Nostalgia is a liar!
If you're like me, you often think back fondly on the fun computer games of the 80s and 90s. Modern games can be awesome, but they're very different from what many of us grew up with. Sometimes I just want a good game of Tetris or Oregon Trail. Nostalgia is a powerful driver, and I miss the uncluttered simplicity of early home computing and gaming.
Late some night you might find yourself looking at eBay listings for an Apple IIe or a Commodore 64. Before you click that "Buy it Now" button, you should take some time to think about what you really want.
As somebody who sells old computers, I don't want to discourage you from getting into the retro-computing hobby, but I also don't want you to drop hundreds of dollars (or more) on vintage gear only to be disappointed.
It's really easy to remember all the fun we had when we were kids on old machines and forget the downsides. You might remember joyful hours playing Super Mario or Kings Quest and forget about blurry screens, RF modulators, stacks of floppies and cartridges, uncomfortable controllers, etc.
Reliability
Many of these machines weren't reliable even when they were new. There's a reason many computers of the 80s included schematics along with the user guides. Breakage was a thing. Add 40 years of wear and tear (and abuse and neglect in many cases) and you can expect things to be a bit questionable.
When I rebuild a machine I try to understand the most likely failures and take steps to improve things, but that can only accomplish so much. It isn't a question of IF a machine is going to break, but WHEN.
If you're a weirdo like me, that's fine. I love troubleshooting and getting a dead machine working again, but most people don't.
What will you do when your old computer stops working? Can you fix it yourself? Or find someone to fix it for you?
Enter the emu
If you just want to play old games or run old software, emulators might be a better option. An emulator is a piece software that replicates an old computer using modern gear.
There are many good emulators out there. Many are inexpensive or even free. Software emulators like Amiga Forever, VICE, or MAME do a good job of running old software on new hardware.
I'm a big fan of FPGA based systems like the MiSTer FPGA. An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a chip that can rewire itself to create many different types of hardware. In case of the MiSTer, it can recreate hundreds of different old consoles, computers, of even arcade cabinets, all in a compact and easy to use system.
Ain't nothin' like the real thing
Sometimes though, what you want is more than just to run a few pieces of old software. An emulator can never fully recreate the experience of a vintage machine. There's nothing like the feel of an original IBM Model F keyboard or the sound an Apple II floppy drive makes when you power on.
Some of us WANT to debug our machines when they break or hack things to make them work in a particular way. There's something deeply satisfying about working with original hardware. I love the feeling of powering up a machine that might have been sitting in a closet for decades. I also get a particular kick from installing modern upgrades (like SD card support) into old gear to create a cool blend of old and new.
I don't want to steer you away from buying a vintage computer. It can be a lot of fun, IF you know what you're getting into. If you've read all of this and still want to take the plunge, check out what we have up for sale either directly from FRKNetwork or through our eBay store.