Re: Vintage Computing Advice

[PZ <skierpaul@yahoo.com>]

On Apr 27, 11:10 pm, Jason <jasonb1...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I've been lurking on this group for a bit thinking about getting into
> "vintage" computing.  Joining the swelling ranks of the nation's
> unemployed, I now find myself with a whole lot of extra time on my
> hands, so it seems like an opportune moment.
>
> I don't have a lot of room in the study I share with my wife, so I was
> thinking of picking up an Apple IIc which seem to go for under $40 on
> eBay in good condition.  My first Apple was a //+, so I'm hoping it
> will be an easy adjustment.
>
> My questions relate to the following:
>
> Video:  I'd like to use an existing LCD panel display I have (with VGA
> input).  I note that several companies manufacture composite video to
> VGA converter boxes for $40-$60.  Can anyone comment whether this
> produces an acceptable display?  I'd prefer to avoid dealing with an
> older CRT if I can avoid it.
>
> Program storage:  I understand some people may enjoy the swishing sound
> the Disk ][ drive makes when loading programs, but I can live just fine
> without managing a large stack of floppies and worrying about keeping
> them away from magnetic fields and wondering when they may go bad on
> me.  I see there is a CFFA adapter for the larger Apple // computers,
> and there has been some talk of creating one for the //c, but it is
> still presumably vaporware and some time off, no?  Are there any
> alternatives?  I see the 8-bit Atari platform has a nice adapter
> (SIO2PC I belive it's called) that allows the Atari to connect to a
> modern PC with the PC emulating many different peripherals
> simultaneously.  Is there anything analagous that will work on a //c?
>
> //c revisions:  There are two revisions of the //c (not including the
> //c+ which doesn't particularly interest me at the moment anyway) --
> the A2S4000 and the A2S4100.  I presume the newer model is more
> desirable because it has memory expansion capability?  Hopefully this
> does not limit any potential hardware upgrades along the lines of a
> SDFA/CFFA card for it?
>
> TIA for any comments.
>
> --
> Jason

Hopefully you can find an Apple IIc+ and an external 5 1/4 floppy
drive.  This will enable you to eliminate the brick power supply, give
you an 800k floppy for some prodos based apps, and a 4mhz built in
accelerator (standard 8-bit apple's run at 1mhz).

As for a mass storage solution, I'll let someone else comment on
that.  I would think whatever is released will be //c+ compatible
since that is typically the machine of choice for making an
"ultimate //c portable".

This might be a solution, not sure about the current status though:
http://www.thesvd.com/SVD

- Paul