#vintagecomputers

🎄💾🗓️ Day 16: Retrocomputing Advent Calendar - Tandy 1000🎄💾🗓️

Tandy's 1000, sold by Tandy Corporation in 1984 via its RadioShack stores, was a low-cost home computer designed to be compatible with IBM PC software. It shipped with an Intel 8088 processor, 128 KB of RAM, expandable to 640 KB, and had better-at-the-time graphics and sound than many of the standard PCs. The 1000 had the Tandy Graphics Adapter, or TGA, and the more superior SN76496 or NCR 8496 sound chips. The built-in joystick port also made it desirable for gamers and home users. Different models were produced, each with improved hardware, before being discontinued in 1993. One of the main selling features was its compatibility with IBM-PC, the MS-DOS operating system, and expansion slots for peripheral devices.

And check out our guide! Tandy 1000 Keyboard to USB with CircuitPython. https://learn.adafruit.com/tandy-1000-keyboard-to-usb-with-circuitpython

🎄💾🗓️ Day 15: Retrocomputing Advent Calendar - BBC Micro🎄💾🗓️⌨️🇬🇧

The BBC Micro was an 8-bit microcomputer introduced in 1981 by Acorn Computers under the BBC Computer Literacy Project of the UK, launched with a 6502A processor running at 2 MHz, supported 16 KB to 32 KB of RAM, and featuring a BASIC environment. The machine was versatile, having very good-for-its-time graphics and multi-colors. Expansion capability for educational and experimental use with an assortment of I/O ports, which included a 1 MHz bus, user port, and cassette interface.

The BBC Micro was known for its reliability and emphasis on teaching programming and computer science. The system software, Acorn MOS, was simple and intuitive. With peripherals such as floppy drives and second processors, it performed tasks well beyond its initial use and extended its lifetime by at least a decade or more.

The BBC Micro also pushed forward a lot of gaming and software since this open architecture inspired a thriving community of developers. It also played a big role in the development of the ARM architecture by Acorn Computers, which would change the way modern computers are made in years to come. The BBC Micro has a special place in computing history, which expanded education and brought computing to schools and society through the 1980s.

🎄💾🗓️ Day 8: Retrocomputing Advent Calendar - Commodore PET 🎄💾🗓️

The Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) came out in 1977 and was among the earliest personal computers - featuring an all-in-one design with a keyboard, monochrome monitor, and cassette deck - all within a single chassis. Powered by an MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor running at 1 MHz, it had 4 KB of RAM and was expandable up to 96 KB in later models. The PET had Commodore BASIC stored in ROM, allowing users to write and execute programs directly. Its display supported text resolutions of 40×25 or 80×25 characters, using the PETSCII character set for semigraphic capabilities. While early models did not have sound, later versions included a basic beeper. PET's all-in-one design and user-friendly interface contributed to its popularity in education and business, and it sold approximately 219,000 units before its discontinuation in 1982.

Check out the wikipedia page for some extended history and great photos -