I upgraded my Turbo XT to MS-DOS 6 and got a new keyboard!
Posted by FiveLeggedSpider@reddit | retrobattlestations | View on Reddit | 24 comments
Posted by FiveLeggedSpider@reddit | retrobattlestations | View on Reddit | 24 comments
potatomasher092@reddit
Nice mate, what cpu you got in there?
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
TY, it is an NEC V20 @ 8MHz
Hjalfi@reddit
You can run CP/M-80 on that!
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
:O I thought about running CP/M-86 on it before, I had no idea that the V20 could run 8080 instructions before you mentioned it, that is wild TY
Hjalfi@reddit
It's not Z80-compatible, which is a shame --- a lot of the really cool CP/M software won't run. But all the really old-school classics will. And it'll be quite an experience!
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
One of these days I'll give Zork a try, would be a good way to do it I think. It's crazy to me that it can even do that in the first place LoL
potatomasher092@reddit
Nice, what sort or programs can run on this beast?
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
It can run anything text-based very fast, though getting into GUIs it slows down a fair bit. I've found that even Windows 1 and 2 aren't the fastest things, though are certainly very usable. I personally would prefer to run Windows 2.0 or so on an AT class machine, so I have Microsoft Works for DOS 3.0 installed for word processing/spreadsheet/calculator/etc. Takes a minute to load initially but once it does it is very zippy. I think the MS-DOS shell will provide me with the GUI functionality I want, I mostly use the DOS prompt on it tho, ty again
potatomasher092@reddit
That’s super cool, have you got any games for it?
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
I have a version of solitaire called TinySol, Tetris, PC-Man, Popcorn (an Arkanoid clone), and I want to try Blockout now that I got the V20 in there (I used to have a NEC 8088D-2 before I upgraded to the V20). It can be hard to find games that can run on XT class PCs and can handle higher speeds above 4.77MHz. The turbo switch is a jumper on the motherboard and I have to move it back and forth to change the speed so I just keep it on Turbo mode to save myself opening and closing the case LOL
pmodizzle@reddit
Blockout runs pretty well even on stock 4.77mhz 8088.
You should also be able to run more graphical things like Sierra adventure games with the AGI engine (KQ 1/2/3/4*, SQ 1/2 etc), Slipheed come to mind
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
TY! This is my first XT computer so I've been looking around at different games/software for it. I will have to try Blockout again for sure. I could have had things set up differently b4 and it wasn't the right way (config.sys files/buffers wrong, etc.)
mi__to__@reddit
That itty bitty monitor, kinda cute :D
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
ty, it shocked me when I first got it and saw it in person. Funnily enough, for such a small monitor the text is extremely legible and clear.
mi__to__@reddit
It's monochrome, isn't it? Those tend to be a noticeable bit sharper I think
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
Ye, it is monochrome. It is also my first monochrome monitor and the text is absolutely clearer than on a color tube, though I got it open box so it may just be in better condition than I'm used to seeing
mikednonotthatmiked@reddit
Very funny to see a tiny monitor with a giant keyboard right after seeing a promo image for Microsoft's new thin client thingy with two giant monitors and a tiny low profile keyboard
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
LMAO, I bet it was one of those 60% or 75% keyboards that use the butterfly switches too. I am sure there are people out there that enjoy keyboards like that so I don't want to say it's objectively horrible because it's not, but I really am not a huge fan of keyboards like that lol
cyanopsis@reddit
Going all retro, even with the digital camera! 😊
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
I got very lucky with this camera, it is actually newer than the resulting picture makes it look. I just turn it down to VGA resolution and take the picture with flash (for some reason VERY important in making an image look older). Of course the timestamp option is the cherry on top. ty!
Privileged_Interface@reddit
That little CRT is adorable. Is that 8"?
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
TY, it is a 9" display (though real screen size is likely 8" like you mentioned)
ApatheistHeretic@reddit
Is that a 3.5" floppy drive, AND DOS SHELL?!?!
FiveLeggedSpider@reddit (OP)
Ye, ty! 3.5" 1.44MB FDD, 5.25" 1.2MB FDD, 33MB simulated HDD (on a Conner 425MB HDD with XT-IDE), 640K of RAM, a real-time clock/memory expansion board, a 256KB Video 7 VGA card, and another serial/parallel controller (the memory/rtc/serial card has a 25 pin port, the other serial controller has a 9-pin port).