On 12-Apr-97, classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu wrote:
>Hmmm. Y'know, if that portable really is built up from a standard PC
>motherboard with the video connector in a card slot, you could (if you wanted
>to) change the motherboard for a newer one and have all kinds of fun.
The biggest hurdles would be the 8-3/8" CRT (measured bezel-bezel) and the
power supply inside. If one wanted to upgrade the CRT as well, you'd have a
hard time finding a modern one to fit, or you'd have to go with an expenisve
LCD, which would destroy the appearance that it was still the orginal machine.
Also, given that most XT-clones tended to ship with 135-150W power supplies,
and the early IBM's shipped with even less, you'd have a hard time running a
newer board on one. I tried a few years ago with a 386DX-40, and it didn't
like it at all!
>Yeah, I know this is a collecter's item probably, but with PCs upgrading is
>my first instinct. I don't even want to talk about how much that's cost me
>over the years.
Your idea isn't any worse than turning the orginal Mac's into aquariums,
which seems to have a bit of a following! At least you're talking of keeping
it a useful computer. I know the feeling about the upgrade-mania
though...it's one of the things that turned me away from the PC, though I have
two now, including the portable.
Jeff Jeffh_at_eleventh.com
--
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// Amiga: Today's Technology Ten Years Ago
// -------------------------------------------------------
\// True 32bit pre-emptive multitasking GUI, plug&play hardware,
\/ stereo sound, and 4096 color video modes since day #1
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Collector of classic home computers:
Amiga 1000, Atari 800, Atari 800XL, Atari Mega-ST/2, Commodore
C-128 & C128D, Commodore Plus/4, Commodore VIC-20, Kaypro 2X,
Mattel Aquarius, Osbourne Executive, Sinclair ZX-81, TI-99/4A,
Timex-Sinclair 1000, TRS-80 Color Computer-3, and a TRS-80 Model 4.
Plus Atari SuperPong and Atari 2600VCS game consoles.
Received on Thu Apr 10 1997 - 16:29:56 BST