Registered exhibits:
What could have been — Earl Baugh — Johns Creek, GA
This exhibit will display items that didn’t succeed at their initial introduction, and/or were alternate designs for products that were released much later.
Desktop and Handheld Calculating Machines — Kyle Owen — Auburn, AL
Computers and calculators have been linked from the very beginning. A fine line exists between programmable calculators and computers, and at this exhibit, the line will be blurred even further. Come see a PDP-8 emulate an HP-35, a home-brewed Intel 4004 calculator, the first transistor-based calculator, and various other calculating machines!
Replicating vintage computers with modern parts — Oscar Vermeulen — Walchwil ZG, Switzerland
Working systems from the 60s and early 70s are getting hard to find. But making a replica can be a good way to experience what it was like. Replicas come in two flavours: authentic reproductions using original parts, and work-a-likes using modern components. This exhibit will show examples of the second variety. Play with the PiDP-8/I, a reproduction PDP-8/I hiding a Raspberry Pi inside. Or with the KIM Uno, a KIM-1 for less than $10 in parts. Also shown is work-in-progress on PDP-11 and LGP-30 projects. All are open-source hardware projects you can make with low-cost, commonly available parts. Details at obsolescenceguaranteed.
20 Years of Marathon! — John Leake — Crestview FL
Come celebrate the 20th anniversary of Marathon Infinity with John, the co-host of the Retro Mac Cast. Marathon Infinity by Bungie, the third game of the Marathon trilogy, was the direct precursor to the very successful HALO franchise. Our multiplayer setup will consist of several vintage macs ranging from systems that came out as early as 1994 to as late as 2004 and showcasing a range of innovative and unusual designs form Apple Computer.
Commodore Rarities and Oddities — Pete Rittwage — Augusta, GA
This exhibit will feature Commodore computers you rarely see, including an Educator 64, a Japanese Commodore MAX, the C64GS (Games System). It will also features some more common but less popular items such as the 128D, C16, and Plus-4.
Computer Music from Unusual Places — Pete Rittwage — Augusta, GA
Will feature an 8-drive “Moppy” (Musical Floppy) system that plays MIDI music, and an Atari 2600 modified to play MIDI music.
Console Gaming Table — Pete Rittwage — Augusta, GA
This exhibit will feature a collection of various console games that visitors can use to experience first hand what it was like to use a Vectrex, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, and other assorted game systems.
Macintosh Gaming Party! — Ben Bolgla — Atlanta GA
Come celebrate 40 years of Apple by playing your favorite games on classic 80’s Macs. We’ll have the classics like Crystal Quest as well as some rarer titles, and we plan to set up a network to play with your friends. We’ll also display some rare products and memorabilia from Apple’s history.
35 Years of the TI/99-4a — Mark Little — Atlanta GA
This display celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the official introduction of the Texas Instruments 99/4a Home Computer (June 30, 1981 in Chicago), the home computer market’s first true 16-bit machine. This interactive display will include: one working TI 99/4a console with a working Speech Synthesizer; one working TI Program Cassette Recorder; one working Peripheral Expansion Box with 32k Memory Expansion and two half-height floppy drives; one pair of original TI remote controllers (joysticks); at least nine command module (cartridge) games for anyone to play, including popular favorites Parsec and Munchman, all in original boxes; Various manuals and books related to the TI 99/4a. In addition, the display boards will include a timeline of the TI 99/4a’s history, from its inception as an improvement to the beleaguered TI 99/4 in 1981, through to the price wars with Commodore in 1983 that forced its abrupt withdrawal from the home computer market in 1984.
Retro Flight Sims — Brad Arnold — Roswell GA
A selection of retro flight sims featuring F-15 Strike Eagle II on the Atari 800 with others on various platforms to include the Amiga and more.
Understanding the ENIAC — Brian Stuart — Gloucester NJ
On February 15, 70 years ago, the ENIAC was dedicated. This machine was a landmark development emerging from WWII, and it was used to solve significant problems until it was retired in 1955. The centerpiece of this exhibit will be a simulator of the ENIAC currently under development. Along with the simulator, the exhibit will include a variety of paraphernalia that will help attendees understand how this machine worked.
Retro Japanese Computers – MSX and NEC PC-98 — Thomas Liebert — Cumming GA
A look at the MSX series (MSX, MSX2, MSX2+, MSX Turbo R, and Zemmix Neo) and NEC PC-98×1 series personal home computers.
History of Word Processing — Nolan Gilmore — Brookhaven GA
This exhibit will show examples of writing machines from mechanical typewriters to modern word processing software.
Vintage Test Equipment — Joe Gilmore — Brookhaven GA
This exhibit will showcase old school electronic test equipment including CRT Oscilloscopes, Meters and Function Generators.
Computing without Electricity — Nolan Gilmore — Brookhaven GA
This exhibit will show examples of non-electronic analog and mechanical methods of computation from slide rules to mechanical calculators.
The History that became Computers — Ed Fair — Tucker GA
Punch Cards and the mechanisms that were used to generate them are a unique part of Computer History. This exhibit will display various punch card tools and parts used to generate them.
Experience UNIX — Ed Fair — Tucker GA
Experience UNIX as it was initially available — MultiUser via Serial Cable! This hands on exhibit will allow you to use, interact and feel what it was like to work on a multiuser UNIX configuration where your only access was via a Serial Terminal.
TRS-80’s in the Modern Age — Randy Kindig — Lebanon IN
This will be a demonstration of TRS-80 machines, one of the machines that made microcomputers popular, beefed up with modern upgrades. There will be a TRS-80 Model I with the Model I System Expander (MISE) demonstrating networking, VGA, high-res and other upgrades to that machine. There will also be a TRS-80 Model 4P with a FreHD SD card based hard drive emulator and a high-res board. In addition, software will be running on these machines that demonstrates modern capabilities such as a Dropbox client (TRSBox) and a Wiki client (TRSWiki).
A History pf Handheld Electronic Calculators — Ben Bradley — Jasper GA
Handheld electronic calculators were introduced in the early 1970s at prices over $100 for even the simplest “four function” models. By the 1990s four-function calculators were so inexpensive they were given away as promotional items. This display chronicles that development and beyond to the present day when smartphones are many times more powerful than any calculator, yet some calculator models are still made and sold. Featured will be items from the long-running Hewlett-Packard and Texas Instruments lines as well as many other brands such as Bowmar, Rockwell, National Semiconductor, Casio, Sharp, no-names and even Commodore before it dropped calculators to focus on those new-fangled personal computers.
NewComputer Museum: 3D Edition — Mary Hopper — Cambridge MA
Learn about computing history by playing with this 3D/virtual, interactive computer museum. The exhibits cover early computers, mainframes, supercomputers and microcomputers as well as the history of games and virtual reality. Attendees will be able to give suggestions for a new version being built in front of their eyes, and there will be some VR headsets to demonstrate the technology being used for the next version (Google Cardboard, GearVR etc.).
Commodore Amiga! — Jeff Stokes — Duluth GA
This exhibit will feature several models of Amiga computers including the Amiga 500, 1000, and 2500. A variety of software will be available for anyone that wants to take a look. This will include games, famous demos from the 80s, development packages, multiple versions of the Workbench GUI and more!
Decatur Makers & Maker Faire — Various — Decatur GA
Our friends from Decatur Makers and Maker Faire representatives will be on hand to show some interesting machines ( a Vectrex machine and Apple Lisa ) as well as discuss their upcoming activities. AHCS as a frequent exhibitor at the Maker Faire (blue ribbon winner) welcomes them!
The clicky-clack Tic-Tac-Toe Computer! (1961) — Jim B. Steiner — Atlanta GA
Jim returns with a show favorite, the Tic-Tac-Toe computer! This device was designed from scratch, using parts and electromechanical relays from 6 pinball machines (and a piece of furniture). The computer started as a project for the high school humanities class, but when the science fair coordinator heard of it, he encouraged Jim to finish it in time to enter it in the school science fair. Additionally Jim was further inspired by the 1960 winners, the inspiration for the movie “October Sky” Rocket Boys from the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Needless to say, their success led him to have it finished in time to enter the school science fair. The Tic-Tac-Toe Computer then progressed from the High School Science Fair to the Regional Science Fair and to the State Science Fair. Come see it still in operation and try your luck at beating it!
January 1984. — David Iwanicki — Marietta GA
This exhibit will return to a pivotal point in personal computing history – January 1984. It will compare and contrast 3 iconic machines released that month and experience what the best-selling, biggest-named, and most-innovative companies presented as the direction personal computing was headed. Featuring the Commodore SX-64 “Executive”, the IBM PCjr, and the Apple Macintosh.
ADTPro and OpenCBM — David Iwanicki — Marietta GA
With vintage equipment, sometimes you want/need to recreate the physical media. With newer equipment this can be normally done by “downloading” and writing to disk. With older systems, that isn’t as easy. This exhibit will show how to recreate physical media by interfacing with Internet-capable systems. Emulators are handy, but it’s so much more fun to run real disks in real equipment. NOTE: For demonstration or allowed purposes only, copyright infringement is always discouraged!
Robotics! — Luis Guzman — Johns Creek GA
Our friends from the Atlanta Robotics Club will be on hand to exhibit some of their equipment and discuss their past and upcoming activities. A number of the AHCS members are also members of this group, and AHCS welcomes them!