Retro Thing

Some Old Brand Names Worth Only $1,000

Just a quick update on the auctions I wrote about recently. The Apple 1 was sold for more than $212,000, a sum that could have purchased every old brand name auctioned a few days later. Victrola, highly prized by RetroThing editors, went for $1,000, as did General Cinema. Collier's went for $2,000. The highest bid was $45,000 (for investment bank Shearson). Meister Brau went for $32,500. Infoseek was put together in a single package with Big Yank and the Linen Closet. All three were sold together for $2,000.

A New Version of Our Clear Classic USB Joystick!

When we introduced our Clear Classic USB Joystick last year, it sold out fast. Clearly (hah!) our readers liked our USB joystick like Pac-Man likes power pellets.

Now it's back in two versions: Rogue Red and Blizzard Blue. We made only 500 of each, and this is the last batch we're making -- so get them while you can.

When you plug the stick into your computer's USB port, it lights up with a brilliant red or blue glow that illuminates from the inside out. Even the circuit board at the heart of the stick is colored to match.

Many people are rediscovering retro gaming thanks to a PC or Mac, but playing 8-bit games with a modern gamepad just isn't the same. With our Clear Classic USB Joystick, you'll be playing retro games the right way.

The Clear Classic USB Joystick package is the perfect partner for the Stella Atari 2600 emulator (free download). It's also compatible with almost any emulator that runs Atari, Amiga and Commodore software. It even supports the MAME arcade emulator and modern games that work with a standard USB d-pad.

The Clear Classic stick was designed and manufactured in the USA – the old-school way of doing things. We're really pleased with the result, and DIYers will be happy to hear that the USB controller board can be removed from the case and used as a standalone control interface for a MAME arcade cabinet or homebuilt game controller. The board includes labeled solder points to connect a 4 or 8-way arcade stick and several additional controls such as authentic arcade buttons.

The complete package includes the stick and -- if you order before Christmas -- a high quality 6 foot (1.8 m) clear USB cable that regularly sells for $4.95. You can download the Stella Atari 2600 emulator for free, and hundreds of classic 8-bit games are available on AtariAge.

This design is a limited edition of 500 red & 500 blue sticks that will sell out very quickly, so order yours today!

Visit our Clear Classic USB Joystick page to order or order from Amazon.com with red or blue LED and select Standard Shipping to receive them before Christmas (USA only).

Scratch-Built 8-bit Retro Computer

We featured Matt Sarnoff's Terminalscope earlier this year. Now he's back with a complete system.

He writes: "I've designed my own 8-bit computer, using the somewhat obscure Motorola 6809 processor, wired it all up by hand, and wrote the operating system, drivers, and the rest of the software, all in assembly language. It runs at a blazing 2 MHz, has a spacious 512KB of RAM, and can read files and run programs from a CompactFlash card. So far, user interaction is through a serial cable connected to a PC.

Now that's not too bad, but I also went ahead and added vintage sound and video chips I bought on eBay. I stuck in a TMS9918A video chip (used in the ColecoVision, TI-99/4a, and more) and a YM2149 sound chip (used in the Atari ST, the ZX Spectrum, etc.) I've written a chiptune player and a couple graphical demos; my next steps are to actually write some games, and eventually get it hooked up to the internet..."

Matt documented the Ultim809 build with a flickr set and a series of YouTube videos. Visit the Ultim809 page for all the details.

Special Offer: Basic Computer Games & The Bot Folio

As I mentioned several weeks ago, Philip Conrod has reissued David H. Ahl's classic Basic Computer Games book using the new Microsoft Small Basic development environment for kids. He’s offering a $12.50 sale price to Retro Thing readers over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Philip also convinced retired illustrator George Beker to release a new ‘Bot Folio e-book ($8.75) that contains all of his iconic robot illustrations from Basic Computer Games and More Basic Computer Games.

George has added 5 never before seen robot illustrations and the ‘Bot Folio includes Beker's comments on his drawings and technology in general. It's clear that he remains happily stuck in a long-gone, alternate world with absolutely no connection to modern technology.

Apple 1? Pssh. How About An Old Brand Name?

You may have seen that Christie's is about to sell an Apple 1, which the famed auction house estimates will go for a whopping $160,300 to $240,450. It's certainly a fascinating bit of history, especially considering it comes with its original packaging, invoice, owner's manual and a typewritten letter from Steve Jobs himself (the return address is his parents' house). But I might humbly suggest that a $150-$200 Briel Replica 1 or even an emulator are more cost-effective ways to compute like it's 1977.

But if you still have the auction itch and want to scratch it, have you thought about bidding on an old brand name?

On Dec. 8 in New York, a firm that has bought up classic trademarks over the years is selling them off to the highest bidder. Up for grabs are names including Braniff International airline, Collier's magazine and Old Nick candy bars. There are names Retro Thing readers might like, including Victrola and Computer City. And there are also some decidedly non-retro names available, including the defunct search engine Infoseek and Allied Signal, a name that only existed for about a decade and a half. There is also Bobby Socks and Hot Pants, terms I had no idea had been trademarked.

The auction sort of exposes what you probably already know: That the trusted brand name you see on the shelf may well have been bought by a startup business.

Among the 150 or so trademarks for sale, some are probably quite valuable (I could totally see Meister Brau becoming the next PBR) and others less obviously so (Relaxacizor? Really?). But the one that really got me thinking was General Cinemas, if only because I have such strong memories of its circa 1980s bumper animation.

I can buy it and start my movie theater empire! (There's money to be made in showing films in theaters, right?)

Reissued: David Ahl's BASIC Computer Games

Here's exciting news for anyone who learned BASIC programming in the late 1970s and early 1980s -- Philip Conrod has republished David H. Ahl's classic Basic Computer Games book.

I learned a lot from the dog-eared copy in my local library, especially since one has lots of time to think while laboriously keying in a program line-by-line. The modern e-book edition has been updated to work perfectly with the new Microsoft Small Basic compiler. And, unlike days of yore, the e-book allows you to cut and paste code directly into Small Basic.

Conrod tells us, "You can now relive all those classic games like Super Star Trek, MUGWUMP and Lunar LEM Rocket. The 2010 Small Basic Edition includes almost all the classic BASIC games that inspired a generation of programmers but now in Microsoft Small Basic for a new generation of kids."

Basic Computer Games SBE ($14.95 / $17.50) is available in several versions. The least expensive doesn't include the whimsical George Beker robot illustrations that made the original so much fun to browse. My advice? Spend the extra couple of bucks for the full visual experience.

Microsoft Small Basic is a free download (XP, Vista and Win 7), making this an ideal platform for educators, parents, nostalgic senior business analysts and tenured professors who wish to relive their long-haired youth. 

It's great to see this classic coding book back in print, especially for under $20. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some typing to do...

Small Basic Computer Games

Emulating The Commodore 64's Sound Chip

The Commodore SID -- a 3 voice music synthesizer on a chip -- is probably the most famous computer sound generator of the early 1980s. Many of the kids who grew up listening to its distinctive sound never lost their taste for raw analog music, and it still enjoys a cult following.

SIDizer is a software emulation that mimics the sound and flaws of several versions of the SID chip with startling realism. The program simulates the half wave filter distortion of earlier 6581 versions of the chip, along with other famous glitches such as oscillator leakage, input noise and switchable 6581/8580 D/A converter distortion.

To streamline the creative process, the GUI offers hands-on tweaking of every parameter on a single page along with an 8 step arpeggiator, pitch and mod wheel support, portamento, stereo spread and a bit cruncher module with pre and post filter routing. SIDizer lists for $64, although the first 64 customers can pick up a copy for only $49.

HyperSynth SIDizer Software Based SID Synth

Uzebox: The Open Source Retro Console

Bohus wrote about several add-ons for the Atari 7800 and ColecoVision a few days ago, and one reader remarked, "The classic games are just so much fun, and when you get one, you can rest assured you got the whole game, not some gimped out copy that you'll have to whore out $5 a pop to get bits and pieces of it..[...] There is a market for an old style system with new style ease of use and programability."

Such a system already exists - the Uzebox. This modern 8-bit gaming platform is built around just two chips and a handful of discrete components. The ATmega644 microcontroller has a mere 4K of RAM and 64K of flash memory, and the system doesn't even have a video frame buffer (much like the old Atari 2600).

Games are stored on SD flash card, and the system supports a pair of easy to find NES/SNES controllers. Even with limited hardware, the machine can generate 256 colors at up to 360x224 pixels and includes a 4 channel sound engine and NTSC composite and S-Video output.

Dozens of eager coders have started to write for this open source platform. There are ports of Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Tron, Lode Runner, Frogger and Moon Patrol, along with lots of original games. There's even an emulator to help speed development of your own 8-bit retro title.

Lady Ada makes a sweet $100 version of the system called the Fuzebox that includes the PC board kit, custom enclosure, SNES controller, programming cable and power supply.

Uzebox - The ATMega Game Console

Fuzebox - Lady Ada's version

Vintage Computers Used To Teach Programming

Robin Lee pointed us to this piece about using 8-bit BBC Micros from the 1980s to teach programming. Given the complexity of modern computing platforms, it's an intriguing idea. From the look of it, the class barely skimmed the surface using a BASIC interpreter, whereas making the most of the machine requires mastering 6502 assembly language.

Of course, revisiting classic machines is nothing new. The Commodore 64 -- once a fierce competitor to the BBC Micro Model B -- still has a cult following. What's new is the acknowledgement that there are several generations of young programmers who grew up without cutting their teeth on simple hardware platforms. Today's coding environments have so many levels of abstraction that it's possible to code through an entire career without having to write a keyboard debounce routine. On one hand, that's a good thing. On the other, there's nothing quite as exciting as trying to squeeze a professional application into only 16K.

Several modern manufacturers have tried to fill the void - most notably the Arduino series of microcontroller boards. These tiny 8-bit computers include dirt cheap Atmega microcontrollers that operate at five or ten times the speed of common 8-bit processors from the 1980s. These modern chips might not have the charm of classic designs like the BBC Micro and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, but they offer programmers the opportunity to design their own devices from the ground up -- something that's becoming increasingly rare.

BBC Micros used in retro programming class

Pantomation - Video Art The Way It Used To Be

I love old video performance gear. The real-time analog nature of the art form still holds exciting possibilities. Pantomation was a system from the 1970's that did some amazing stuff using what today would be considered a rather slow and low res video camera and a PDP computer. Pantomation was able to follow specific colored objects in the visual field using chromakey, then trigger audio and graphical events based on those movements. This is amazing stuff, especially when you see how the tracking system worked in concert with music and video synthesizers of the day.

Today's video game consoles are caught up in the "all new" area of gestural control, but look how capable the Pantomation system was at achieving this sort of effect decades ago. I would love to see more of this kind of kinetic art today using these breakthrough video game technologies. I miss the exuberance of video art pieces like these. Lots of computer based art these days just comes down to being elaborate computer animations. With all these great new real-time performance technologies, maybe we'll catch up with how cool the Pantomation was back in the late 70's!

related:

Wicked DIY analog video synth
Replicating the PDP-8

Commodore 64 Modern Replica Coming Soon

When I read a year ago that Asus, one of the big companies behind the netbook craze, was coming out with a keyboard PC, I couldn't help but think of the Commodore 64. A keyboard with a personal computer inside that you hook up to your TV? Everything that's old is new again.

But when I read recently that the company licensing the Commodore brand was planning a Commodore 64 replica with an Intel-powered PC inside, I had to check the calendar. I thought for sure it was some sort of April Fools' joke. (August Fools' Day, perhaps?)

Alas, it's apparently for real.

ZDNet UK reports that the new Commodore PC64 will have an Intel Atom processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 1 TB hard drive and an optical drive (CD/DVD or Blu-ray). It also will have modern video connections, six USB ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a media card reader.

Pricing has not yet been disclosed. Commodore's current keyboard computers start at $495 and rise to $1,295. The Asus Eee Keyboard PC is a somewhat comparable competitor, sporting some lesser specs and the aging Windows XP operating system but also a built-in 5-inch LED multi-touch display. It is going for $550 right now on Amazon. (The original C64 went for $600.)

I haven't seen any reports of what operating system the new machine will have. Ubuntu, with Windows 7 as an optional upgrade, seems likely, based on Commodore's current offerings.

The original C64 keyboard had a "Commodore" key and a control key. I don't know exactly how you cram in Windows, shift, control and "alt" keys onto the old layout. The original also had four function buttons on the right, far fewer than modern PCs.

I also wonder if they'll be able to match — of all things — the red power light. Blue LEDs are so fashionable these days, and the Commodore 64 wore that red little nubbin so nicely. I also have very strong memories of the C64's power switch, which had a very satisfying snap to it. Can the one on the PC64 be as good or will it be a squishy push button?

And then there's the beige-brown color combo. In a tiny photo from the Commodore USA website, the new machine looks 1990s PC beige, not 1980s Commodore beige. It's a small thing, but if you're going for nostalgia, you have to nail that sort of thing.

Ultimately, I wonder who the target buyer is. Considering the likely price, it better be more than a nostalgia experience: It should be a good computer.

related:
Commodore 64: The Best Selling Personal Computer of All Time
Is This The Ultimate Commodore 64 Mod?
Magnificent Commodore 64 Laptop

Retro Computer Stuffed Into An Altoids Tin

The original RCA COSMAC ELF computer appeared on the front cover of Popular Electronics in August, 1976. It was a single board machine based on the RCA 1802 CPU that cost under $100 to build from a bare board. Another $20 would get you a B&W video display. It was an outstanding value that lingered in the classified section of computer magazines like BYTE well into the early 1980s.

Lee Hart's tiny 1802 Membership Card is an incredibly simple computer built around the classic RCA 1802 chip. The dual board design is small enough to cram into an Altoids tin and includes a front panel with 9 blinky LEDs and 11 subminiature toggle switches. A 25-pin parallel port is also built in.

The system is as simple as it looks. The 1802 CPU is driven by an adjustable RC clock oscillator, and a 28-pin IC socket accepts a 2 to 32 Kilobyte RAM or EPROM chip. There's an 8-bit output port, along with an 8-bit input port and an expansion header. The system operates from a 3V-6V power supply and draws less than 1 mA.

Lee Hart's "Membership Card" Kit [via Make]

Nixiedoku

John Sarik's stunning Sudoku game is built around 81 vintage Nixie tubes. It uses an Arduino microcontroller board and a couple of knobs to select the digit, along with a keypad for numeric entry. There's also a video showing the beast recursively solving a puzzle - not fast or elegant, but beautiful. He's even provided all of the design files (schematics, boards, source code, and case design) in case you'd like to try your hand at building one for your evil mad scientist lair.

Nixie Sudoku [via Hack a Day]

Twitter on a Sinclair

A Twitter client running on a Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 128K. Spotted in Rain Rabbit's Vintage Computer Festival UK flickr set by jonpoet.

Rebirth Of The First Sinclair Computer

Robin writes, "I attended the Vintage Computer Fair in Bletchley Park, England this weekend. Colin Phillips has rebuilt a Sinclair Mk14 with the prospect of them being for sale later in the year. I think this is great news well worth sharing!"