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Tag Archives: retro-computing

PsiWin & MCLINK USB-RS232 adapter compatibility issues

Explaining compatibility issues between USB and retro Psion computers that use RS232 when using USB-RS232 adapters like FTDI & Prolific

Posted byzedstarr20/05/202322/05/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:electronics, maker, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, tech1 Comment on PsiWin & MCLINK USB-RS232 adapter compatibility issues

“These aren’t the ROMs you’re looking for…”

The latest MAME release (0.253) is the first to support some of Psion’s 16-bit (SIBO) architecture platforms. Series 3a/3c/3mx, Siena and Workabout/mx are now partially supported.

Posted byzedstarr11/04/202311/04/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, techLeave a comment on “These aren’t the ROMs you’re looking for…”

Back to the source: Taking an emulated MC200 back to Psion’s old HQ in Harcourt St

Taking an emulated Psion computer back to its spiritual home – the MC400 emulation goes to Harcourt Street, London.

Posted byzedstarr10/02/202324/05/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing1 Comment on Back to the source: Taking an emulated MC200 back to Psion’s old HQ in Harcourt St

More retro Psion: The HC120 “corporate handheld”

Re-visiting the “corporate handheld” computer that is the Psion HC120,

Posted byzedstarr06/02/202321/02/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, tech1 Comment on More retro Psion: The HC120 “corporate handheld”

LCD Cakes – can baking an old LCD screen really fix it?

Can baking an old LCD screen fix it? How about rubbing it with a cotton bud? I tried a couple of suggestions I found on the internet to fix blotches on an old Hitachi monochrome LCD screen from my 1989 Psion MC400 laptop.

Posted byzedstarr10/01/202326/01/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, techLeave a comment on LCD Cakes – can baking an old LCD screen really fix it?

Out and about with a laptop from 1989

I took my old (1989 vintage) laptop out for a coffee to send some tweets & emails 🙂

Posted byzedstarr29/09/202218/10/2022Posted inpsion, raspberry pi, techTags:mc400, psion, raspberry pi, retro-computers, retro-computing, tech2 Comments on Out and about with a laptop from 1989

Powering old consumer electronics from USB

Using USB to power old mobile/handheld computers

Posted byzedstarr25/09/202216/01/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:epoc, epoc16, hardware hacking, mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, series3a, sibo2 Comments on Powering old consumer electronics from USB

Phoney – Psion Series 3a spoof voice calling from 1996

An app written in 1996 to simulate making voice calls from a Psion Series 3a.

Posted byzedstarr23/08/202213/12/2022Posted inpsion, tech, telecomTags:eopc16, opl, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, sibo, tech, telecomLeave a comment on Phoney – Psion Series 3a spoof voice calling from 1996

Siemens Nixdorf Scenic Pro C5

5250 days later – booting an old pentium computer that’s been in storage for ~14.5 years. This filthy beast used to be the defender of the home network running the Smoothwall GPL firewall.

Posted byzedstarr12/08/202224/08/2022Posted intechTags:firewall, linux, linux-appliance, retro-computers, retro-computing, smoothwall1 Comment on Siemens Nixdorf Scenic Pro C5

Hacking up the Psion SIBO SDK DOS debugger

Poking around in the old Psion SIBO SDK debugger – which looks like it’s based heavily on the MC’s GUI…

Posted byzedstarr30/06/202211/10/2022Posted inpsion, techTags:electronics, maker, mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, tech1 Comment on Hacking up the Psion SIBO SDK DOS debugger

Repurposing an old Psion MC400 laptop keyboard with Teensyduino & USB

Re-purposing an old Psion MC400 laptop mechanical keyboard from 1989 to work with USB via a Teensy LC (Arduino compatible) microcontroller

Posted byzedstarr20/06/202219/10/2022Posted inpsion, techTags:electronics, maker, mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing2 Comments on Repurposing an old Psion MC400 laptop keyboard with Teensyduino & USB

Psion MC400 ROM dump & emulation development

Emulating a Psion MC400 over 30 years later – a 1989 80C86 based laptop being brought back to life in MAME.

Posted byzedstarr15/06/202212/01/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, techLeave a comment on Psion MC400 ROM dump & emulation development

The Psion MC400 EROS – Tandy TRS-80 model 200 replacement?

A look at what state-of-the-art mobile text processing for journalists was like in the mid 1990s – the Psion MC400 EROS system.

Posted byzedstarr03/03/202229/09/2022Posted inpsion, techTags:epoc, epoc16, mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, siboLeave a comment on The Psion MC400 EROS – Tandy TRS-80 model 200 replacement?

Emulating the Psion MC400

I read an online post about creating an “MC400 emulator”. That got me thinking about the ROM, and the 28F010 flash chips that realise it…

Posted byzedstarr08/12/202120/01/2023Posted inpsion, techTags:electronics, maker, mc400, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing4 Comments on Emulating the Psion MC400

A Tale of Two Sources: NASA vs. Braben & Bell

Comparing comments (or the lack of them!) in software from 1969 & 1984. NASA’s Apollo Guidance Computer versus Elite for the BBC Model B 🙂

Posted byzedstarr18/11/202103/05/2022Posted inbbc model b, techTags:bbc, bbc model b, elite, load new commander Y/N, retro-computers, retro-computingLeave a comment on A Tale of Two Sources: NASA vs. Braben & Bell

Using a 30 year old laptop in 2021: The Psion MC400…

A summary of all the things that are right with my 1991 Psion MC400 laptop, “online” via an attached Raspberry Pi 3B+ and wifi…

Posted byzedstarr17/09/202113/01/2023Posted inpsion, raspberry pi, techTags:maker, mc400, psion, raspberry pi, retro-computers, retro-computing, tech8 Comments on Using a 30 year old laptop in 2021: The Psion MC400…

My Linux life: a retrospective

As of July 2021 Linux has been around for 30 years. For almost all of that time I’ve been installing Linux on just about anything I possibly can….

Posted byzedstarr15/09/202107/12/2022Posted intech, workTags:GNU, GNU/Linux, linux, Open Source, Operating System, psion, retro-computers, retro-computing, software, tech, UNIX2 Comments on My Linux life: a retrospective

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