Retro Computing

Atarisoft: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Atarisoft: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em

Atarisoft was a short-lived publishing venture from Atari, makers of the iconic 2600 game console and 800/XE/XL line of 8-bit computers. As consumer interest shifted from game consoles to computers, Atari sought to bolster its fortunes by publishing software for those computers. The results were mixed.

Atarisoft allowed Atari to make some short-term profits, but in the long run it may have hurt sales of their own computers. The titles Atarisoft published had been exclusive to Atari systems, so publishing them for other systems robbed Atari of system exclusives.

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Are old Tandy computers worth anything?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Are old Tandy computers worth anything?

These kinds of blog posts have a way of coming back and biting me, but I’ll write it anyway. Are old Tandy computers worth anything? The answer, of course, is they are. But how much they are worth depends on what the computer is, whether it works, and how complete it is.

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Timex Sinclair 1500: The ZX81 in Spectrum clothing

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Timex Sinclair 1500: The ZX81 in Spectrum clothing

The Timex Sinclair 1500 was Timex’s ill-fated attempt to fix what went wrong with the Timex Sinclair 1000. It was completely compatible with the 1000 and the Sinclair ZX81, but sported 16K of RAM and a better keyboard. These were welcome improvements, but they weren’t enough in the hyper competitive 1983 U.S. computer market.

The Timex Sinclair 1500 was essentially a Sinclair ZX81 with more memory in a Sinclair Spectrum case. Released in July 1983 at a price of $80, it wasn’t successful and Timex withdrew from the market in February 1984.

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Trash-80: What it meant and why it stuck

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Trash-80: What it meant and why it stuck

One of the first computers I ever used was a Radio Shack Color Computer. Or should we say, a TRS-80 Color Computer. But everyone I knew called them Trash-80s. Why?

Trash-80 was a pejorative for Radio Shack’s TRS-80 line of computers. Tandy executives didn’t like the nickname, but most of its competitors had one too.

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Buying computer gear in the 80s and 90s

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Buying computer gear in the 80s and 90s

Today we take buying online for granted. You pull up a web site, find what you want, and in a couple of clicks, you put it in your virtual cart and pay for it. It’s fast and convenient. It was very different in the 80s and 90s. Better? Maybe. Maybe not. But definitely different.

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TRS-80 MC-10: Radio Shack’s cheapest computer

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
TRS-80 MC-10: Radio Shack’s cheapest computer

The TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer was a really cheap beginner’s home computer from 1983, designed to compete with cheap computers from Timex. It was a little bit too limited and perhaps not quite cheap enough, so it only lasted a year on the market. But it has a devoted following today.

Initially priced at $119 and eventually discounted to as little as $49.95, the TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer was Radio Shack’s entry-level computer in 1983 and 1984. Like much of the computer industry, Tandy overestimated the demand for cheap, limited computers and the MC-10 flopped.

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Make a picture ledge for your vintage computer

Dave Farquhar DIY, Retro Computing
Make a picture ledge for your vintage computer

Some Youtubers, including Casual Retro Gamer, use picture ledges to keep their vintage computer systems on the wall when they’re not using them. You can buy a picture ledge, but they’re easy to make, too. And if you make them, you can make them whatever length you want.

A picture ledge is a small, J-shaped shelf that mounts on the wall, normally used for displaying art without having to use a bunch of hangers. But their size works well for vintage home computers and game consoles too, allowing you to store and display them.

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Atari 800 video cables

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Atari 800 video cables

The standard for video output on 8-bit computers is there was no standard. Well, oddly enough, a bunch of companies did something super similar, but there are enough gotchas that you have to be careful. At least Atari sidestepped the problem. Here’s my experience with Atari 800 video cables, which also (mostly) applies the XL and XE variants. And you can use the same cable with other machines in a pinch.

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7805 switch mode replacement

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
7805 switch mode replacement

One of the best things you can do for heat dissipation in vintage computers and consoles is replace the 7805 voltage regulator with a modern switch mode replacement. Here’s why that helps and where to get one.

A modern 7805 switch mode replacement regulator runs cooler than the original 7805. This reduces the need for heat dissipation and helps other components, such as capacitors, last longer.

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Why do capacitors fail?

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Retro Computing
Why do capacitors fail?

Bad capacitors are the bane of generations of consumer electronics. They plagued early 90s Amigas and Macs, early 2000s PCs, and cheap hardware even today. So why do capacitors fail? And how can you tell when a failed capacitor is a problem?

Capacitors fail when the electrolyte dries out, or when the gas inside them builds up to a point that it opens a safety valve and the electrolyte leaks out. A good capacitor takes decades to dry out, but a cheap capacitor can leak within a few short years.

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