RetroChallenge: Entrants List 2021/10

Entries for RC 2021/10 are closed, but you should have another opportunity to join the fun very soon!

Categories were: General, Publish It!, and The Millenials,

Category: General
Just4Fun twitter : @Just4Fun_J4Fun Platform: 68008 CPU + CP/M-68K homemade SBC Project : The 68k-MBC is an easy to build 68008 CPU SBC (Single Board Computer), using only easy to find TH parts. It follows the same "concept" of the previous Z80-MBC2 (https://hackaday.io/project/159973) and V20-MBC (https://hackaday.io/project/170924) boards, using a PIC18F47Q10 MCU as EEPROM and "universal" I/O emulator (so a "legacy" EPROM programmer is not needed). You can choose between two main HW configuration options: Lite or Full. Lite HW configuration option allows to build a 3 ICs 68008 system running CP/M-68K. Short demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4DA7k4Jmoc Initial Comments: This looks like it is already a fairly sorted SBC project. What updates are in store for us? I will be stealing that mini receipt printer idea for my own SBC! 68000s and through-hole blue PCBs, what's not to like! Halftime Update: Just4Fun managed to knock out some software updates and documentation for his retro SBC. MSW: lots of great blogging here with software, hardware and printing with easily available parts. I used to have a SBC M68K board based on the original motorola reference design but this is so much more advanced! Final Comments: Good progress for the month on this long-term SBC project. MSW: Nice one this, completely biased as I am towards the 68k - but really this is a healthy combination of PTH components as a system would have been assembled with all those modern conveniences of SD card drives etc. Getting Star trek to work on top of CPM68K is awesome. Status: Finished the Month!
Paleoferrosaurus twitter : @Paleoferrosaur Platform: Western Electric Model 551 PBX Project : Update, automate, and hopefully not deflagrate… Initial Comments: Will Paleoferrosaurus be doing an endurance challenge, using only the 1920's era PBX to telecommute? Tune in... Halftime Update: After removing all of the rat-based "patina" from his 551 PBX last month, Paleoferrosaurus has been documenting telephone circuits, how his PBX functions, and laying down a finish on the walnut woodwork. Just when we thought he was going to break all of the RC rules, he shows us a nice TI 99/4A BASIC program to generate MF and DTMF tones. And, like any proper RetroChallenge, his entry gets side-tracked by another RetroChallenge, as he troubleshoots his TI 99/4A power supply. Great progress! MSW: oh wow, is he using LaTeX for his blog? I'm in awe! The project is really good too! Final Comments: I had my doubts, but I love that Paleoferrosaurus managed to insert a TI 99/4A into this project. MSW: Another of paleos big iron projects, so great to see someone taking on such an epic challenge and getting something working out the end of it. Adds nicely to the historic knowledge of this bit of hardware, and era. Status: Finished the Month!
Mu0n twitter : @JuneauMichal1 Platform: Compact Macintosh Project : Reverse engineer the Studio Session (From Bogas Productions, 1986) file format for a playthrough, driven mostly by C code. Initial Comments: Why should amigas have all the music tracker fun? Good to see a particpant from 68KMLA.org... birthplace of the RetroChallenge! And that B&W blog is bringing the nostalgia! Halftime Update: Mu0n is making great progress reorganizing his code and getting some sound out of his Studio Session Analyzer Program. MSW: love the look of this blog, proper Mac monochrome goodness! Final Comments: Great progress on a long term project. Some Macintosh Toolbox coding obstacles seemed to have slowed him down. Hopefully, we see Muon finishing this in the future. MSW: Well the video made me jump out of my skin when the volume went up! Lots of bit banging with this one, love that classic mac environment. Status: Finished the Month!
Lee Adamson Platform: Unix (build platform), VMS BASIC Plus 2 (original source), CP/M on TRS-80 Model II (target) Project : I have an ongoing project to port Dan Lawrence's "DND", an early CRPG (circa 1976), to a cleaner C codebase so that I can extend and improve the game, while still targeting old hardware via z88dk and cc65. My RetroChallenge entry is a subproject within this larger project: To get the code-so-far building for CP/M and running on a TRS-80 Model II, even if all of the game mechanics aren't completely ported by then. If my "real" Model II doesn't have enough memory, I'll have to either build a bigger RAM card for it or use an emulator. Initial Comments: Lee's DND 'vidjya' updates are sure to be an entertaining entry. I predict lots of Yuengling, cussin', video-shootin', and retro-computin'!! Halftime Update: Lee provides a very thorough review of the DND code showing how it operates, including spells, the combat loop, and line of sight. Not sure if he has written any code this month (he seems to be distracted by his amateur radio repairs), but he has certainly provided the background for any future contributors to the project. MSW: Just watching the videos now and I'm hooked, great history of this RPG. Final Comments: An inspiring project to be sure (see @urbancamo's entry). Lots of details for anyone diving into the classic DND CRPG. MSW: I loved every minute of this, some great history documented there for sure! Status: Finished the Month!
jskists twitter : @jskists Platform: RC2014 Project : Take the RC2014, and design/build modules so that the RC2014 can run the Jupiter ACE ROM image unmodified. Yes, it’s easy enough to run a Jupiter ACE in an emulator, on a Raspberry PI, but where is the fun in that? I want to learn how the 80’s computer worked! I’m a software engineer, by trade, so hardware design is quite unknown to me… I perfectly accept that this probably is not very challenging, to most. Personally, I think that real challenge is, for me, to actually finish something… Initial Comments: So meta... being challenged by challenging the RetroChallenge in 2021 with an RC(RetroChallenge)2014! Halftime Update: Great background and progress on jskists' RC2014 based Jupiter ACE work-alike "MillRACE IO".There are even some glamour shots of the in-progress prototype boards! MSW: The screen layout template is a work of art! Plenty going on here: hardware, software, works of art, looking forward to seeing if the dream come true! Final Comments: Jskists managed to end up with great looking, but not-yet-totally-working Jupiter Ace modules for his RC2014. His handsome keyboard works as a near-random key code generator! The tidy-looking prototype board is also worth checking out! I really hope he manages to get this working in the near future. MSW: A valiant effort well worthy of a prize. Status: Finished the Month!
Jim Gerrie Platform: TRS-80 Micro Color Computer (MC-10) Project : I hope to blog about a couple of projects this month and next as part of RetroChallenge 2021, and possibly also of Septandy. The main project involves my port of Freecell from some QBasic source I found on the Net. I am also working a port of a 4K adventure game "Cavernes" for the TRS-80 Pocket computers. The source is from the French computer magazine Trace from the early 80s. Initial Comments: RC2021/10 is official! it wouldn't be a RetroChallenge without Jim porting something new to the MC-10. Halftime Update: Seems likely that Jim is actually stuck in the cave from his port of the text adventure game "Les Cavernes", as we have only just seen an update from him. MSW: What Jim doesn't know about BASIC isn't worth knowing! One teaser update, we want more Jim! Final Comments: Jim had a slow October but still managed to port a text adventure game and finalize an MC-10 port of Freecell solitaire from QBasic source. His unproductive months are better than my good months! MSW: tbh, I've thought this in the past that RC is just a month in a year round effort of Jim's, he's like a BASIC writing machine. Much Kudos Jim. Status: Finished the Month!
Tom Raidna twitter : @TraidnaComputes Platform: TI 99 4/a Project : Write a minimal MUMPS language interpreter in TMS 9900 assembler - which I’m just learning, that will run as 8k cartridge on SD card in a flashrom99 in TI 99 4/a. Cross assembly using Asw.exe and p2bin.exe under wine on a mac. Will use classic99.exe emulator for testing. Initial Comments: I didn't even know infectious diseases had languages... This virus interpreter is a perfect project for lockdown. Halftime Update: Just when the TI99/4A and its sidecars seemed to have side-tracked Tom's project, he got us an update! MSW: MUMPS on a TI! This is madness! I love it, clearly a MUMPS expert if Tom can't do it no one can! Final Comments: Tom completed a working demo of his MUMPS interpreter for the TI 99/4A! Two informative videos and shared source code make this a really successful month and great project for him. MSW: loved the videos and I learnt lots about MUMPs and this venerable machine. Status: Finished the Month!
Phillip Stevens twitter : @_feilipu Platform: RC2014 - 8085 - Am9511A APU Project : 1. Extend my Sept 2021 8085 CPU Module for RC2014 to support the Am9511A APU (Floating Point Module). 2. Build driver support to allow it to be used from C, BASIC, and assembly. Initial Comments: Always awesome to see RC2014 based projects! Halftime Update: Phillip has provided a couple of solid updates on his 8085. MSW: a consistent blogger (no mean feat) the 8085 isn't a chip I know much about bit it looks like he has a good handle on it. Final Comments: You have to scroll down his project page to see Phillip's RC progress, but boy is it worth it! MSW: I concur Phillip has got a great blogging style with loads of info Status: Finished the Month!
AussieSmitty Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: Commodore 64 Project : Using the C64 to control a remote control car. Control of the RC car can be via a joystick and recorded (to a floppy disk) for autonomous 'play back' by the C64. The C64 will use RS232 to a microcontroller with a wireless transceiver that can connect to the RC car. Initial Comments: It's like a high speed wireless LOGO turtle! Halftime Update: It looks like AussieSmitty has been cranking out code, and giving us tons of good RC updates in the Word doc in the repo. Great project, great progress! Final Comments: AussieSmitty's github repository thoroughly documents his code and progress, and links to an awesome finale video. I love every bit of this! Floppy disks and RC cars FTW! (click the "<> code" tab in his github repository to see all of good stuff, and find the pdf there to view his logs) MSW: Lovely to see some fresh 6502 assembler code being put to such imaginative use, and all with original hardware to boot. Excellent. Status: Finished the Month!
Sean Billings twitter : @seanybillings Platform: Dragon 32 Project : My challenge is to learn about the Dragon 32 I/O and interface to some electronics. I am specifically looking at the Cartridge Port, but may also venture into the Printer and Joystick ports too! Initial Comments: Seems like Sean and Mark O would get along well! Halftime Update: Sean is making great progress with his experiments on the Dragon I/O port. Glamour shots of protoboard and lots of jumper wires abound! MSW: doing some interesting pivoting trying to get around technical challenges, minimalist blog is just fine in documenting this interesting project. Final Comments: Learning and sharing is what RC is all about (well, accidently breaking stuff too). Sean made great progress learning about Dragon 32 I/O with a rewarding finale. MSW: With great reward comes great pain - felt like one of my hardware projects this but RESULT at the end! Status: Finished the Month!
Paul Robson twitter : @paulrobson63 Platform: Mattel Aquarius Project : Going to write some homebrew games and maybe other stuff. Initial Comments: "maybe other stuff" is what the RetroChallenge is all about! Halftime Update: Paul is making great progress extending a Z80 emulator to emulate an Aquarius on an ESP32. He already has it outputting video! MSW: Nice project this, looking to see whether he is able to iron out the annoying niggles you always get with emulators! Final Comments: Paul got his Aquarius emulator running but traded it in at the end for a Jupiter Ace. Well done! MSW: ditto, looking forward to more progress next time? Status: Finished the Month!
europlus Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @apple2europlus Platform: Apple ][ Project : Project : 1. europlus Refurbapalooza Resurrection – my Apple ][ europlus refurbishment project has edged along since my last Retrochallenge entries, but I've started to kick up the pace. Can I get all my boards tested by the end of Retrochallenge 2021/10?! 2. Lockdown WOzFests – to celebrate Retrochallenge 2021/10, I will schedule the next two WOzFests for 2 October and 30 October. Retrochallengers from around the globe should connect in to detail their plans at WOzFest 21, then describe the pain of how they went all awry at WOzFest 22! If we're out of lockdown, I'll have attendees! Share the love, pain, frustration, triumphs! 3. Pirated software manual scans – I have a 13cm pile of photocopied Apple ][ software manuals from WOzFest attendee Neville to scan and upload to the Internet Archive. 4. Applesaucing – Similarly, I have a metric buttload of disks to image with my Applesauce, gotta just get back to it. 5. [NEW]Citizen Science – Floppy disks vs Magnets: I’ve seen discussion of magnets affecting disks, I’ve done it myself, and I jokingly place bad disks on WOzFest HQ’s fridge with HD magnets. But magnets are all around us now, and those into software preservation have to be careful. Join me as I test the effects of the various common (and maybe not so common) magnets in our modern lives on the media we’re here to preserve. If you have equipment to flux image a disk, and some magnets laying around, add your data to the pool so we can spread the warning far and wide – disks and magnets are not BFFs! Yes, five projects is an extra-crazy load to take on, but I'm crazy! Aim for the stars and you'll blow up on the launchpad, I always say! Details on the WOzFests can be found at https://europlus.zone/wozfest/wozfest-rc21-10-wozfest-22/ [UPDATE]: DM me on Twitter for the Google Meet link for the two Friday prep days before WOzFest RC 21/10 and WOzFest 22 and the WOzFests themselves. Initial Comments: Sounds like an ambitious Retro-fest-a-palooza-sauce challenge! Halftime Update: europlus managed to organize a successful WOzFest, but seems to have hit some technical hurdles with his applesaucing. Final Comments: What a busy month for europlus! Lockdown WOzFest successes, software manual scans and some applesaucing. Status: Finished the Month!
Michael Wessel Platform: Busch Microtronic Project : A fully retro-authentic yet modern reimplemenation of the classic 1981 4bit educational single board computer. Hex in machinecode with a 7segment bubble display like its 1981! Halftime Update: MSW: one of the leading contenders this, the blog photos are beautiful and he's making real progress with some wonderful videos... definitely one to watch. Final Comments: 4 bit microprocessor, MIDI syth, drum machine, bubble LED displays, great videos, and what really sold me: using his emulated Microtronic as a drum module for an original 1981 Busch 2090 Microtronic!! Awesome job! MSW: Can't beat that last video for wow factor, I need to include more drum modules in my projects! Status: Finished the Month!
Kyle Farrell twitter : @ultratroninator Platform: Eighties nostalgia... retro gaming, arcade games Project : Alphanumeric LED displays, discrete LEDs, switches, arcade buttons, rotary knobs and selectors. All wired up to a Holtek 16K33 for key scan and LED display. Raspberry Pi Zero under the hood to make it all happen. Modern stuff, yeah. Front panel with silly scifi references, retro games being developed for play on the LED displays, sounds from eighties arcade machines, fun stuff like that. Halftime Update: MSW: ultratroninator3000 - what a brilliant retrocomputer name, if only I could pronounce it! A good mix of software and hardware going on here, wonderful photos too. Final Comments: The Ultratroninator 3000 has really been a labor of love for Kyle, and it shows... What a great looking console! Lots of hardware, coding, and gaming. Great finale video too... Tempest on 14 segment displays! MSW: so cool this one, and clearly an ongoing project, love it. Status: Finished the Month!
Mark C Platform: ET-3400 Microprocessor Trainer Project : Create a small 24pin drop in replacement ROM for the original MCM6830A mask ROM. Halftime Update: MSW: Mark is currently struggling with an 8K limit so coming up with a modern solution, lots of blog posts, a very interesting read. Final Comments: A solid finish to a nice project to improve the functionality of his ET-3400. A working modern EEPROM adapter! Well done Mark! Status: Finished the Month!
John Honniball twitter : @anachrocomputer Platform: Compukit UK101, modified with 6809 CPU Project : It's been several years since I did anything with the modified Compukit UK101 with the 6809 CPU. The hardware is undocumented and the software is in a Subversion repo on a machine I no longer use. Time to get it working again! Draw the schematic, get the code into Git, update it, burn some EPROMs, make a video. Initial Comments: A late entry, right at the cut-off! Only a few weeks left! Halftime Update: John just joined us at halftime, so nothing yet. Final Comments: John started VERY late, but made good progress on a project updating his MC6809 based UK101. After telling us how he tranferred his source repository from Subversion to github, he got a new version of his code running on the UK101 for the first time in ten years. MSW: Look at that lab! Not bad progress in a couple of days. Status: Finished the Month!
Mark Wickens twitter : @urbancamo Platform: DEC VAX Project : Analysing my Amateur Radio QSOs using VAX/APL 4.0 Initial Comments: Glossary for this acronym-laden challenge: QSO - A contact between amateur radio operators. DEC - Digital Equipment Corporation VAX - An architecture and super-minicomputer made by DEC. APL - A programming language and environment for mainframes. Halftime Update: Not sure if Mark is making progress. It looks like he had a problem with his APL configured LK201 keyboard and got stumped. Or, maybe he's just distracted by the DEC Legacy 2021 event he is running this month. MSW: keyboard is fixed, VAXstation plugged in and running, totally distracted to have done anything else! Final Comments: I love when a RetroChallenge entry goes so far off track that it ends up looking more like another competitor's entry! Inspired by Lee's DND vidjya entries, Mark managed to port DND to a VAXstation 4000/90 emulator. Unfortunately, we lost him at the 2/3 point. Status: Stalled
MarkO twitter : @MarkO_ Platform: Tandy Color Computer ( all models ) Project : Writing drivers in MC6809/HD6309 Assembler for a Wiznet5100 NIC. Initial Comments: Looking forward to this one! I definitely would love to get internet on an EXORbus system and OS9! Halftime Update: MarkO is cleaning up some experimental code, but hasn't given us much insight into what he is doing yet. CocoFEST is coming soon, Mark! Final Comments: We lost Mark pretty early into the month with no updates. I was really looking forward to this one too! Status: Stalled
MooTheFish Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: Power Computing Macintosh clone Project : Clean and diagnose the issues with the computer, currently it does not power up. My plan is to strip the computer down, clean everything, then reassemble and diagnose the power issues and return this computer to its former glory, as well as discover its past life. Initial Comments: I used a PowerComputing PowerCenter 120 as my home computer for years. Those Zip drives are a dream for retro Mac users! Halftime Update: Moo's loaded PowerComputing tower is looking much better, but not quite booting yet. Hopefully it just needs a resistor. Final Comments: MooTheFish's Power Computing Macintosh clone looks great, but still doesn't work. We lost him early on. Status: Stalled
Pendleton115 Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @Pendleton115 Platform: Macintosh Classic Project : I will be restoring a Macintosh Classic and installing a Rascuzzi Hard Drive adapter. Initial Comments: Will there be a recapping in Pendleton115's future? Halftime Update: The Classic's logic board is looking great after its bath, but we want to see it boot from SD card! Final Comments: Well, the computer is clean, but this looks like a project that is going to take Pendleton more than a month. Status: Stalled
Retrobits twitter : @RetroEarl Platform: Altair 8800bt Project : The goal is to control an 8x5 NeoPixel (RGB LEDs) array from an Altair 8800bt, using an Arduino to connect the two. The Altair/Arduino connection uses a MITS parallel I/O from back in the day, called an "88-4PIO". Halftime Update: Earl gave us one interesting post at the beginning, but left us wanting more. We need an update! Final Comments: We lost Earl after a thrilling first post. Maybe next time. Status: Stalled
Michael Mulhern Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @the_jongleur Platform: Apple ][ Project : "1786!" The ink on the 1783 Paris Treaty is barely dry. George Washington as the Commander-in-Chief has to rebuild the Continental Army, garner support of the States and their Militias, battle internal strife of those that wish to see the the newly founded Union brought down with the assistance of foreign powers. Initial Comments: Things just got REALLY retro up in here! As an American, I've never heard of any of this, but it sounds like a facinating chapter in Australian history. Halftime Update: No updates yet. I'm not even convinced that this is a legitimate bit of Australian history. Status: Non Starter
James Ots twitter : @jamesots Platform: An imaginary one (FPGA) Project : It's the early 1980s, it's nearly Christmas, and everyone is releasing new computers. Management has decided we need a new computer too. I have one month to create it from scratch. Some corners may need to be cut. Back in the present day… I'm going to try creating a 1980s style 8-bit computer from scratch using an FPGA board. I've already developed a new 8-bit CPU, which I've named the AUG processor after my great grandfather, August Maramaa (https://bit.ly/3kde9dy) I'll need to write some kind of operating system. Maybe a text only system which connects to a terminal. Maybe it's the 1970s? Maybe connect a PCW keyboard to it. Maybe add colour graphics and a sound chip? Maybe struggle with VHDL coding and give up? Who knows. Initial Comments: We here in the Marketing Department are confident that a membrane keyboard is the right choice to keep the retail price down. Halftime Update: An early OOPS and resulting sparks left James struggling to meet his deadline for the '82 Christmas sales season. Status: Non Starter
Peter Irwin Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: IBM PS1 Project : I am restoring this system to original specifications, I have a complete system with matching printer. Initial Comments: Nobody ever got disqualified for entering an IBM! Status: Non Starter
Scott Lawrence twitter : @yorgle Platform: RC2014 Project : I'm planning on tying up a bunch of loose ends in my RC2014 system landscape. I have a few unbuilt modules, some storage solutions I've started working on (ie, my "vampire" system that runs over the same communications channel as the serial console) and so on. Halftime Update: Good intentions, but no retro progress yet. MSW: No idea what is going on here but the lights are very pretty! Status: Non Starter
Category: Publish It! (Publish Your Recent Project Documentation)
leaded solder twitter : @leadedsolder Platform: ColecoVision clone (Leako) Project : I will finally get around to documenting and releasing the BOM, KiCad files, assembly guide, and Gerbers for my ColecoVision clone Initial Comments: Parts 1 and 2 of Leaded Solder's "Leako" write-ups are great reads. Looking forward to the final chapters of this retrocomputing adventure. Halftime Update: MSW: DIY joysticks and Time Pilot, one of my favourite arcade games ever! Final Comments: leaded solder completed the thorough documentation and final testing of his ColecoVision clone "Leako". He got Mario sobered up and even finished off by repairing a real ColecoVision. He really earned his nickname: "that guy with the weird ColecoVision clone"! Status: Finished the Month!
roughana Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @roughana Platform: Apple ][ Project : Document how to contribute to the Total Replay compendium, and solicit contributions from the community. Initial Comments: A great project to advance another great project! Halftime Update: roughana is getting some good work done making sure Total Replay is a nicely packaged game archive. Final Comments: Glad to see that roughana was able to meet his goals! TrueReplay is an awsome project, now even better! Status: Finished the Month!
Jeremy Barr-Hyde Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @captaineos Platform: Apple ][ and Macintosh Project : Upload of post-processed scans - Macintosh posters, books, manuals and box art Initial Comments: Note to self: Set up a Web to Print storefront with Jeremy's scans. Halftime Update: MSW: Some wonderful scanned documents here, I've done some scanning myself and it is a thankless task, except Thank you! Final Comments: Some beautiful multi-part posters that Jeremy scanned, processed, and stiched together this month. Status: Finished the Month!
Adrian Franulovich Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @digitalrampage Platform: Community resource for all vintage tech Project : To create a global resource to help people ship vintage technology correctly and safely to avoid further damage and destruction to our already deteriorating and shrinking supply of original vintage technology. Initial Comments: Tip #1: Don't use ebay's global shipping program (unless you are OK with negative feedback). Final Comments: Adrian completed a thorough how-to for packing and shipping computers. Nice contribution to the community! Status: Finished the Month!
Anthony Beckett twitter : @abeckett Platform: Commodore Project : I have been archiving the magazine library of the Commodore Computer Users Group of Queensland (Cursor Magazine) for nearly a year and to be honest, have been falling behind. I'd love punch out the rest of the magazines left - 30-40 of them - and get them uploaded on archive.org. Initial Comments: Another worthy archiving challenge! Halftime Update: Feeling the pain of the demise of Amiga as a commercial prospect, not something you really want to re-live! Final Comments: Great Project from Anthony, who managed to do some vintage computer repair projects, scan a bunch of Cursor Magazines and get them uploaded to Archive.org. Glad we could inspire you! Status: Finished the Month!
equant twitter : @humantissue Platform: Apple //e, 68k Macs (System 6/7) Project : I have two "Publish It!" goals... (1) Document the Apple II expansion card I've been working on this year. By "document" I mean usages docs and example code on github, but also a narrative summary of the project including success and failures. (2) Git all of my previous RetroChallenge projects (e.g. Grackle68k, 68kmpc) up on github. Initial Comments: Looks like another strong RetroChallenge entry by equant. Git 'er done! Halftime Update: Only one early post about his Apple //e expansion card. Final Comments: Maybe his prototyping card never arrived? Status: Stalled
Bread80 twitter : @bread80com Platform: Amstrad CPC Project : Finish, document and publish reverse engineered Amstrad CPC firmware ROMS in a state that can be modified and assembled. Initial Comments: Amstrad? Amst-RAD! Status: Non Starter
Colin Maykish Platform: Homebrew 65C02-based computer system Project : My goal for this challenge is to document the hardware and software design of my recent computer build, the Herring 6502. Additionally, I'd like to implement custom graphics hardware for it on an FPGA. Initial Comments: Since Apple Computer was named during Steve Jobs' fruitatarian diet phase, I can only assume that Colin's refrigerator is filled with bottles of pickled herring. What a great looking homebrew compter. Can't wait to see all the details! Final Comments: This project looked pretty well finished when the month started. Status: Non Starter
Murray Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: OSBORNE Project : To scan all issues of the AUSBORNE newsletter. The ACMS found many issues of these newsletters during the relocation of our items from previous storage locations, and they need to be archived. Initial Comments: Any tips in there on how to read the OSBORNE's tiny 5" screen? Status: Non Starter
Chillers Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @disdev Platform: All Turing Complete machines Project : I want to come up with a strict, unambiguous set of metrics to determine the world's first implemented computer game. The history is messy, but I think my metrics will make things clear. There are lots of "one of the first" Wikipedia articles, but no definitive winner. I will then use the metrics to determine the winner. Initial Comments: A competition within the competition! Status: Non Starter
Category: The Millennials (Circa 1998-2002 Systems)
ShaneMcRetro Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @ShaneMcRetro Platform: 386 / 486 Computer Project : Retro computers need websites to visit. That is what this project is all about. Recreating websites that are compatible with older web browsers. Initial Comments: Shane will be very busy this month downgrading the internet to version 1.0 Halftime Update: MSW: Fascinating project this to bring Geocities back to life, comprehensive blog with some amazing detail! Final Comments: ShaneMcRetro got a late start, but wow did he make progress! He's like: "I am going to re-build the web as it was in the 90's and put it on the darknet". Well he did it! Unfortunately, I can't access the server anymore. Status: Finished the Month!
Matteo Trevisan twitter : @Toolkitman Platform: Windows XP Project : Build a Racing Cars 3D GAME with a 3d compiler Initial Comments: 3D compiler? Windows XP? Back in my day we made 3D perspective games with some 'HPLOT x,y TO x,y' commands. GET YOUR RACE CAR OFF MY LAWN! Halftime Update: MSW: Interesting start, would be great to see how this pans out! Final Comments: Matteo used a 90's 3D game maker program in Windows XP to build a slick looking racing game. Well done! Status: Finished the Month!
epooch twitter : @ep00ch Platform: Sharp Zaurus SL-5500 Project : Use the Sharp Zaurus SL-5500, directly mounted on a serial mouse, as video display/keyboard/mouse to interact with VNC running on the Zaurus to control my Mac. To Do List: Dig the Zaurus out of my "Sell on eBay" bin. Replace the battery (barely lasted 30 mins new) Install a mouse driver Get a serial mouse connected and working with VNC. Initial Comments: Well, this entry is barely retro, but very challenged. Halftime Update: Not sure you can call this progress, but there is definitely good documentation of the lack of progress, and a functional stylus! Final Comments: Helping to run the retrochallenge and an unobtainium Zaurus connector stalled my progress. Next time! Status: Stalled
Mr2021 Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: Pentium MMX SBC Project : Bringing a Pentium MMX SBC (industrial PC) back to life Initial Comments: Industrial computers and PLCs seem to get no love. Mr2021 is giving this 1999 Pentium workhorse the attention it deserves. Halftime Update: MSW: Ah the old Dallas clock chip issue, who thought it was a good idea to embed a battery in a chip! Final Comments: Well, we never got to see how this project panned out. I like to think that, somewhere in Australia, a Pentium PLC is whirring along again. Status: Stalled
Jon Co Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society Platform: PowerMac G4 Project : I recently received this PowerMac G4 that powers on, but has no video. I want to get it working/usable again. Initial Comments: One of the best looking Macintosh towers gets a second life! Halftime Update: MSW: Powermac restoration that needs more TLC than just replacement caps! Get that mouse to light! Final Comments: Lots of capacitor replacements and trouble shooting, but unfortunately, no resolution. :'( Status: Stalled
Josh Malone twitter : @48kRAM Platform: Gateway 2000 GP6-400 Project : Windows 98 Gaming PC build Halftime Update: MSW: I've happily forgotten what a PITA getting a PC to run games was back in the days of Win98 - rather you than me! Final Comments: This is the type of stuff that could turn me into a luddite. I got lost at the "BIOS didn’t default to LBA in the HDD setting." Unfortunately, we also lost Josh before the middle of the month, despite some great early progress. We need to see the gaming rig payoff! I would have walked away long before he did. Status: Stalled
Paul Pritsis Platform: Commodore Amiga 2000HD Project : Rebuild my 30+ year old Amiga 2000HD. Initial Comments: Interesting take on "millennial". It does have '2000' right in its name though. Status: Non Starter
Cynde Moya Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society twitter : @cyndemoya Platform: Amiga 4000 Project : I have 2 Amiga 4000 computers that I would like to return to working order. New batteries, recapping, refurbishing the drives, and whatever else that need to be done to make at least one of them go. Initial Comments: I was surprised to see that the Amiga 4000 had such a long retail life. 1993-1998, just barely intersecting with the Millennials. Status: Non Starter

twitter : @Just4Fun_J4Fun
Platform: 68008 CPU + CP/M-68K homemade SBC

Project : The 68k-MBC is an easy to build 68008 CPU SBC (Single Board Computer), using only easy to find TH parts. It follows the same "concept" of the previous Z80-MBC2 (https://hackaday.io/project/159973) and V20-MBC (https://hackaday.io/project/170924) boards, using a PIC18F47Q10 MCU as EEPROM and "universal" I/O emulator (so a "legacy" EPROM programmer is not needed). You can choose between two main HW configuration options: Lite or Full. Lite HW configuration option allows to build a 3 ICs 68008 system running CP/M-68K. Short demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4DA7k4Jmoc

Initial Comments: This looks like it is already a fairly sorted SBC project. What updates are in store for us? I will be stealing that mini receipt printer idea for my own SBC! 68000s and through-hole blue PCBs, what's not to like!

Halftime Update: Just4Fun managed to knock out some software updates and documentation for his retro SBC. MSW: lots of great blogging here with software, hardware and printing with easily available parts. I used to have a SBC M68K board based on the original motorola reference design but this is so much more advanced!

Final Comments: Good progress for the month on this long-term SBC project. MSW: Nice one this, completely biased as I am towards the 68k - but really this is a healthy combination of PTH components as a system would have been assembled with all those modern conveniences of SD card drives etc. Getting Star trek to work on top of CPM68K is awesome.

Status: Finished the Month!

Paleoferrosaurus

twitter : @Paleoferrosaur
Platform: Western Electric Model 551 PBX

Project : Update, automate, and hopefully not deflagrate…

Initial Comments: Will Paleoferrosaurus be doing an endurance challenge, using only the 1920's era PBX to telecommute? Tune in...

Halftime Update: After removing all of the rat-based "patina" from his 551 PBX last month, Paleoferrosaurus has been documenting telephone circuits, how his PBX functions, and laying down a finish on the walnut woodwork. Just when we thought he was going to break all of the RC rules, he shows us a nice TI 99/4A BASIC program to generate MF and DTMF tones. And, like any proper RetroChallenge, his entry gets side-tracked by another RetroChallenge, as he troubleshoots his TI 99/4A power supply. Great progress! MSW: oh wow, is he using LaTeX for his blog? I'm in awe! The project is really good too!

Final Comments: I had my doubts, but I love that Paleoferrosaurus managed to insert a TI 99/4A into this project. MSW: Another of paleos big iron projects, so great to see someone taking on such an epic challenge and getting something working out the end of it. Adds nicely to the historic knowledge of this bit of hardware, and era.

Status: Finished the Month!

Mu0n

twitter : @JuneauMichal1
Platform: Compact Macintosh

Project : Reverse engineer the Studio Session (From Bogas Productions, 1986) file format for a playthrough, driven mostly by C code.

Initial Comments: Why should amigas have all the music tracker fun? Good to see a particpant from 68KMLA.org... birthplace of the RetroChallenge! And that B&W blog is bringing the nostalgia!

Halftime Update: Mu0n is making great progress reorganizing his code and getting some sound out of his Studio Session Analyzer Program. MSW: love the look of this blog, proper Mac monochrome goodness!

Final Comments: Great progress on a long term project. Some Macintosh Toolbox coding obstacles seemed to have slowed him down. Hopefully, we see Muon finishing this in the future. MSW: Well the video made me jump out of my skin when the volume went up! Lots of bit banging with this one, love that classic mac environment.

Status: Finished the Month!

Lee Adamson

Platform: Unix (build platform), VMS BASIC Plus 2 (original source), CP/M on TRS-80 Model II (target)

Project : I have an ongoing project to port Dan Lawrence's "DND", an early CRPG (circa 1976), to a cleaner C codebase so that I can extend and improve the game, while still targeting old hardware via z88dk and cc65. My RetroChallenge entry is a subproject within this larger project: To get the code-so-far building for CP/M and running on a TRS-80 Model II, even if all of the game mechanics aren't completely ported by then. If my "real" Model II doesn't have enough memory, I'll have to either build a bigger RAM card for it or use an emulator.

Initial Comments: Lee's DND 'vidjya' updates are sure to be an entertaining entry. I predict lots of Yuengling, cussin', video-shootin', and retro-computin'!!

Halftime Update: Lee provides a very thorough review of the DND code showing how it operates, including spells, the combat loop, and line of sight. Not sure if he has written any code this month (he seems to be distracted by his amateur radio repairs), but he has certainly provided the background for any future contributors to the project. MSW: Just watching the videos now and I'm hooked, great history of this RPG.

Final Comments: An inspiring project to be sure (see @urbancamo's entry). Lots of details for anyone diving into the classic DND CRPG. MSW: I loved every minute of this, some great history documented there for sure!

Status: Finished the Month!

jskists

twitter : @jskists
Platform: RC2014

Project : Take the RC2014, and design/build modules so that the RC2014 can run the Jupiter ACE ROM image unmodified. Yes, it’s easy enough to run a Jupiter ACE in an emulator, on a Raspberry PI, but where is the fun in that? I want to learn how the 80’s computer worked! I’m a software engineer, by trade, so hardware design is quite unknown to me… I perfectly accept that this probably is not very challenging, to most. Personally, I think that real challenge is, for me, to actually finish something…

Initial Comments: So meta... being challenged by challenging the RetroChallenge in 2021 with an RC(RetroChallenge)2014!

Halftime Update: Great background and progress on jskists' RC2014 based Jupiter ACE work-alike "MillRACE IO".There are even some glamour shots of the in-progress prototype boards! MSW: The screen layout template is a work of art! Plenty going on here: hardware, software, works of art, looking forward to seeing if the dream come true!

Final Comments: Jskists managed to end up with great looking, but not-yet-totally-working Jupiter Ace modules for his RC2014. His handsome keyboard works as a near-random key code generator! The tidy-looking prototype board is also worth checking out! I really hope he manages to get this working in the near future. MSW: A valiant effort well worthy of a prize.

Status: Finished the Month!

Jim Gerrie

Platform: TRS-80 Micro Color Computer (MC-10)

Project : I hope to blog about a couple of projects this month and next as part of RetroChallenge 2021, and possibly also of Septandy. The main project involves my port of Freecell from some QBasic source I found on the Net. I am also working a port of a 4K adventure game "Cavernes" for the TRS-80 Pocket computers. The source is from the French computer magazine Trace from the early 80s.

Initial Comments: RC2021/10 is official! it wouldn't be a RetroChallenge without Jim porting something new to the MC-10.

Halftime Update: Seems likely that Jim is actually stuck in the cave from his port of the text adventure game "Les Cavernes", as we have only just seen an update from him. MSW: What Jim doesn't know about BASIC isn't worth knowing! One teaser update, we want more Jim!

Final Comments: Jim had a slow October but still managed to port a text adventure game and finalize an MC-10 port of Freecell solitaire from QBasic source. His unproductive months are better than my good months! MSW: tbh, I've thought this in the past that RC is just a month in a year round effort of Jim's, he's like a BASIC writing machine. Much Kudos Jim.

Status: Finished the Month!

Tom Raidna

twitter : @TraidnaComputes
Platform: TI 99 4/a

Project : Write a minimal MUMPS language interpreter in TMS 9900 assembler - which I’m just learning, that will run as 8k cartridge on SD card in a flashrom99 in TI 99 4/a. Cross assembly using Asw.exe and p2bin.exe under wine on a mac. Will use classic99.exe emulator for testing.

Initial Comments: I didn't even know infectious diseases had languages... This virus interpreter is a perfect project for lockdown.

Halftime Update: Just when the TI99/4A and its sidecars seemed to have side-tracked Tom's project, he got us an update! MSW: MUMPS on a TI! This is madness! I love it, clearly a MUMPS expert if Tom can't do it no one can!

Final Comments: Tom completed a working demo of his MUMPS interpreter for the TI 99/4A! Two informative videos and shared source code make this a really successful month and great project for him. MSW: loved the videos and I learnt lots about MUMPs and this venerable machine.

Status: Finished the Month!

Phillip Stevens

twitter : @_feilipu
Platform: RC2014 - 8085 - Am9511A APU

Project : 1. Extend my Sept 2021 8085 CPU Module for RC2014 to support the Am9511A APU (Floating Point Module). 2. Build driver support to allow it to be used from C, BASIC, and assembly.

Initial Comments: Always awesome to see RC2014 based projects!

Halftime Update: Phillip has provided a couple of solid updates on his 8085. MSW: a consistent blogger (no mean feat) the 8085 isn't a chip I know much about bit it looks like he has a good handle on it.

Final Comments: You have to scroll down his project page to see Phillip's RC progress, but boy is it worth it! MSW: I concur Phillip has got a great blogging style with loads of info

Status: Finished the Month!

AussieSmitty

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: Commodore 64

Project : Using the C64 to control a remote control car. Control of the RC car can be via a joystick and recorded (to a floppy disk) for autonomous 'play back' by the C64. The C64 will use RS232 to a microcontroller with a wireless transceiver that can connect to the RC car.

Initial Comments: It's like a high speed wireless LOGO turtle!

Halftime Update: It looks like AussieSmitty has been cranking out code, and giving us tons of good RC updates in the Word doc in the repo. Great project, great progress!

Final Comments: AussieSmitty's github repository thoroughly documents his code and progress, and links to an awesome finale video. I love every bit of this! Floppy disks and RC cars FTW! (click the "<> code" tab in his github repository to see all of good stuff, and find the pdf there to view his logs) MSW: Lovely to see some fresh 6502 assembler code being put to such imaginative use, and all with original hardware to boot. Excellent.

Status: Finished the Month!

Sean Billings

twitter : @seanybillings
Platform: Dragon 32

Project : My challenge is to learn about the Dragon 32 I/O and interface to some electronics. I am specifically looking at the Cartridge Port, but may also venture into the Printer and Joystick ports too!

Initial Comments: Seems like Sean and Mark O would get along well!

Halftime Update: Sean is making great progress with his experiments on the Dragon I/O port. Glamour shots of protoboard and lots of jumper wires abound! MSW: doing some interesting pivoting trying to get around technical challenges, minimalist blog is just fine in documenting this interesting project.

Final Comments: Learning and sharing is what RC is all about (well, accidently breaking stuff too). Sean made great progress learning about Dragon 32 I/O with a rewarding finale. MSW: With great reward comes great pain - felt like one of my hardware projects this but RESULT at the end!

Status: Finished the Month!

Paul Robson

twitter : @paulrobson63
Platform: Mattel Aquarius

Project : Going to write some homebrew games and maybe other stuff.

Initial Comments: "maybe other stuff" is what the RetroChallenge is all about!

Halftime Update: Paul is making great progress extending a Z80 emulator to emulate an Aquarius on an ESP32. He already has it outputting video! MSW: Nice project this, looking to see whether he is able to iron out the annoying niggles you always get with emulators!

Final Comments: Paul got his Aquarius emulator running but traded it in at the end for a Jupiter Ace. Well done! MSW: ditto, looking forward to more progress next time?

Status: Finished the Month!

europlus

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @apple2europlus
Platform: Apple ][

Project : Project : 1. europlus Refurbapalooza Resurrection – my Apple ][ europlus refurbishment project has edged along since my last Retrochallenge entries, but I've started to kick up the pace. Can I get all my boards tested by the end of Retrochallenge 2021/10?! 2. Lockdown WOzFests – to celebrate Retrochallenge 2021/10, I will schedule the next two WOzFests for 2 October and 30 October. Retrochallengers from around the globe should connect in to detail their plans at WOzFest 21, then describe the pain of how they went all awry at WOzFest 22! If we're out of lockdown, I'll have attendees! Share the love, pain, frustration, triumphs! 3. Pirated software manual scans – I have a 13cm pile of photocopied Apple ][ software manuals from WOzFest attendee Neville to scan and upload to the Internet Archive. 4. Applesaucing – Similarly, I have a metric buttload of disks to image with my Applesauce, gotta just get back to it. 5. [NEW]Citizen Science – Floppy disks vs Magnets: I’ve seen discussion of magnets affecting disks, I’ve done it myself, and I jokingly place bad disks on WOzFest HQ’s fridge with HD magnets. But magnets are all around us now, and those into software preservation have to be careful. Join me as I test the effects of the various common (and maybe not so common) magnets in our modern lives on the media we’re here to preserve. If you have equipment to flux image a disk, and some magnets laying around, add your data to the pool so we can spread the warning far and wide – disks and magnets are not BFFs! Yes, five projects is an extra-crazy load to take on, but I'm crazy! Aim for the stars and you'll blow up on the launchpad, I always say! Details on the WOzFests can be found at https://europlus.zone/wozfest/wozfest-rc21-10-wozfest-22/ [UPDATE]: DM me on Twitter for the Google Meet link for the two Friday prep days before WOzFest RC 21/10 and WOzFest 22 and the WOzFests themselves.

Initial Comments: Sounds like an ambitious Retro-fest-a-palooza-sauce challenge!

Halftime Update: europlus managed to organize a successful WOzFest, but seems to have hit some technical hurdles with his applesaucing.

Final Comments: What a busy month for europlus! Lockdown WOzFest successes, software manual scans and some applesaucing.

Status: Finished the Month!

Michael Wessel

Platform: Busch Microtronic

Project : A fully retro-authentic yet modern reimplemenation of the classic 1981 4bit educational single board computer. Hex in machinecode with a 7segment bubble display like its 1981!

Halftime Update: MSW: one of the leading contenders this, the blog photos are beautiful and he's making real progress with some wonderful videos... definitely one to watch.

Final Comments: 4 bit microprocessor, MIDI syth, drum machine, bubble LED displays, great videos, and what really sold me: using his emulated Microtronic as a drum module for an original 1981 Busch 2090 Microtronic!! Awesome job! MSW: Can't beat that last video for wow factor, I need to include more drum modules in my projects!

Status: Finished the Month!

Kyle Farrell

twitter : @ultratroninator
Platform: Eighties nostalgia... retro gaming, arcade games

Project : Alphanumeric LED displays, discrete LEDs, switches, arcade buttons, rotary knobs and selectors. All wired up to a Holtek 16K33 for key scan and LED display. Raspberry Pi Zero under the hood to make it all happen. Modern stuff, yeah. Front panel with silly scifi references, retro games being developed for play on the LED displays, sounds from eighties arcade machines, fun stuff like that.

Halftime Update: MSW: ultratroninator3000 - what a brilliant retrocomputer name, if only I could pronounce it! A good mix of software and hardware going on here, wonderful photos too.

Final Comments: The Ultratroninator 3000 has really been a labor of love for Kyle, and it shows... What a great looking console! Lots of hardware, coding, and gaming. Great finale video too... Tempest on 14 segment displays! MSW: so cool this one, and clearly an ongoing project, love it.

Status: Finished the Month!

Mark C

Platform: ET-3400 Microprocessor Trainer

Project : Create a small 24pin drop in replacement ROM for the original MCM6830A mask ROM.

Halftime Update: MSW: Mark is currently struggling with an 8K limit so coming up with a modern solution, lots of blog posts, a very interesting read.

Final Comments: A solid finish to a nice project to improve the functionality of his ET-3400. A working modern EEPROM adapter! Well done Mark!

Status: Finished the Month!

John Honniball

twitter : @anachrocomputer
Platform: Compukit UK101, modified with 6809 CPU

Project : It's been several years since I did anything with the modified Compukit UK101 with the 6809 CPU. The hardware is undocumented and the software is in a Subversion repo on a machine I no longer use. Time to get it working again! Draw the schematic, get the code into Git, update it, burn some EPROMs, make a video.

Initial Comments: A late entry, right at the cut-off! Only a few weeks left!

Halftime Update: John just joined us at halftime, so nothing yet.

Final Comments: John started VERY late, but made good progress on a project updating his MC6809 based UK101. After telling us how he tranferred his source repository from Subversion to github, he got a new version of his code running on the UK101 for the first time in ten years. MSW: Look at that lab! Not bad progress in a couple of days.

Status: Finished the Month!

Mark Wickens

twitter : @urbancamo
Platform: DEC VAX

Project : Analysing my Amateur Radio QSOs using VAX/APL 4.0

Initial Comments: Glossary for this acronym-laden challenge: QSO - A contact between amateur radio operators. DEC - Digital Equipment Corporation VAX - An architecture and super-minicomputer made by DEC. APL - A programming language and environment for mainframes.

Halftime Update: Not sure if Mark is making progress. It looks like he had a problem with his APL configured LK201 keyboard and got stumped. Or, maybe he's just distracted by the DEC Legacy 2021 event he is running this month. MSW: keyboard is fixed, VAXstation plugged in and running, totally distracted to have done anything else!

Final Comments: I love when a RetroChallenge entry goes so far off track that it ends up looking more like another competitor's entry! Inspired by Lee's DND vidjya entries, Mark managed to port DND to a VAXstation 4000/90 emulator. Unfortunately, we lost him at the 2/3 point.

Status: Stalled

MarkO

twitter : @MarkO_
Platform: Tandy Color Computer ( all models )

Project : Writing drivers in MC6809/HD6309 Assembler for a Wiznet5100 NIC.

Initial Comments: Looking forward to this one! I definitely would love to get internet on an EXORbus system and OS9!

Halftime Update: MarkO is cleaning up some experimental code, but hasn't given us much insight into what he is doing yet. CocoFEST is coming soon, Mark!

Final Comments: We lost Mark pretty early into the month with no updates. I was really looking forward to this one too!

Status: Stalled

MooTheFish

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: Power Computing Macintosh clone

Project : Clean and diagnose the issues with the computer, currently it does not power up. My plan is to strip the computer down, clean everything, then reassemble and diagnose the power issues and return this computer to its former glory, as well as discover its past life.

Initial Comments: I used a PowerComputing PowerCenter 120 as my home computer for years. Those Zip drives are a dream for retro Mac users!

Halftime Update: Moo's loaded PowerComputing tower is looking much better, but not quite booting yet. Hopefully it just needs a resistor.

Final Comments: MooTheFish's Power Computing Macintosh clone looks great, but still doesn't work. We lost him early on.

Status: Stalled

Pendleton115

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @Pendleton115
Platform: Macintosh Classic

Project : I will be restoring a Macintosh Classic and installing a Rascuzzi Hard Drive adapter.

Initial Comments: Will there be a recapping in Pendleton115's future?

Halftime Update: The Classic's logic board is looking great after its bath, but we want to see it boot from SD card!

Final Comments: Well, the computer is clean, but this looks like a project that is going to take Pendleton more than a month.

Status: Stalled

Retrobits

twitter : @RetroEarl
Platform: Altair 8800bt

Project : The goal is to control an 8x5 NeoPixel (RGB LEDs) array from an Altair 8800bt, using an Arduino to connect the two. The Altair/Arduino connection uses a MITS parallel I/O from back in the day, called an "88-4PIO".

Halftime Update: Earl gave us one interesting post at the beginning, but left us wanting more. We need an update!

Final Comments: We lost Earl after a thrilling first post. Maybe next time.

Status: Stalled

Michael Mulhern

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @the_jongleur
Platform: Apple ][

Project : "1786!" The ink on the 1783 Paris Treaty is barely dry. George Washington as the Commander-in-Chief has to rebuild the Continental Army, garner support of the States and their Militias, battle internal strife of those that wish to see the the newly founded Union brought down with the assistance of foreign powers.

Initial Comments: Things just got REALLY retro up in here! As an American, I've never heard of any of this, but it sounds like a facinating chapter in Australian history.

Halftime Update: No updates yet. I'm not even convinced that this is a legitimate bit of Australian history.

Status: Non Starter

James Ots

twitter : @jamesots
Platform: An imaginary one (FPGA)

Project : It's the early 1980s, it's nearly Christmas, and everyone is releasing new computers. Management has decided we need a new computer too. I have one month to create it from scratch. Some corners may need to be cut. Back in the present day… I'm going to try creating a 1980s style 8-bit computer from scratch using an FPGA board. I've already developed a new 8-bit CPU, which I've named the AUG processor after my great grandfather, August Maramaa (https://bit.ly/3kde9dy) I'll need to write some kind of operating system. Maybe a text only system which connects to a terminal. Maybe it's the 1970s? Maybe connect a PCW keyboard to it. Maybe add colour graphics and a sound chip? Maybe struggle with VHDL coding and give up? Who knows.

Initial Comments: We here in the Marketing Department are confident that a membrane keyboard is the right choice to keep the retail price down.

Halftime Update: An early OOPS and resulting sparks left James struggling to meet his deadline for the '82 Christmas sales season.

Status: Non Starter

Peter Irwin

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: IBM PS1

Project : I am restoring this system to original specifications, I have a complete system with matching printer.

Initial Comments: Nobody ever got disqualified for entering an IBM!

Status: Non Starter

Scott Lawrence

twitter : @yorgle
Platform: RC2014

Project : I'm planning on tying up a bunch of loose ends in my RC2014 system landscape. I have a few unbuilt modules, some storage solutions I've started working on (ie, my "vampire" system that runs over the same communications channel as the serial console) and so on.

Halftime Update: Good intentions, but no retro progress yet. MSW: No idea what is going on here but the lights are very pretty!

Status: Non Starter

Category: Publish It! (Publish Your Recent Project Documentation)

leaded solder

twitter : @leadedsolder
Platform: ColecoVision clone (Leako)

Project : I will finally get around to documenting and releasing the BOM, KiCad files, assembly guide, and Gerbers for my ColecoVision clone

Initial Comments: Parts 1 and 2 of Leaded Solder's "Leako" write-ups are great reads. Looking forward to the final chapters of this retrocomputing adventure.

Halftime Update: MSW: DIY joysticks and Time Pilot, one of my favourite arcade games ever!

Final Comments: leaded solder completed the thorough documentation and final testing of his ColecoVision clone "Leako". He got Mario sobered up and even finished off by repairing a real ColecoVision. He really earned his nickname: "that guy with the weird ColecoVision clone"!

Status: Finished the Month!

roughana

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @roughana
Platform: Apple ][

Project : Document how to contribute to the Total Replay compendium, and solicit contributions from the community.

Initial Comments: A great project to advance another great project!

Halftime Update: roughana is getting some good work done making sure Total Replay is a nicely packaged game archive.

Final Comments: Glad to see that roughana was able to meet his goals! TrueReplay is an awsome project, now even better!

Status: Finished the Month!

Jeremy Barr-Hyde

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @captaineos
Platform: Apple ][ and Macintosh

Project : Upload of post-processed scans - Macintosh posters, books, manuals and box art

Initial Comments: Note to self: Set up a Web to Print storefront with Jeremy's scans.

Halftime Update: MSW: Some wonderful scanned documents here, I've done some scanning myself and it is a thankless task, except Thank you!

Final Comments: Some beautiful multi-part posters that Jeremy scanned, processed, and stiched together this month.

Status: Finished the Month!

Adrian Franulovich

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @digitalrampage
Platform: Community resource for all vintage tech

Project : To create a global resource to help people ship vintage technology correctly and safely to avoid further damage and destruction to our already deteriorating and shrinking supply of original vintage technology.

Initial Comments: Tip #1: Don't use ebay's global shipping program (unless you are OK with negative feedback).

Final Comments: Adrian completed a thorough how-to for packing and shipping computers. Nice contribution to the community!

Status: Finished the Month!

Anthony Beckett

twitter : @abeckett
Platform: Commodore

Project : I have been archiving the magazine library of the Commodore Computer Users Group of Queensland (Cursor Magazine) for nearly a year and to be honest, have been falling behind. I'd love punch out the rest of the magazines left - 30-40 of them - and get them uploaded on archive.org.

Initial Comments: Another worthy archiving challenge!

Halftime Update: Feeling the pain of the demise of Amiga as a commercial prospect, not something you really want to re-live!

Final Comments: Great Project from Anthony, who managed to do some vintage computer repair projects, scan a bunch of Cursor Magazines and get them uploaded to Archive.org. Glad we could inspire you!

Status: Finished the Month!

equant

twitter : @humantissue
Platform: Apple //e, 68k Macs (System 6/7)

Project : I have two "Publish It!" goals... (1) Document the Apple II expansion card I've been working on this year. By "document" I mean usages docs and example code on github, but also a narrative summary of the project including success and failures. (2) Git all of my previous RetroChallenge projects (e.g. Grackle68k, 68kmpc) up on github.

Initial Comments: Looks like another strong RetroChallenge entry by equant. Git 'er done!

Halftime Update: Only one early post about his Apple //e expansion card.

Final Comments: Maybe his prototyping card never arrived?

Status: Stalled

Bread80

twitter : @bread80com
Platform: Amstrad CPC

Project : Finish, document and publish reverse engineered Amstrad CPC firmware ROMS in a state that can be modified and assembled.

Initial Comments: Amstrad? Amst-RAD!

Status: Non Starter

Colin Maykish

Platform: Homebrew 65C02-based computer system

Project : My goal for this challenge is to document the hardware and software design of my recent computer build, the Herring 6502. Additionally, I'd like to implement custom graphics hardware for it on an FPGA.

Initial Comments: Since Apple Computer was named during Steve Jobs' fruitatarian diet phase, I can only assume that Colin's refrigerator is filled with bottles of pickled herring. What a great looking homebrew compter. Can't wait to see all the details!

Final Comments: This project looked pretty well finished when the month started.

Status: Non Starter

Murray

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: OSBORNE

Project : To scan all issues of the AUSBORNE newsletter. The ACMS found many issues of these newsletters during the relocation of our items from previous storage locations, and they need to be archived.

Initial Comments: Any tips in there on how to read the OSBORNE's tiny 5" screen?

Status: Non Starter

Chillers

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @disdev
Platform: All Turing Complete machines

Project : I want to come up with a strict, unambiguous set of metrics to determine the world's first implemented computer game. The history is messy, but I think my metrics will make things clear. There are lots of "one of the first" Wikipedia articles, but no definitive winner. I will then use the metrics to determine the winner.

Initial Comments: A competition within the competition!

Status: Non Starter

Category: The Millennials (Circa 1998-2002 Systems)

ShaneMcRetro

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @ShaneMcRetro
Platform: 386 / 486 Computer

Project : Retro computers need websites to visit. That is what this project is all about. Recreating websites that are compatible with older web browsers.

Initial Comments: Shane will be very busy this month downgrading the internet to version 1.0

Halftime Update: MSW: Fascinating project this to bring Geocities back to life, comprehensive blog with some amazing detail!

Final Comments: ShaneMcRetro got a late start, but wow did he make progress! He's like: "I am going to re-build the web as it was in the 90's and put it on the darknet". Well he did it! Unfortunately, I can't access the server anymore.

Status: Finished the Month!

Matteo Trevisan

twitter : @Toolkitman
Platform: Windows XP

Project : Build a Racing Cars 3D GAME with a 3d compiler

Initial Comments: 3D compiler? Windows XP? Back in my day we made 3D perspective games with some 'HPLOT x,y TO x,y' commands. GET YOUR RACE CAR OFF MY LAWN!

Halftime Update: MSW: Interesting start, would be great to see how this pans out!

Final Comments: Matteo used a 90's 3D game maker program in Windows XP to build a slick looking racing game. Well done!

Status: Finished the Month!

epooch

twitter : @ep00ch
Platform: Sharp Zaurus SL-5500

Project : Use the Sharp Zaurus SL-5500, directly mounted on a serial mouse, as video display/keyboard/mouse to interact with VNC running on the Zaurus to control my Mac. To Do List: Dig the Zaurus out of my "Sell on eBay" bin. Replace the battery (barely lasted 30 mins new) Install a mouse driver Get a serial mouse connected and working with VNC.

Initial Comments: Well, this entry is barely retro, but very challenged.

Halftime Update: Not sure you can call this progress, but there is definitely good documentation of the lack of progress, and a functional stylus!

Final Comments: Helping to run the retrochallenge and an unobtainium Zaurus connector stalled my progress. Next time!

Status: Stalled

Mr2021

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: Pentium MMX SBC

Project : Bringing a Pentium MMX SBC (industrial PC) back to life

Initial Comments: Industrial computers and PLCs seem to get no love. Mr2021 is giving this 1999 Pentium workhorse the attention it deserves.

Halftime Update: MSW: Ah the old Dallas clock chip issue, who thought it was a good idea to embed a battery in a chip!

Final Comments: Well, we never got to see how this project panned out. I like to think that, somewhere in Australia, a Pentium PLC is whirring along again.

Status: Stalled

Jon Co

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
Platform: PowerMac G4

Project : I recently received this PowerMac G4 that powers on, but has no video. I want to get it working/usable again.

Initial Comments: One of the best looking Macintosh towers gets a second life!

Halftime Update: MSW: Powermac restoration that needs more TLC than just replacement caps! Get that mouse to light!

Final Comments: Lots of capacitor replacements and trouble shooting, but unfortunately, no resolution. :'(

Status: Stalled

Josh Malone

twitter : @48kRAM
Platform: Gateway 2000 GP6-400

Project : Windows 98 Gaming PC build

Halftime Update: MSW: I've happily forgotten what a PITA getting a PC to run games was back in the days of Win98 - rather you than me!

Final Comments: This is the type of stuff that could turn me into a luddite. I got lost at the "BIOS didn’t default to LBA in the HDD setting." Unfortunately, we also lost Josh before the middle of the month, despite some great early progress. We need to see the gaming rig payoff! I would have walked away long before he did.

Status: Stalled

Paul Pritsis

Platform: Commodore Amiga 2000HD

Project : Rebuild my 30+ year old Amiga 2000HD.

Initial Comments: Interesting take on "millennial". It does have '2000' right in its name though.

Status: Non Starter

Cynde Moya

Affiliation: Australian Computer Museum Society
twitter : @cyndemoya
Platform: Amiga 4000

Project : I have 2 Amiga 4000 computers that I would like to return to working order. New batteries, recapping, refurbishing the drives, and whatever else that need to be done to make at least one of them go.

Initial Comments: I was surprised to see that the Amiga 4000 had such a long retail life. 1993-1998, just barely intersecting with the Millennials.

Status: Non Starter

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Entrants List 2021/10