TRW finds, 8" floppies, 68k PC

From: Christian Fandt <cfandt_at_netsync.net>
Date: Sat Sep 29 19:33:52 2001

Upon the date 01:59 PM 9/29/01 -0700, Mike Ford said something like:
>Today was a pretty good day at the TRW hamfest in LA. I found a few mac
>curiosities, and a few items I can pass on to list members or eBay.
>Reasonable offers, get treated reasonably.
>
   --snip--
>
>Peripheral Technology PT68K-2 from Computer Digest 1987 articles.
>This is a single board computer that fits in a XT case, but has a 10 mhz
>68000 processor, 32 memory chips (HY53C256LS-80), floppy drive connector on
>ribbon cable, header marked winchester, etc. In the orignal box with
>manuals (board, humbug monitor, and dos), and floppies for SK DOS (Star K
>software with the HUMBUG rom on board), plus about a dozen misc 5.25"
>floppies and a comm program on 3.5" floppy. Looks like all the construction
>articles (cut) from Computer Digest 1987 by Peter Stark (ie Star K
>software), 1 issue of 68 Micro Journal, and a couple other 68k newsletters.
>Apparently this is designed towork in a XT case with XT monitor and
>keyboard. Without sounding too ebayish, this is a one of a kind very
>complete example of early computing.

Oh this is cool, Mike!

Back in the 80's I had aspirations of getting one of these systems. (Back
in the "Old 80's" as my 8-year-old stepson tells his mom and me when we
watch those familiar old 70's/80's shows on Nick-at-Nite and TVLand. [Man,
that hurts now <G>])

Anyway, I recall seeing it advertised in other 80's electronics mags
(Radio-Electronics and/or Pop. Electronics) at such-and-such prices. Seems
a basic system was ca. $295 or something and a setup like yours was more
towards $400-$500. More, of course, for additional add-ons.

Yes, it was indeed designed to fit in an XT case, which by the late 80's,
was a jellybean commodity like Apple ][ clone cases, etc. were then. Not
sure how many PT68K's were sold, but I would wager there may have been many
hundreds.

Ahh yes, Peter Stark is a familiar name from dreaming about getting such a
machine. I read all the articles, sent for catalogs and flyers. Still have
them around somewhere in my archives. The Motorola uProcessors were and
still are my favored achitecture. I learned on my Heath ET-3400 Trainer
(Moto 6800) in 1980/81 what a uProcessor really is as opposed to learning
about that then-seemingly convoluted Intel thing.

Alas, I was not financially able to balance paying a mortgage and household
bills and keep enough for buying goodies like this. Seems I spent some of
my extra cash both on building my substantial antique radio collection and
on girlfriends. Except for my wife now, the decidedly better investment was
in the old radios :-)

Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA cfandt_at_netsync.net
        Member of Antique Wireless Association
        URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/
Received on Sat Sep 29 2001 - 19:33:52 BST

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