Original IBM 5150 (or not) - What to buy?
Posted by Mattock486@reddit | retrobattlestations | View on Reddit | 5 comments
Hi everyone, as a vintage PC enthusiast, i've always wanted an original (or as close as possible) IBM PC. The one that kicked everything off. It would be my dream to get an original 5150 or even slightly later model from the first IBM PC's. 8088 or 8086.
But realistically, they are too expensive and they really take up a lot of room. But I would really like to have something other than emulation to experience using this original hardware. So i'm writing here about my ideas and any advice anyone can give.
My first thought was that maybe I could get just a motherboard from one of these original PC's and then I could hook that up as a frankenstein PC. My era of PC is 486 and I have many motherboards that I use in exactly this way.
Then my other thought was that maybe there is some newer project that would replicate the original hardware? On a raspberry pi or other solution? Maybe people have made new boards that work the same? I know the ITX Llama exists for 486 and Pentium era.
One realistic option and maybe the easiest option is this range of laptops created in China that have the 8088 and 8086 CPU's? They are mostly available on Aliexpress. Does anyone have experience with these? I see there is 8086 option that also has breakout boards so maybe I could add some external ISA cards? Is it also possible to switch out the CPU with these laptops? So I could add the compatible NEC or downgrade the 8086 to a 8088?
I know this is a lot of info but I would really appreciate the thoughts from the community. Thanks again!
SporadicWanderer@reddit
Have you looked into luggables like the IBM 5155 or Compaq Portable? Authentic experience but takes up less space. I used to have a Sanyo from 1985 and enjoyed tinkering around.
CrazyComputerist@reddit
To me, a CRT is a critical part of the retro computing experience. Without that, it doesn't feel much different than just emulating old software/games on a modern PC. Old portables/laptops are charming in their own way too, of course.
Mattock486@reddit (OP)
Honestly i'm completely with you and I do have one. Do you know if these Chinese Pocket 8088 or similar are able to hookup to a standard VGA monitor? I understand the 5150 era of PC's had particular configurations between graphics card and monitor. Outputting text or CGA etc
But for me, at least having some kind of original hardware is better than pure emulation. Even if sometimes I have to use a modern monitor. Just being able to play and configure/upgrade original hardware is also part of the appeal. Even if the end result looks the same on screen. You will also be using original keyboard and mouse, original sound cards etc which also feel and sound different to pure emulation. But I guess this is different conversation.
Absentmindedgenius@reddit
I bet there's a good FPGA Mister core for that. It'd probably be the closest to original hardware. It even has a VGA output.
cyningstan@reddit
I have an v1 Book 8088, the 8088 (actually NEC V20) laptop from China that you mentioned, and I'm quite happy with it despite its flaws. I knew what I was buying, it works fine and it's close to an original spec PC (except it has maxed out RAM and a larger "hard disk" than any contemporary PC would have had). The current versions have VGA graphics and better I/O support than mine.
Another good solution if you're short on space is a palmtop DOS machine. The Hewlett-Packard 100LX and 200LX are the ones I most commonly see, but the Poqet PC, the Sharp PC-3000 range, and the Tidal Wave PS-1000 and its many clones would also be a good fit - 8088/8086 based machines with DOS in ROM and CGA graphics on a monochrome LCD. The Atari Portfolio and Hewlett Packard 95LX are also popular, but their small screen resolutions make them less than ideal for running standard DOS programs.
There were also some more compact XT-class PCs available, with small desktop cases or an all-in-one wedge design like a home computer. These are rarer than the palmtop machines but might be better if you're playing with the hardware as much as the software. I'm thinking of things like the Olivetti Prodest PC-1, the Sinclair PC200, Schneider Euro-PC, Tandy 1000HX. Some of these will need a CGA monitor (or CGA-to-VGA adapter) but some of them can connect to the RF socket on a TV.