed for the 60 Hz NTSC system, and thus would not agree with the 50 Hz lighting and CRT refresh rates used in NZ.
 
A nice example of Japanese 8-bit technology. The Epson QX-10
http://youtu.be/Oz1BIIaeF44


(I managed to get most of what I'd recorded off my broken camera..whew!)

Good thought vwestlife but no, it's more than just a head clean needed to resurrect the camera.

Tez
 
Sorry to hear about the camera Tezza. Always love to see those videos.

Hrmmm... got a smartphone or tablet... with a camera? You'd be amazed at what some of them will do in terms of video quality.

Just a thought.
 
snuci said:
Sorry to hear about the camera Tezza. Always love to see those videos.

Hrmmm... got a smartphone or tablet... with a camera? You'd be amazed at what some of them will do in terms of video quality.

Just a thought.
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Yes, that's a good thought and one I did consider myself. My present old smartphone wouldn't cut it but I'll be looking at getting a new one around Xmas. By that time whatever model(s) are around may do the job! People have also mentioned that should also consider a still digital camera as these give superb images nowadays and reasonable short videos.

However, it looks like I can postpone purchase for a while because someone local has loaned me a camcorder for an indefinite period of time (unless it's suddenly needed). It's about the same age as the one I was using but is a superior model. I'll see how it goes with the next video. If it's ok, I might use it for a while until I get that smartphone upgrade. It smartphones are indeed starting to do what budget camcorders can then it makes sense NOT to buy a camcorder specifically, but wait until I upgrade my phone.

Oh course by then I might have finished videoing my collection...still over 14 to go though! Next on the block is the IBM AT. I'm looking forward to talking about that BEAST! Might be a while as I have lots of non-computer-related commitments for my spare time coming up.

Tez
 
Terry,
Posted also on the techie types Facebook.com group, but well done video. MSX standard was killed by use of the Z80.
 
billdeg said:
Terry,
Posted also on the techie types Facebook.com group, but well done video. MSX standard was killed by use of the Z80.
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Thanks Bill, much appreciated.

I'm curious about your comment though? What was wrong with the Z80?

Tez
 
Nothing was wrong with it, but anything using a Z80 chip in 1984-85+ were losing marketshare to 8086/80186 and in general MS DOS. MSX "standard" might have had more success in the US if it was 8086-based
 
billdeg said:
Nothing was wrong with it, but anything using a Z80 chip in 1984-85+ were losing marketshare to 8086/80186 and in general MS DOS. MSX "standard" might have had more success in the US if it was 8086-based
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Ok, I understand now what you mean. It was more about being 8-bit than the Z80 specifically then.

I get the impression that by '85 in the U.S. the 8-bit "home computer" (mostly for games) as such had almost run it's course, yes? Those that were interested would have already bought one for themselves and the kids, and if they were going to splash out again it would be for something that was a little more high end and (as you say) MS-DOS compatible. Even if they were late in buying a games machine for the kids, it was more likely to be the then el-chepo C64 as it was a sure bet with loads of software. Is this right?

The MSX success in Japan had a lot to do with Japanese brands embracing it but it may also be connected to the creative and popular gaming culture that existed there too.

Tez
 
Yes. This is a very complex story. Worthy of a serious textbook or study. I am quite struck by the change to the computer industry when I read computer mag ads, topics of articles, computer club SiG leanings, and software during the period 1981-85. Quite facinating. MSX is but one player in that time.

There was simply no room for MSX in the US market..what segment did it most efficiently fill? The dominance of the z80 ended shortly after the launch of the ibm pc. The MSX kids picked the wrong horse to pull the cart.
 
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