I write about the past, present, and future of technology across three sites. imapenguin.com explores retro computing and programming fundamentals, milkcrunch.com covers modern software development and engineering culture, and evadot.com examines commercial spaceflight and the new space movement.
Posts
RSS- Since I'm waiting on 4 components that weigh a total of about .1 ounce for the Cerberus, I figure my lunch break can be used to make progress on one of my other 12 million boards to build. VickyTwenty, you're next
- New to me TRS-80 PC-4. More things to do dumb races against the VIC-20
- Making and Breaking Ciphers with Commodore 64 – The Vigenère Cipher · imapenguin
- Who wants an old computer that looks new? Pre distressed jeans are a thing right? So starting next week I’ll be offering a product called “retro yellow”. I think it’ll be HUGE!!
- Today on “dumb calculator races vs the VIC-20 I changed this to repeat 10 times for better comparison. A PAL VIC20 beats the TI-81 (z80 running at 2Mhz) by about 10%. A screen blanked NTSC C64 (POKE53265,PEEK(53265)AND239) is neck and neck with the calculator. #commodore
- The mystery of the VIC-42 chip is much less interesting than I hoped. I happen to have an Alphacom VP42 printer. It has the chip in it
- This week on “dumb calculator races vs the VIC-20” we add the TI-81. Its z80 processor is a much more formidable opponent than the Sharp 9300 from the same period.
- Evening CERBERUS progress. Got all 56 10k Resistors done. I'll wrap up the soldering tomorrow with the taller components with the exception of a transistor I had to order. Still might be working by the weekend if I don't screw anything up.
- And in other news, I bought a working working Plus/4. For now. I've doomed it by posting it here.
- Lunchtime project... Composite video mod on my Coco2. I didn't even blow it up or anything. Haven't used this in many many years, the green is just as horrible as I remember ;-)
- I started flying too late to have been required to use one of these. Modern equivalents are much faster, but I did learn how to use it. I love the big picture understanding of how things work in relationship with each other that only analog tools can reveal.
- New to me UNTESTED Plus/4. Now those are some yellowed keys!
- Morning progress. Couple hundred pins soldered. Not hard, but the pads are tiny so it requires some patience. All of the sockets are done.
- As some have pointed out, the print routines are probably VERY slow on the calculator. I took them out and made the VIC code the same as what's on the calculator as close as I could. VIC-20 is still faster. Pretty fun. Next up, head to head with TI-81
- What do you do when you have a bunch of 25-35 year old calculators than can run BASIC? I know what I'd do, I'd race them with a 40 year old computer. They have pretty similar RAM, but the VIC-20 beats a Sharp 9300c from 1991 easily #commodore
- It’s 72F and low humidity today. Moving my office to the front porch.
- My morning routine is to work out and then spend 15 minutes learning something new. This morning it's @TechTinkering 's tutorial on using screen memory as extra storage to do the 100 door problem on unexpanded VIC-20s. Good stuff.
- The 250407 Replica by @bwack77 arrived today. It's amazing. I now have a trifecta AND the MiniPET 40/80 hasn't even shipped yet. This is gonna be A LOT of soldering...
- Pro tip: AirPods are not machine washable. Sigh.
- When you put VIC-20 CR machines back together, you have to keep the bottom RF shield because it helps with mounting. They are always terribly rusty so I paint them. Apparently my paint supplies are low and I have... white. No one is gonna see it anyway so white it is.