My varied collection

[sysadmindave]

Hi! I'm a new poster here, but have been lurking for awhile. I attended VCF SoCal earlier this year and was reenergized to look through my older machines again.

I seem to have amassed an interesting collection of computer equipment over the years without really trying to curate one.

Here's a list of the vintage computers I currently own, in no particular order:

• Mac 128k
  • Includes General Computing Hyperdrive that I installed myself many years ago after finding the kit in a surplus sale sometime around 1990.
  • Bought the computer new in 1984 through the Apple's University Consortium program with an ImageWriter- got rid of the printer but still have the computer
  • Upgraded to 1M RAM, Mac Plus ROMs
  • Analog board currently broken
• Mac 512k 'Fat Mac'
  • Analog board currently broken
• IBM XT/286 model 5162 (second most recent acquisition)
  • CPU unit only, but fully working and in like-new condition
• Amiga 3000 system
  • Fully working, and pretty maxed out with addon cards & storage
• Dauphin DTR-1 tablet PC (386SX based, Windows 3.11)
• Intel Intellec MDS-800 system (my latest acquisition, details posted in the pre-Altair forum)
  • Quite a number of Multibus cards and accessories
  • Winchester Systems 5M HD
• Many handhelds
  • Sharp PC-1500 (the first computer I owned)
  • A selection of HP calculators/handhelds
    • 16C
    • 15
    • 41C
    • 71
    • 75D
    • 28
    • 48SX
    • 48GX
    • 49
    • 49G
    • 50G
    • Assorted other less important calculators
    • HP-95LX
    • HP-200LX (2)
  • A number of Palm devices starting with the Palm III and ending with the LifeDrive
  • Sharp Zaurus 5500 (Linux handheld)
  • Nokia 700 (Linux handheld)
• Various old PC clones and interesting parts from the 1990s
  • Monster 3D 3DFX GPU
  • Various high-end sound cards
  • Wren WrenRunner HD (the first 1G HD for PCs and workstations, a full-height 5.25" unit)
  • Pre-WiFi wireless networking PCMCIA cards

Since 1995, I have done consulting work on the Bösendorfer SE computer reproducing piano systems, supporting a number of the owners of these instruments with repairs and modifications. The pianos have controllers that are Z80-based Multibus embedded computers. Some of the early units were delivered as standalone computers running CP/M, but later units were connected vi RS-232 to DOS PCs for UI and file storage. I acquired both of my latest vintage systems through that connection.

I purchased a Bösendorfer 225SE piano last year- it was originally delivered in the late 1980s with the IBM XT/286 model 5162 as the dedicated controller computer, and that PC came to me with the piano. The inventor of those piano systems, Wayne Stahnke, used the Intellec MDS-800 to develop them starting in the mid-1970s. I have become friends with him over the years, and very recently he asked me if I would like to have his original development systems. I accepted his generous offer and picked up the MDS-800 and Multibus stuff about a week ago.

 

[johnx993]

ENTER > =

 

[johnx993]

Very interesting computer application.
I knew nothing about Bösendorfer.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[sysadmindave]

Very interesting computer application.
I knew nothing about Bösendorfer.
Thanks for sharing.

Not surprising you hadn’t heard about these computer controlled pianos- while they are absolutely amazing instruments, only 32 production units were made in the late 1980s. They sold poorly because they were quite expensive, but the quality of recording and reproducing piano performances is simply amazing and may still be the best reproducing pianos ever made. Most of the units went to universities, and a few to wealthy individuals. If you close your eyes, it’s impossible to tell the difference between the original artist playing and the recording- every detail is correct. In fidelity, they are better than any of the current automated pianos such as Steinway Spirio or Yamaha Disklavier Enspire, and can accurately play both the softest possible notes and the loudest a concert pianist can play. The acoustic instruments are top-tier, so the whole system is simply stunning. I was incredibly lucky to be able to acquire mine for a fire-sale price since the reproducing system was non-functional. Fortunately I was able to repair it.

The SE pianos were used to record a number of commercial audio CDs, among which are the 2 disk series ‘A Window in Time’ featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff. They were made by reverse-engineering old Ampico piano rolls recorded by Rachmaninoff to get as close to the master recording as possible, then played back on the SE piano and audio recorded. Well worth a listen! Another couple in a totally different style are ‘Dick Hyman plays Fats Waller’ and another by him playing Duke Ellington. These are all available on Apple Music or Spotify.

 

[JDW]

• Mac 128k
  • Includes General Computing Hyperdrive that I installed myself many years ago after finding the kit in a surplus sale sometime around 1990.
  • Bought the computer new in 1984 through the Apple's University Consortium program with an ImageWriter- got rid of the printer but still have the computer
  • Upgraded to 1M RAM, Mac Plus ROMs
  • Analog board currently broken

Fellow HyperDrive 10 owner here. I made 3 videos about my kit in the past and have some photos on Flickr as well. 68kMLA forum member OlePigeon very kindly allowed me to post his pics on my Flickr account as well. I'm curious to know which of the two more closely matches your kit.

 

[sysadmindave]

Fellow HyperDrive 10 owner here. I made 3 videos about my kit in the past and have some photos on Flickr as well. 68kMLA forum member OlePigeon very kindly allowed me to post his pics on my Flickr account as well. I'm curious to know which of the two more closely matches your kit.

Mine is a HyperDrive 20, and while it’s been quite some time since I had the system open and looked at it, I believe it looks more like the second of the 2 units photographed. I do remember that the ribbon cable to the CPU vampire clip was gray. I also think my drive had no faceplate, but I may or may not be remembering that correctly.