DESCRIPTION

The Micro-Professor MPF-1 is a training system designed to teach the fundamentals of machine code and assembly language for the Zilog Z80 microprocessor. A training system was typically used by students within computer science or by designers that wanted to design a computer around a specific microprocessor.
The MPF-1 is known as a Single Board Computer because all the components like, CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O etc. is located on the same printed circuit board.
The ROM on this B version is loaded with a BASIC interpreter and a simple monitor program. A program could be entered through the keyboard or loaded through the audio interface connected to a cassette player.
This embedded system is an early predecessor to todays Arduino and Raspberry Pi embedded computers. The biggest difference is that all the functionality is merged into a single chip instead of dedicated hardware for CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O etc.

RELEVANCE

The MPF-1 is an iconic Z80 based development board among the earliest single board computers only beaten by based 8080 Intel SDK-80 1975, 6502 based KIM-1 1976 MC68000 Educational Computer 1981.
It’s a funny little computer in a box with integrated display and keyboard.
This computer is relevant because it shows the basic element of a computer and is an early predecessor to embedded controllers like Arduino, Raspberry Pi or similar.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Indlægget Micro-Professor MPF-1B blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.

DESCRIPTION

In the mid 90s IBM was into the Thin Client business, first known as the Network Station but renamed in 2000 to be included in the NetVista branch and withdrawn in 2002.
A thin client is a simple network connected computer that is optimized for a remote connection with a server. The server is responsible for the hard work like processing power, data storage and software execution. The thin client can be seen as a way of connecting the keyboard, mouse and display to the network.
Thin clients are a further development of the multi-user computer terminals connected to mainframes of the past but instead of the text based terminals thin clients was extended with a graphical user interface.
The IBM N2200 has connections for a VGA display, two USB ports for mouse and keyboard, sound input and output and then the network connection for the server. This makes it possible for the user to make a remote connection into the server where all the needed software is installed, all files are kept, and the server does all the calculation. The nice thing about a system like this is that a thin client can be based on cheap and low end hardware, data is protected because it is not stored locally and it is simpler for a system administrator to manage the software installations.

RELEVANCE

I used to be very fascinated by simplicity of thin clients back when they were a thing. They were often used on schools, libraries and similar places. When I stumbled upon this IBM Thin Client I just wanted to have it, even though I’m not even sure if it can be used for anything useful as a stand alone device.
The design is very typical IBM in the black and edgy manner. The front design share similarities with IBM NetVista desktop computers as well as the IBM eServer xSeries e.g. the model 205.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Indlægget IBM NetVista N2200 Model 8363 blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.

DESCRIPTION

The Epson HX-20 is considered to be the first real laptop computer or at least the first notebook sized portable computer that runs on internal batteries. It has the same size as a block of A4 printing paper and fits inside a briefcase. Despite the small size it has a full size keyboard and keys with a long travel distance. The downside, however, is that the display is crammed in-between the printer, microcassette drive and keyboard. This means that this computer is among those with the smallest display.

The computer was available in silver and beige color. In my opinion the silver version looks so much better and more hi-tech than the beige that looks cheaper and plastic-like.

The Tandy Model 100 used the same form factor as the HX-20 but with a much larger display.

The PX-8 was a later laptop from Epson that succeeded the HX-20. It incorporated a larger display with 8 lines with 80 columns. It kept the microcassette drive and a similar keyboard. OS was changed to CP/M-80.

RELEVANCE

A laptop computer with a built-in printer is not something you see everyday, unless you own a IBM ThinkPad 555BJ or a Canon Notejet. This computer also include a built-in microcassette drive. Those two features make this little notebook very unique and recognizable among others.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

PURCHASE

This computer was one of the first I bought on eBay. Once in a while they showed up on DBA but not with a price tag that I was willing to accept. The computer was sold as untested and came without the power supply.
After I had this computer for a while another HX-20, in beige, showed up on eBay at a reasonable price because it didn’t work and was in a cosmetic bad condition. The reason I wanted it was because it came with a plastic carrying case and also included the H20EU expansion module.

RESTORATION AND MODIFICATION

After some testing of both computers I found out that the mainboard in the silver version seemed to be dead while the mainboard in the beige version seemed to work ok. So I took the working mainboard and mounted it in the silver one. But kept the original ROM chips and mounted them in the working mainboard since I wanted to make sure that the system stayed English instead of the French beige computer.
I haven’t played a lot with it after the “brain transplantation” because it keeps going into something TRAP! error state that I’m not completely sure about. Maybe I just have to look into the manual and learn about how to use it and to test some software on it. This is also the reason why I can’t confirm if the microcassette or printer works.

LINKS

• Wikipedia
• Epson HX-20 Programs
• Epson HX-20 Operations Manual
• Actual size commercial from Byte Magazine
• Old Crap – detailed teardown images

Indlægget Epson HX-20 blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.

DESCRIPTION

This special desktop computer was the first in the VIA Artigo series. It is based on the EPIA PX10000G Pico-ITX motherboard. RAM is mounted in a slot at the underside of the mainboard and the hard drive beneath that. It came as a builder kit without RAM, hard drive or operating system. It has an internal power distribution board converting the 12V to the different voltages needed for the motherboard.

RELEVANCE

When the Artigo A1000 was released it was one of the smallest x86 desktop computers. The design is very attractive with the piano black finish and the fact that it can be mounted inside a regular desktop computer in one of the optical drive bays or as a car computer.
From a time before the Raspberry Pi and similar single board computers the idea about a computer this size was almost unimageable. It could be used as a regular desktop computer, a small media center or as the brain of a robot.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Indlægget VIA Artigo A1000 Pico-ITX blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.

DESCRIPTION

Amstrad NC200 is the successor to the NC100(LINK) and came out a year after it. It includes many upgrades but much of the design and software looks much the same.

Even though the form factor has changed from notebook to clamshell many of the design elements looks much the same. Especially the keyboard looks exactly the same. By making the display fold down over the keyboard there is room for the larger screen and it also better protected now. The extra thickness makes room for the added diskette drive and the needed battery upgrade to C cells in order to power the diskette drive and the backlight.

Amstrad continuous with their user friendly design both on the hardware side with colored keys for shortcuts and a bold font on the keys to make them more readable. To me it makes the computer looks a little childish. The software side is also very user friendly with the large graphic and the menus that is easy to navigate through for a computer novice. For the advanced user a secret menu can be found including many “Function + letter” shortcuts.

RELEVANCE

To me this computer is very interesting because I had the NC100 when I was a teenager. When I searched for information I saw the pictures of the much nicer NC200 with its huge display and more advanced software.

The form factor of the computer reminds me of the small handheld computers and PDAs with their wide displays like HP 95LX(LINK) and Journada 720(LINK). This one is just much bigger and does not look like any other laptop.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Indlægget Amstrad NC200 Notebook blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.

DESCRIPTION

The computer is originally made by Kyocera, Japan and called Kyocera 85. Later the rights was sold to Tandy Corporation which sold it through their Radio Shack stores. It became very popular and sold more than 6 million units.
The platform was also used in the Olivetti M-10 which has a nice flipping display and the NEC PC-8201 and PC-8300 which have a different keyboard layout.

The computer was very popular among journalist and other people that needed to write text on the go. The small form factor also made it popular in science laboratories as a programming terminal for controlling measuring equipment through RS-232. It can be powered around 20 hours by normal AA batteries that can easily be swapped.

It contains a version of Microsoft BASIC 80 in ROM where part of the code was written by Bill Gates himself. Other programs include a terminal program, an address and phone book, a to-do-list and a text editor.

The model 100 was followed by a model 102 that was almost identical but 1/2 inch thinner and one pound lighter. This could be done by changing from through hole components to surface mounted devices. Later it was succeeded by the Tandy 200 that had a much bigger display that could be flipped up as a regular laptop.

RELEVANCE

It is one of the first computers in the notebook style form factor that included a large display, full-size keyboard and build in replaceable batteries. All that in a the same size as a block of A4 printing paper.

Compared to computers of similar form factor like Epson HX-20(LINK), Amstrad NC100(LINK) and Cambridge Z88(LINK) it had the largest physical screen with a high resolution and the best keyboard. That made it great for writing text.

GALLERY

SPECIFICATIONS

Indlægget Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 blev først udgivet på Daths Garage.