Retro Computer Festival 5th/6th Nov 2022

[Phil__G]

Anyone going?
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/d...-5th-November/

[SiriusHardware]

It certainly looks as though Tim is!

I don't think I can get planning permission as I'm already away on the two preceding weekends.

Even on a normal day it's a great museum to visit.

[Pamphonica]

I'll definitely be there. I'll be demonstrating 1980 vintage pre-pc scientific computers and calculators from HP with various plotters, including the fearsome HP7550, the fastest desktop plotter ever made! 6g acceleration of the pens.
The Festival is a great showcase of retro computing. Everything from very early games machines to Arduino DEC PDP-11 replicas, teletypes, an Quantel Paintbox, rare soviet gaming clones etc. Lots of it is hands-on so excellent for all ages.
Definitely worth dropping in. Say hello if you spot me.
-Jeremy

[Outrun_uk]

Tempting, may make a weekend of it if I can persuade the other half - wonder if I can make it part of her birthday present….. ��

[Timbucus]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

It certainly looks as though Tim is!

I don't think I can get planning permission as I'm already away on the two preceding weekends.

Even on a normal day it's a great museum to visit.

Yup I am - that is a real shame would have been great to catch up in person - look forward to seeing anyone who is there though make sure you say hello.

Just panicking about all the work and testing I need to do ahead of the show. I had hoped to get the H9 running, but that is unlikely - I may take it for show though alongside the H8/H17. The SCRUMPI work and Karen's/Slothie's work on the OrtonView will be there attached to my MK14 replica - and hopefully my modern Triton build.

[SiriusHardware]

Would have been the ideal chance to pass that SM124 over to you as well... I will look into it but I honestly think I would be pushing my luck with SWMBO as I'm already mucking about playing steam trains one weekend and then going mountain walking the next. That's as much time off the lead as I can reasonably ask for.

Karen's/Slothie's work on the OrtonView will be there attached to my MK14 replica

Not forgetting Mark1960, who got it working properly not once, but twice. It's a shame Realtime's CPLD based SOC VDU isn't available to the general public yet, as you could have demonstrated that too.. unless of course you know differently.

[Realtime]

I’d like to get up to Cambridge for the show. Never been before and would be great to meet some people from the forum.

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

It's a shame Realtime's CPLD based SOC VDU isn't available to the general public yet, as you could have demonstrated that too.. unless of course you know differently.

I’m away for a couple of weeks so haven’t been able to play, however I’m pretty happy with the VDU module now so I probably could make one available (I’ve got 2 built). When I’m back next week I’ll update that thread with status. The DM8678 emulator is also working really well. Would be great to get that installed in an original/replica SOC VDU module to prove it.

[Timbucus]

Originally Posted by Realtime

I’d like to get up to Cambridge for the show. Never been before and would be great to meet some people from the forum.

I’m away for a couple of weeks so haven’t been able to play, however I’m pretty happy with the VDU module now so I probably could make one available (I’ve got 2 built). When I’m back next week I’ll update that thread with status. The DM8678 emulator is also working really well. Would be great to get that installed in an original/replica SOC VDU module to prove it.

Well if you bring it along to the show I will have my Replica SOC VDU with me so we can try it out! Would be nice to show them all.

[Timbucus]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

Would have been the ideal chance to pass that SM124 over to you as well... I will look into it but I honestly think I would be pushing my luck with SWMBO as I'm already mucking about playing steam trains one weekend and then going mountain walking the next. That's as much time off the lead as I can reasonably ask for.

Not forgetting Mark1960, who got it working properly not once, but twice. It's a shame Realtime's CPLD based SOC VDU isn't available to the general public yet, as you could have demonstrated that too.. unless of course you know differently.

Understood but, if you do make it will be great to see you. I have actually yet to make the patch to the board from Mark mine still has Caps - if you remember my Opto couplers failed so there is another two jobs to complete before I go... arghhh

[SiriusHardware]

Just bear in mind that Tim's issue VI has a DIN card rack style connector soldered to the rear edge so it might be an idea for Realtime to bring not only one of his prototype CPLD VDUs, but also a 'stock' unaltered issue VI to plug it into. (If he's able to get there, obviously).

[SiriusHardware]

mine still has Caps

I think Mark, Slothie and myself have tested the '74 chip mod for Ortonview well enough, so maybe just leave the 'dirty fix' caps on yours for now and wait for Slothie's V2 of the Ortonview PCB on which he has properly incorporated the '74 fix. I wouldn't be too sure it's the optos on your Pi Programmer PCB, I remember you already had to repair one through-hole VIA on that PCB.

[Phil__G]

Tim, the ticket page only caters for Saturday, its definitely on for Sunday too?
Ta
Phil

[Pamphonica]

It’s definitely Saturday and Sunday.

[SiriusHardware]

Look more closely:-

I agree that it could have been made a bit more obvious.

[Phil__G]

Thanks G, I must pay more attention in class
Booked in sat & sun, looking forward to it, my first visit!
Not sure about parking, the centres own car park will be full I expect...

[SiriusHardware]

If you can tear yourself away from the main event the museum itself is well worth a mooch around as well - they have the - (or one of the) - MK14 prototype(s) there and a few other Sinclairy bits and pieces - I thought I remembered there being a National Introkit (the system from which the MK14 was derived) there as well, but I don't think Tim managed to spot it last time he was there so maybe I was confusing it with TNMOC at Bletchley, which did have two examples of the Introkit.

Edit: Looks like they think they do have an Introkit but not on display. Maybe if you gave them advance notice they might dig it out for the SCAMPers to have a look at.

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/d...tems-See-List/

[Phil__G]

I did Bletchley only a couple of weeks ago and yes they do have an Introkit, a Softy too... though the Softy was unlabelled. The Sol-20 was labelled as having an 8088 processor but the guy on duty wasnt at all interested in a correction, which surprised me

[SiriusHardware]

If I remember correctly, Bletchley had a unbuilt basic Introkit still in the bubble pack, and a wire-wrap-built [Introkit + Keypad / display] which was the immediate ancestor of the MK14, to which it donated its original SCMPKB OS.

If TCFCH do have an Introkit, especially one with a keypad and display, I think they should dust it off and display it beside the MK14 collection if only to acknowledge where the production version of the MK14 came from. It certainly shouldn't be sitting in a cardboard box.

[SiriusHardware]

Regarding the error, some years ago I noticed that the Discovery Museum in Newcastle - the new(ish) name for what was formerly the Museum of Science and Engineering - had a Sinclair Spectrum and a Sinclair ZX81 in their searchable online collection, but both machines were really badly described and supposedly consisted of a 'Hard Drive' plus other sundry items, although it was clear (to me) from the context that they had used the term 'Hard Drive' to mean 'Console' or 'Computer'. I wrote them a polite email about it and I've just looked and I see that the descriptions have actually been changed at some point, so it can work if you can get hold of the right person.

[Timbucus]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

If you can tear yourself away from the main event the museum itself is well worth a mooch around as well - they have the - (or one of the) - MK14 prototype(s) there and a few other Sinclairy bits and pieces - I thought I remembered there being a National Introkit (the system from which the MK14 was derived) there as well, but I don't think Tim managed to spot it last time he was there so maybe I was confusing it with TNMOC at Bletchley, which did have two examples of the Introkit.

Edit: Looks like they think they do have an Introkit but not on display. Maybe if you gave them advance notice they might dig it out for the SCAMPers to have a look at.

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/d...tems-See-List/

I will message them and ask if they have time we can nose in the box over the weekend! Looking forward to meeting a few members make sure those who are there you come and say Hi!