Sunday - September 04, 2011

computer museum … not as pretty as eye candy but

Some of these old machines will hold their looks for good or bad for a lot longer. Being puters though, don’t always look for em to be faithful.

Came across this site quite by accident and spent only a little time there and thought it worth sharing. I know from past comments and postings that there are a fair number of you who are very tech savvy, and even those who claim not to be have shown interest in these things.

I never knew Zenith had a computer.  Some of you did I’m certain.  Anyway ... there’s a lot here.  Click the computer.

It’s amazing how well some of these old computers have weathered the ages. Mathew Bergman gives us the scoop on his old Zenith machine.

While this machine may not have the charm of an Apple II, the fond remembrances of a C64 or the utility of an IBM PC, it definitely has one outstanding feature: It was built to last. By remarkable circumstance I was given this computer while just finishing elementary school, and pounded it playing ASCII-based games, word processing and BASIC programming through my Sophomore year in college in 1991. As evidenced by the picture, it’s barely the worse for wear. Throughout its active life it was connected to a Transtar daisy-wheel printer (still clacking away, though no drivers are available for it) and an acoustic-coupler 300 baud modem (since lost, although it never really worked anyway). Although this machine is still fully functional, it is now mostly used as a conversation piece.

Zenith Data Systems was founded in 1979 by Zenith Electronics Corporation, after acquiring Heathkit. I suspect (but cannot confirm) that this was one of their first machines. Here’s what the Operation/Service Manual (copyright 1980) has to say about this machine:

This Zenith Data Systems Digital Computer is a versatile, 8-bit microcomputer and professional video terminal both built into the same cabinet. The computing functions and terminal operations are both controlled by separate Z-80 microprocessors. The high quality keyboard, video display, state-of-the art logic circuitry, and plug-in accessories make this Computer [Zenith’s capitalization] outstanding.

H/T obsoletecomputermuseum.org

Posted by peiper     on 09/04/2011 at 09:44 AM   
Filed Under: • Computers and Cyberspace •  
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