The WiFi Retromodem is a non-destructive replacement of the PCB in an external Hayes Smartmodem 1200 or 2400. Note: while it will fit in the later Smartmodems, the LEDs of the Retromodem in the Hayes Optima series aluminum cases are offset slightly from the letters below. The Retromodem is based on the ZiModem software available on Github. This new version also supports simulated audio dialing just like a real Smartmodem connected to a phone line.
The board can be purchased from this page.
Archives of old technical magazines and journals. Mirrors of particularly important retrotech archives.
Mirror friendly as long as you use anonymous rsync. Please note that their archive is rapidly approaching 1TB in size, so you may wish to think carefully about what you want and why.
This project aims to reproduce the LMSI CM-153 card needed to operate a Philips CM-100 CD-ROM drive. This drive was originally released in 1985 and used an early version of the LSMI protocol to connect. Later versions of LMSI cards, such as the CM-260, are not compatible with earlier drives (I do not know what the exactly compatibilities are). So an early card is required. The CM-153 is a very uncommon part to find due to it's limited use, high cost, and the fact that it would probably be tossed out with the computer when upgraded being separated from its original drive.
Thanks to Roland who has a working CM-100 and CM-153 we have some pretty high quality reference images of what this card looks like. It uses all off the shelf 74 series logic chips and one 8251A UART controller. It should therefore be possible to recreate without needing any rare chips or ROM dumps.
The card has been fully reverse engineered and tested to be functional. It has been demonstrated to work using this driver with a CM100 drive.
This is a reimplementation in KiCad of Don Froula's (http://projectmf.org/) PIC-based bluebox. The circuit was by Don Froula and the board layout was by Phil Lapsley (http://explodingthephone.com). It is so named because of Don's production of a close replica to the bluebox pictured in the October 1971 Esquire article "Secrets of the Little Blue Box." This version is based upon the ATtiny85 microcontroller.
There are three branches in this repository. Branch 'v1' is as close a duplicate of the original board as I can manage. As is, this board forms its own lid for the Radio Shack 230-1801 enclosure. The 'v2' branch is modified such that it can fit in the bottom of the Radio Shack enclosure. That one is probably a better choice for replicating Don's replica. The master branch has been modified to fit a Hammond 1591XXM dimensions 3.3" x 2.2" or 85mm x 56mm) enclosure, which I feel is of much better quality and utility.
This board requires six volts DC. Two or four CR2032 coin cells can be mounted in onboard holders or six volts applied to an external power header. Keystone 103 holds one cell each. Keystone 1026 and MPD BH800S hold two cells each stacked. I chose to try the MPD BH800S because I was uncertain if the Keystone 1026 would fit within the confines of the case.
Firmware: https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/bluebox-avr/
Instructions: https://661.org/proj/bluebox/ (archived)
My name is Adam Wilson. I’m an embedded electronics engineer by trade, and for the past few years I’ve been collecting, repairing, and restoring vintage computers in my spare time.
I’ve finally got around to creating my own website, in order to document all of my repairs and restorations in an accessible fashion for anyone who may be interested.
A collection of cartridges, adapters and replacements for the Commodore C64.
- DiskBuddy64 is a minimal adapter that can interface a Commodore 1541(II) floppy disk drive to your PC via USB in order to read from and write on disks. It uses its own fast loader.
- TapeBuddy64 is a simple and inexpensive adapter that can interface a Commodore Datasette to your PC via USB in order to read from and write on tapes.
- SD2IEC LP is a C64 SD-card adapter and floppy disk drive emulator based on the design by Lars Pontoppidan with cassette port plug. Copy C64 games and programs to SD-card on your PC, put the SD-card in your SD2IEC and load games and programs on your C64!
- Tapuino is a Commodore Datasette emulator based on the design and firmware by Sweetlilmre. Put your TAP-files on an SD-Card and plug the device in your good old Commodore!
- The classic xu1541 is a Commodore floppy disk drive to USB adapter based on the designs by Till Harbaum and Spiro R. Trikaliotis. It connects a variety of CBM drives (1541, 1541-II, 1570, 1571, 1581, SX-64's internal floppy disk) to USB-equipped PCs running Windows, Linux or Mac OS X. This allows for easy transfer of disk images to and from these devices and helps you preserve your old data.
- TapeDump64 is a simple and inexpensive adapter that can interface a Commodore Datasette to your PC via USB in order to dump your old software saved on tapes as TAP files. It is inspired by TrueTape64, a similar project by Francesco Vannini.
- A C64 keyboard to USB adapter based on the design and firmware by Mikkel Holm Olsen. Use the original keyboard with you favourite emulator!
- The SwinSID nano is a replacement board for the legendary SID soundchip of the Commodore C64 based on the design by Swinkels.
- A simple 8k cartridge for C64.
- A MagicDesk compatible cartridge for Commodore C64 based on the work of Marko Šolajić and Zzarko. Build your own cartridges out of multiple PRG-files! Has a 64k variant and a 256k variant.
- A 512k MagicDesk compatible cartridge for Commodore C64 based on the work of Marko Šolajić and Zzarko. Build your own cartridges out of even more PRG-files!
- The FreeLoad cartridge is a simple clone of an Epyx Fastload cartridge, offering a system reset button, a file access activity LED and a disable switch. Load 5x faster from your floppy disk drive, your SD2IEC or your Pi1541!
If you have an interest in the Commodore 64 (C64), SX-64 and Commodore 128 (C128) and all the various hardware that comes with that, like 1541 disk drives, modems, 1702 monitors, etc, then the Commodore Computer Club and Users Group is for you.
We also discuss the Commodore Amiga, VIC-20, Commodore 16 (C16), Plus/4, CBM PET and even the C64 Direct-to-TV (C64DTV) designed by Jeri Ellsworth. If it’s Commodore related, we discuss it at our meetings.
The goal of the club is to have monthly meetings and discuss cool things that are still happening in the scene as well as share project ideas or concepts and to inspire each other for new ones.
In May of 2011 we started the Retro Computing Club as a “sister” club to compliment and cover other vintage computers like Apple, Atari, IBM PC, Tandy, Texas Instruments, Macintosh and more along with video game consoles like Nintendo, Vectrex, Sega, etc.
Like any self-respecting user group, their resources page is well populated.
MicroPython/CircuitPython DOS-like shell for microcontroller boards like the RasPi Pico and Featherwing.
They sell old phones, mods to same so they can be used with modern equipment, and replacement parts.
Handset receiver elements: https://www.oldphoneworks.com/receiver-elements/
Payphones: https://www.oldphoneworks.com/pay-phones/
A z80 kernel and a collection of programs, tools and documentation that allows you to assemble an OS that can:
- Run on minimal and improvised machines.
- Interface through improvised means (serial, keyboard, display).
- Edit text files.
- Compile assembler source files for a wide range of MCUs and CPUs.
- Read and write from a wide range of storage devices.
- Replicate itself.
Additionally, the goal of this project is to be as self-contained as possible. With a copy of this project, a capable and creative person should be able to manage to build and install Collapse OS without external resources (i.e. internet) on a machine of her design, built from scavenged parts with low-tech tools.
The Altair 8800 Clone is a full size, fully functional replica of the computer that started a revolution – the Altair 8800. Whether used for personal or educational purposes, the Altair Clone is a great way to relive this important period in computing history and learn core computer science principles at the same time!
The Altair Clone provides an accurate, hands-on experience without having to worry about damaging a vintage computer. Built with modern hardware on the inside, the Clone is also less expensive and much easier to keep running than a vintage computer.
Paleotronic Magazine takes an enthusiastic look back at the history of electronics, including computers, videogames and media, as well as its use professionally, in business and in industry. Along the way, we trace the roots of the devices and technologies which define our modern world.
An online archive of old electronics texts, most of which have to do with vacuum tube circuits and suchlike. These are considered core texts of radio because they formed the body of knowledge that we learn today. They are most certainly of interest to people who restore old radio sets.