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1973 Williams Paddleball


The sales brochure from a rare PONG clone

This arcade game is in my office, and we play it almost every day. Just before Christmas I won this game from Mark of Philly Classic on Ebay for $150. He had been given this system by Cassidy Nolen of Atari Online. Fortunately Mark lives 30 miles from my home, and I was able to stuff the game into my Honda Element and drop it off in my office in Wilmington. The game is currently set to take dimes, but the system can be changed to accept quarters too. When we got the system into my office we set it up and turned it on...nothing! I opened the back and found that one of the fuses was blown. I was able to replace the fuse (Thanks Radio Shack), but still no action. Finally, I used a multi-meter to locate a minor short in the power cord, and after a quick repair the system sprang to life. Given that this unit was manufactured in 1973, it's in surprisingly fine condition and should last for many more years.

A true computer under the hood.

From Internet sources, the Williams version of the Atari PONG game is an exact functional copy. As with the the PONG arcade game Williams Paddle Ball is so old that pre-dates the practical application of a processor chip. The computer board is "one big processor."


Note the rows of SW7410N logic chips.



Here is a picture of Paddle Ball in action.

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Grumman C-8573 / ASA-79 Jet Computer


The port view of a mid 80's F-14 flight computer, one of about 16 per plane.

In the what the heck is this department, we have here the computer from a Navy Jet, presumably a later version of the F-14 fighter. I was hoping that I had one of the original F-14 computers, as was described on MicroComputerHistory.com, but as you can see from the pictures, this is a mid-80's model. It took me about an hour to pry the case off the chassis, there were so many screws and a lot of caulking. Ray Holt, who was a primary engineer of the original F-14 computer system believes that this is a navigation computer.

Televideo Systems, Inc.

TS-816


Click for larger image. Note the tape drive, used for the initial load of the OS, and backups.


Click for larger image. Note the 16 user ports

The system pictured here is still functional, although I have not tested the tape drive.
From the manual: "The TeleVideo TS 816 is a compact tabletop multiuser microcomputer which can support up to 16 user stations. An eight-inch Winchester hard disk provides central storage of data for all users, while a tape cartidge (Scotch DC 300XL) allows convenient back-up of the hard disk. Many combinations of peripheral devices can be attached to the TS 816 - serial and parallel printers, a service processor terminal, or modem." In addition to the manual I have the original system tape used to install the system software.

PM/286


Click for larger image. Note the tape drive and 5 1/4" drive.


Click for larger image. This one has 8 user ports

This looks like the successor to the TS-816, but I don't have the manual. It looks like this computer was once in an office as a terminal server, but apparently someone took it home, re-formatted it as a DOS box for their family's use (games, word star installed). There is a built-in cassette drive for backing up the system. I am looking for more information. I have a Televideo "286/386 Setup Users Guide", but I am not sure if that's what shipped with this computer because there is no reference to "PM/286" in the documentation.

Here is a brief list of the Televideo software on hand (with system in parens):
  • (PM/286 CP/M:)copies not originals: GENOS disks 1..3 PUBLIC 1..6 INSTALLATION etc
  • (TS 806/20:)v 1 diagnostics, v 1.2, 2.1, 2.11 MmmOST, CP/M version v 1.2, 1.3 rev D with diagnostics?
  • (TS-803 and 803H:)Telewrite 80 v. 1.0 rev B, Telecalc/Telechart 80 v. 1, system software, Fortran IV, boot disk, Telewrite, Tele Asynch telecoms
  • (TS802H:) CP/M v. 2.3, 2.4


  • More Televideo Pics

    On the Work Bench - Feb 2007

    These are some of the computers and things that I am currently working on, or have recently picked up. Check my Vintage Computer Blog for updates, or post your questions.

    California Computer Systems 2200 Series

    Click Image for larger version
    This one is going to take a while. Overall the system is in great cosmetic shape, but as of this writing I have not yet gotten it boot a CP/M disk or display characters on a terminal. The system fan foam had decayed so I cleaned it out before powering on the system. Once I powered on the system, the green light in the front lit up and the fan ran at full speed. There is no rush, but I would like to get this guy running this Spring.


    Card View. Click Image for larger version
    From front to back: SMS "The Last Memory" 64K static memory card; Vector Graphic, Inc. Bitstreamer II Par.-Serial card; Jade "The Big Z" rev C Z-80 processor card; QT Computer Systems, Inc. clock calendar card; Morrow Designs DJ/DMA floppy disk controller



    System Manuals Click Image for larger version



    Top View with lid off Click Image for larger version

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    The Mountain 3200 5 1/4" Disk Duplicator


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