Hands-on demonstrations of historic computing are the heart of the Vintage Computer Festival series. Also don’t forget to check out the Vendors coming ( they’re at the bottom of the page)
Check back to see updates new exhibits as they are registered!
Registered exhibits:
Raising the Bar: Half-Life at 25 — Andrew Taylor — Simpsonville, SC
A celebration of 25 years of the original Half-Life, the historic groundbreaking title by Valve Software. Explore the game from its earliest Alpha stages, its official expansions, vast modding scene, and later ports to home consoles.
Relatives of the TI-99/4A — Jon Guidry — Dacula, GA
See close relatives of the TI-99/4A up and in action – The Tomy Pyuuta, TI-99/2, and TI CC-40! Play from a wide selection of Japanese early 1980s games on the Pyuuta.
Chatting with ☎️, 📺, and 🖨️ — Jon Guidry — Dacula, GA
Curious about old school communication methods and how people used them to connect? Come by this interactive exhibit and play! Parents, come show your kids how to call each other (or their friend’s cell phone) on Western Electric rotary phones! Connect terminals to each other via modems! Then, type to each other on video terminals and thermal printing terminals. Bring your messages home with you from the printing terminal!
Commodore 8 Bit — Dan Goswick — Blairsville, GA
Assortment of the earliest computers made by Commodore, from the PET to the 264 series.
TI-99/4A — Alan Rateliff, II — Tallahassee, FL
Several interactive TI-99/4A systems for games and drawing, the “Don’t Mess With Texas” mega-demo, and “Dragon’s Lair.”
Pittsburgh Classic Mac Lab — Scott Baret — Pittsburgh, PA
Out there, it’s 2023. In here, it’s always 1992. Relive the good old days of school computer labs. Come play the network edition of Oregon Trail over AppleTalk cables, chase Carmen Sandiego around the United States, sharpen your mathematics skills in Number Munchers or Math Blaster, take a break with some Shufflepuck Cafe, draw a masterpiece in Kid Pix, or print out a Print Shop banner on a big noisy ImageWriter printer. All machines are authentic, original, restored Macintosh SE, Classic, and LC series computers.
∀2 Retro Computing — David Kuder — Smyrna, GA
Modern hardware for vintage computers from ∀2 Retro Computing. You may have seen it mentioned in users groups or on YouTube videos, now is your chance to check out the ∀2 Analog VGA card in person. Cards will be available for purchase at the show while quantities last. New hardware from ∀2 Retro Computing will also make it’s official debut at the show.
Historic Computer Replicas — Marc Tessier — Columbus, GA
Come see our quality handcrafted historic computer replicas for sale. There will also be a surprise announcement at the show, don’t miss it!
big beautiful boring beige business boxen returns! — James Mahoney — Marietta GA
IBM “midrange” machines where the heart of many a small and medium sized businesses, and while not as glamorous as contemporaneous minis of the same era, they are arguably just as historical! our display will contain a machine from at least 4 generations of IBM’s business-minis: (2) IBM 5340 system/34 machines, (2) 5362, (1) 5363, (1) 5364, (all 536x machines are system/36), and a few as/400s from both the cisc and risc era of the machines. independent of running status, these machine’s guts will be on display for all to see and learn from!
Pong on a chip! — Rob Mitchell — Atlanta, GA
The word Pong is synonymous with the many home TV tennis games of the 1970s. In its simplest form the game is an analog input / output computing device connected to a dial-tuning television. By 1976 several manufacturers brought to market products which concentrated all the functionality the game of Pong into a single integrated circuit (I.C. chip). Another chip added color to the display. With the turn of a knob, a player can experience the joy of batting a ball across the TV screen against another player. “Avoid missing ball for high score!”
A History of the Graphical User Interface — Nathan Lineback — Marietta, GA
See where Microsoft Windows started, what GUIs came before it and try them out for yourself, at a blazing 4.77mhz. Interactive demonstrations of VisiCorp Visi-On a GUI for the PC that came before Windows, Microsoft Windows 1.0, and many more such as GeoWorks, GEM, OS/2, and even Microsoft BOB!
#FujiNet / Meatloaf — Jamie Johnston — Jonesboro, GA
Stop by to see the latest developments in FujiNet and Meatloaf. FujiNet began as a network adapter for Atari 8-bit personal computers and has grown into a multi-use all-purpose peripheral targeting multiple platforms including Coleco Adam, Commodore 64, RC2014, and Apple II. Meatloaf is a separate project that has shared goals with FujiNet but is more focused on Commodore systems and has a few other things in mind that are beyond the scope of FujiNet. Both are open source /open hardware projects and are sharing code and ideas. Come see the future of 8bit computing!
Logo Robotics — David Brown — Cumming, GA
BBC Micro Model B with Logo and a Floor Turtle. Interactive exhibit where you can draw your own picture.
Apple Lisa: 40 & Kicking — Sean Ellis — Olelika, AL
Come experience the Apple Lisa and the Office System, just like it was in 1984. Visitors will get a chance to use the Office System’s built-in applications, as well as a variety of rare third-party software preserved thanks to the efforts of Bitsavers and the LisaEm community. Draw cool pictures in LisaDraw and take them home thanks to the Canon PJ-1080A printer, the world’s first commercially available colour inkjet printer!
Digitizers! — Nolan Gilmore — Tucker, GA
Just a fun exhibit featuring a few digitizers (or graphics tablets as they are generally known today) from the 1980s. Guests will be able to use them to interact with period correct software such as AutoCAD, Deluxe Paint, and more, all running on vintage hardware.
Systems that will (most likely) be featured include: Atari 800 with KoalaPad, IBM PS/2 series machine with Summasketch I, Commodore Amiga 2000 with Summasketch II, and a Macintosh II series machine with Wacom SD-510
Experience the TI-99/4a — Mark Little — Atlanta GA
This display celebrates the 42nd year since the official introduction of the Texas Instruments 99/4a Home Computer (June 30, 1981 in Chicago), the home micro-computing market’s first machine with a 16-bit processor. This interactive display includes: a working TI 99/4a console (classic silver/black) with a working Speech Synthesizer; a working TI 99/4 console released in 1979, the predecessor of the 4a; a working TI Program Cassette Recorder; a working Peripheral Expansion Box (PEB) with 32k Memory Expansion and two half-height floppy drives; a pair of original TI remote controllers (joysticks); at least twenty command module (cartridge) games for anyone to play, including popular favorites such as Parsec, Munchman, and Buck Rogers (all in original boxes); various software on 5 1/4″ floppy disks; and manuals, books, and period advertising related to the TI 99/4a. In addition, visitors can “take a look under the hood” of both the TI-99/4a console and inside the mammoth PEB. Take-one hand-outs are also available outlining the timeline of the TI 99/4a’s history, from its inception all the way through to the price wars with Commodore in 1983 that forced Texas Instruments’ abrupt withdrawal from the home computer market in 1984. Lastly, this year’s exhibit again features a rare working Texas Instruments CC-40 Compact Computer, TI’s final home computer, which was manufactured for less than a year beginning in March of 1983.
A Look at the Lynx — Mark Little — Atlanta GA
This small display showcases the world’s first color handheld console, the Atari Lynx, which hit the market in 1989 and was discontinued in 1994. One working Lynx I console from 1989 and two working Atari Lynx II consoles from 1991, all of which sport new LCD screen upgrades, are available for hands-on gaming. Additionally, over 70 game cards, all with original manual booklets or posters and in original boxes, are on display, along with various cases and other add-on accessories. Take-one handouts outlining the brief history of the Atari Lynx and its legacy are also available. And Mark Little, host and creator of the Atari Lynx HandyCast podcast, will be on hand in person to show off the system and its small but amazing library of games, many of them ports of popular arcade hits. If you’re a recent gamer, a retro gamer, or you’re just plain curious about seeing this ahead-of-its time system, be sure to check this display out. But bring lots of AA batteries… …just kidding; power will be provided.
Computers and Cable TV — David Kuder — Smyrna GA
A small Cable TV demonstration system including PreVUE and Weather channels. Demonstrations will be given of the equipment used by small Cable TV operators and Local TV stations to bring you Cable TV before the age of High-Def. Display will include a NABU PC and Adapter, an early example of Cable Modem technology from the 1980’s!
(Not so) Boring UNIX Workstations — David Kuder — Smyrna GA
Three not so boring beige boxes that run flavors of UNIX: Apple’s Quadra 950 with A/UX – Two operating systems in one and Apple’s response to POSIX compatibility being required for government procurement. HP’s 9000 Model 712/100 a PA-RISC machine able to run HPUX or NeXTStep. DIGITAL’s DEC 3000 M300x Alpha running Compaq Tru64 UNIX. What were they used for, and what they can still do today?
Literally Old School Devices — Clifford Scarborough — DeLand FL
Explore the 1980’s and 90’s classroom computers from Apple, IBM, Tandy, and Commodore. Play and experience edutainment games that where used in the classroom.
Computer diversity through time — Jordan Doth — Landrum SC
Come see many different machines from many different brands ( IBM, DEC, Apple, Commodore, Kaypro, Compaq, as well as some some unique one of a kind computers. ). Added from last year’s display include an Imsai 8080, and some classic adm terminals.