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Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: mingle on February 08, 2015, 08:34:23 AM

Title: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: mingle on February 08, 2015, 08:34:23 AM
Just came across this on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161575249481

Looks a bit familiar! Can't find any real info about it, but I suspect it's probably at AT-spec system.

Mike.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: agami on February 08, 2015, 09:13:33 AM
The C= 128
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: danbeaver on February 08, 2015, 10:42:30 AM
The dinosaur.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 08, 2015, 11:30:30 AM
Never seen that, if they shipped world wide I would have bought it for my collection :/

Since it's Adelaide made I bet someone will buy it for their collection :)

Edit: Seems not to easy to find information about it, anyone know hardware and OS used?
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: Lizard on February 08, 2015, 02:24:29 PM
According to the pictures it runs DR-DOS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR-DOS), a MS-DOS alternative.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: scuzzb494 on February 08, 2015, 04:04:37 PM
I would suggest it dates from around 1989 from the version of the DR DOS

[ quote ]

This instruction manual is for DR DOS by digital research for PC computers(version 3.4) Details - published 1989 third edition..1146-2074-003

Known versions are DR DOS 3.31 (BDOS 6.0, 1988-06, OEM only), 3.32 (BDOS 6.0, 1988-08-17, OEM only), 3.33 (BDOS 6.0, 1988-09-01, OEM only), 3.34 (OEM only), 3.35 (BDOS 6.0, 1988-10-21, OEM only), 3.40, 3.41 (BDOS 6.3, 1989-06, OEM and retail). Like MS-DOS, most of them were produced in several flavors for different hardware. While most OEMs kept the DR DOS name designation, one OEM version is known to be called EZ-DOS 3.41.

[ end quote ]

I doubt many were made so quite a find.

My guess is that it predates the Amiga 1200 and is more likely to be in the Amiga 500 era.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 08, 2015, 04:12:09 PM
Dang still want's it, for that price in my eyes it's a steal, to bad I can't find more about the hardware, expansion possabilities etc.

Does it run from floppy or does it have a hard drive etc :/
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: QuikSanz on February 08, 2015, 04:57:13 PM
Looks to be based on an 8086 or 8088, nothing to run on it really.

Chris
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: ElPolloDiabl on February 08, 2015, 06:36:46 PM
There is a youtube video of it running. It is just an 8086. I wouldn't pay $100 for it.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 08, 2015, 07:48:25 PM
I would as collector, $99 aint much for a rare machine that I never even seen before.
Heck russian speccy clones goes for more...

Also can't find the video on youtube please link.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: danbeaver on February 08, 2015, 09:12:53 PM
A search for this web site: http://archive.atomicmpc.com.au/forums.asp?s=1&c=1&t=87017

With this comment, "My second computer was a Adelaide made "Microbyte HC120" - that was a pile of sh(i)t. Anyone remember Microbyte?!! LOL"
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: scuzzb494 on February 08, 2015, 09:17:30 PM
This is different system from the company.. type PC-230. I suspect they were dabbling in the computer market of the day and focusing on systems that were pretty popular at the time. I sense the machine is unlikely to have sold in many numbers so a nice addition to a collection.

MicroByte PC-230 System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izqc-95KzeY

[ quote YouTube]

This is a small system designed in Adelaide, South Australia. This particular example is not in very good condition, unfortunately.

[ end quote YouTube]

Some of the more popular kit was being manufactured and rebranded in Australia here is a C64C from Australia that is in the collection.

http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com/amiga/amiga_scuzz357.htm
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: scuzzb494 on February 08, 2015, 09:21:41 PM
This is an Ebay seller on YouTube talking about the PC230SX. Not the computer in question but more background on the company... if you read the monitor 1989-1990. Or there abouts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HHvWzDmVoY
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: Matt_H on February 08, 2015, 09:43:54 PM
I find the presence of a floppy port interesting - never seen one of those on a PC before!
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: Rob on February 08, 2015, 10:01:37 PM
I wonder if they're rarer or more common than my Sam.  I'm hanging onto my Sam for since the prices seem to have gone up in the past few years since I first speculated on the idea of selling it.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: Leffmann on February 09, 2015, 12:02:58 AM
If you look at sites like old-computers.com, and the sites linked to by their collectors, then you can't find any mention of it anywhere. It seems to be extremely rare, and never sold outside Australia. $100 AUD for that machine must be a bargain for a collector.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 09, 2015, 08:39:49 AM
Quote from: Leffmann;783339
If you look at sites like old-computers.com, and the sites linked to by their collectors, then you can't find any mention of it anywhere. It seems to be extremely rare, and never sold outside Australia. $100 AUD for that machine must be a bargain for a collector.


Exactly, $100 AUD ain't nothing for it, but sadly he do not ship to Sweden else I would have bought it :(

Would loved to show it as the retro gaming convention here in Sweden in May ^^
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: ElPolloDiabl on February 09, 2015, 11:21:20 AM
My offer was accepted. Give me about a week and I will review it.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 09, 2015, 01:08:20 PM
Quote from: ElPolloDiabl;783379
My offer was accepted. Give me about a week and I will review it.


Congrats! Please share everything about it when you get it!

Also if you want to sell it in the future I will be a viable candidate ;)

A few bucks and a DIN-5 and you will have a PSU up in no time :)
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: scuzzb494 on February 09, 2015, 06:01:23 PM
Quote from: ElPolloDiabl;783379
My offer was accepted. Give me about a week and I will review it.


Keep everything together. Also remember that some of these older machines had the leaky barrel battery. Might be worth trying to find out before you take the computer apart.

Well done by the way. Good find that.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: ElPolloDiabl on February 16, 2015, 09:08:46 AM
Hi, it arrived. I took some pics but can't post them for a few more days.
The top is similiar to an Amiga 500, and must have came from the same factory.
Inside there is an custom 8086 motherboard about 10 inch by 10 inch. It has one ISA slot. An internal floppy. No hard drive. The keyboard is plugged in via and internal AT connector.

It should give some inspiration for making you own custom case.

I would call it a PC version of an Amiga 500.
Title: Re: Which came first, the A1200 or this?
Post by: som99 on February 16, 2015, 10:57:01 AM
Thanks for the update! Can't wait for the pics :)
What video chip does it use?

Take a look at the XTIDE project of you want to build a ISA PATA controller.

I'm guessing you can't swap the onboard ram but that's expandable to a few megs Via ISA ram card but I would rather use a HDD controller and a CF card there :)

Does the motherboard have a slot for a FPU?

So it has a internal 5pin din connector for keyboard haha love these kind of different machines :)

Does it have any old batteries onboard? Since it's an old 8086 board it should have an old barrel battery somewhere?

Still lovely machine! Waiting for the pictures :)