Retro Computing Roundtable

RCR Episode 280: Cheap home computers

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1980

In 1980, Commodore introduced the VIC-20, Sinclair introduced the ZX80, Tandy introduced the Color Computer, and HP tried to breed a computer out of calculators. Also other things happened. Which we discuss!

Topic/Feedback links:

  • VIC-20 
  • Sinclair ZX80
    • See also: MicroAce (timexsinclair.com)
    • HP-85 
      • See also: Tandy PC-4
      • Tandy Color Computer 
      • Intel 8087 
      • Pac-Man 
      • Epson MX-80

        • Retro Computing News:

        • ​​Apple’s best keyboard reimagined (YouTube)
        • Update on the Business IIGS (original auction gone, but: Incider Jan 1989 cover)
        • Daily news from a dot matrix printer
        • APFram. APFram
        • Atari Portfolio
        • It was all Boris Vallejo

          • Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

          • Pac-Man Cereal
          • VIC-20
          • Timex/Sinclair 1000

            • Retro Computing Gift Idea:

            • Inflatable Pac-Man costume

              • Auction Picks:

              • Carrington:
                • The Usurper, one of the last text adventures
                • The Odyssey, one of the worst named adventure games
                • Paul:
                  • Apple-Cat II with expansion box
                    • Starring the Computer: Vacation (1983)
                    • Apple IIGS upgrade (finished at $720, 11 bids)
                    • Blank floppies (finished at $111.50, 9 bids)
                    • Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Grundy NewBrain” (bought now at $850)
                      • See also: Grundy NewBrain
                      • Timex/Sinclair 1000 with box (finished at $15, 1 bid)
                      • Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Jupiter Ace”
                        • See also: Jupiter Ace
                        • A moment of silence for the keyboards that have been parted out
                        • OCC-2 (bought now at $499)
                          • See also: OCC-2
                          • 16K RAM chips sans RAM

                            • A2Stream file:

                            • a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr280.a2stream

                              • Feedback/Discussion:

                              • [email protected]
                              • [email protected] on Mastodon
                              • rcrpodcast.com on bluesky
                              • Vintage Computer Forum
                              • RCR Podcast on Facebook

                                • Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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