A few weeks ago I picked up a small haul of vintage computers fairly locally from someone who got in touch with me via my website, including a Sharp MZ-80K in its original box – these are pretty cool computers and I’ve been after getting one for a little while. The computer was in goodContinue reading “1980 Sharp MZ-80K Repair & Restoration”
Tag Archives: 8-bit
1983 Milton-Bradley Vectrex Repair
Last year, I repaired a Vectrex games console for a friend of mine who runs Re:Wired Museum & Arcade CIC, a community-run project in Teesside which helps to preserve and showcase technology that has impacted society. Apparently the unit worked OK for a while after being whacked on the side, then stopped working completely followingContinue reading “1983 Milton-Bradley Vectrex Repair”
1982 Commodore PET 8032 Repair & Restoration
Last year, I repaired a Commodore PET 8032 for a friend of mine. The PET wasn’t working and needed its mains filter can removed, a keyboard service including a new shift-lock mechanism, and a general clean up – it’s matching 8050 dual 5.25″ FDD wasn’t working and needed its mains filter can removed with aContinue reading “1982 Commodore PET 8032 Repair & Restoration”
1984 Viglen-Cased Acorn BBC Model B Repair & Restoration
Last year I got my first Viglen-cased Acorn BBC Model B, which was very kindly given to me by a friend – these use most of the original parts from the converted Model B except for the top case, so require servicing before powering on due to ageing RIFA mains filter capacitors which like toContinue reading “1984 Viglen-Cased Acorn BBC Model B Repair & Restoration”
1982 Commodore 64 Charity Auction Ends Today at 18:00 GMT!
This is a reminder that my charity auction for a refurbished early Commodore 64 “silver label” from Christmas 1982 – just before the release of the Commodore 64 in Europe in early 1983 – ends today, 18:00 GMT on Sunday 14th December 2025. The auction is no-reserve with 50% automatically taken via eBay for CancerContinue reading “1982 Commodore 64 Charity Auction Ends Today at 18:00 GMT!”
1983 IBM 5151 Personal Computer Display Restoration & Modifications
Earlier in 2025, I bought my first IBM PC, a 1983 5160 (XT) with matching monochrome IBM 5151 CRT display and IBM Model F keyboard. I’ve been wanting to get hold of an IBM PC for a while now, as it’s an interesting piece of history, and I’ve enjoyed several videos from Adrian’s Digital BasementContinue reading “1983 IBM 5151 Personal Computer Display Restoration & Modifications”
1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Power Supply Rebuild & Modifications
A few weeks ago, I bought my first IBM PC, a 1983 5160 (XT) with matching monochrome IBM 5151 CRT display and IBM Model F keyboard. I’ve been wanting to get hold of an IBM PC for a while now, as it’s an interesting piece of history, and I’ve enjoyed several videos from Adrian’s DigitalContinue reading “1983 IBM PC 5160 (XT) Power Supply Rebuild & Modifications”
1981 Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III Repair
I few months ago, a friend of mine asked me to take a look at their 1980s Tandy TRS-80 Model III, a unit with level II BASIC, 48KB RAM, and dual 5.25″ disk drives. They had bought it sold-as-seen assumed non-working online and had it imported from the USA, so it was a 110V machineContinue reading “1981 Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III Repair”
1991 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Repair, Restoration, & Modification
My lovely wife kindly bought me my first Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) for my birthday back in 2023. The NES is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console, first released in Japan in 1983 as the Famicom, then to the rest of the world in 1985 as a redesigned version: the NES. After developing aContinue reading “1991 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Repair, Restoration, & Modification”
1992 SEGA Master System II Restoration & Modification
My lovely wife kindly bought me six vintage games consoles for Christmas 2023, all in unknown or non-working condition, including my first SEGA Master System II. The SEGA Master System II is as a cost-reduced version of the original Master System, with several components removed to reduce cost: the Sega Card slot (used for flatContinue reading “1992 SEGA Master System II Restoration & Modification”