Retro Computing Festival – Two days of pure computer history
Last weekend, the Retro Computer Festival took place at the Heinz Nixdorf Museumsforum in Paderborn – it was a journey back to the pioneering days of computers.
Commodore 64 with connected SVI-2000 robotic arm, which could be controlled automatically by computer or via two joysticks.
On April 13 and 14, the Heinz Nixdorf Museumsforum (HNF) in Paderborn hosted the Retro Computer Festival for the third time in cooperation with the Dortmund Retro Computer Treffen (DoReCo). According to the organizers, over 60 exhibitors showcased their collector's items – from pioneering computers from past decades to exotic hardware such as Telex devices. In addition to the defining machines of the home computer era such as the C64, Commodore Amiga and Atari ST, various Apple devices and other systems were also on display, along with some exotic and replica computers.
(Bild: Markus Will)
It was a paradise for nerds: most of the exhibits of the sometimes valuable retro hardware were ready for operation and could be used. But it wasn't just the hardware that was interesting: just like the visitors, who shared their memories of the exhibited device with their relatives in a few "look, darling" moments, the exhibitors also had many a story to tell in addition to the technical facts. For example, one owner of an IBM XT from 1987 reported that he received the device from an engineer who gave him one condition: either the computer would go into good hands or he would throw the device away. Fortunately, the XT, which was older than the owner himself, was saved.
Commodore 64 in a case
The Harzretro stand exhibited some rarities that even experienced collectors rarely see: Among several old Eastern Bloc computers was a Tesla computer, but entirely Elon Musk-free: the Tesla PMD 85-1 was an 8-bit computer from Czechoslovakian production that was launched in 1986. Another exciting and rare device was the PDC Clipper: a Commodore 64 in a bulky case, including keyboard, mouse, cinema LCD and acoustic coupler for remote data transmission. With a base price of 18,000 Deutschmarks, the portable C64 conversion that appeared in 1983 was not exactly cheap. The Schneider CPC 464, which had turned 40 a few days earlier, was congratulated on the stand: Two examples of the computer series developed by British manufacturer Amstrad were on display.
Impressions of the Retro Computer Festival 2024 (30 Bilder)
On Sunday, in addition to the exhibition, a number of technical presentations were held: "The Great Giana Sisters 30th Anniversary" was presented for C64. The cult platform game has been given new levels and additional game features: the characters can now swim and jump onto moving platforms. It is still unclear when the game will be released, as the company is still in talks with the rights holders, but a demo version can be downloaded. The Fujinet network adapter is an open system with which retro systems can be easily extended with WLAN or SD card functions (e.g. via the drive connection). The system already exists for the Atari 8-bit family, as well as Coleco Adam and Apple II. A port for the Commodore C64 is in the works. Amiga nerds were provided information about the Vampire turbo card. In the lecture "Discuss with a Vampire" you could ask the Amiga itself questions: it was connected to ChatGPT. For the Atari ST, the Twister card was shown: it transforms an Atari STE into a Mega STE in terms of features. For collectors of old hardware, the Retro Chip Tester (RCT) was very interesting: a versatile board with which you can test a wide variety of components.
The Telex machines were an exciting area: various telex machines were exhibited. Before the computer age, they were important means of communication for companies, authorities and editorial offices. With i-Telex, a telex network simulated via the Internet, various devices are connected that can communicate with each other or receive messages. It was just like it used to be in the editorial offices when, for example, a heise online news item was received and loudly typed and clicked onto paper. Of course, not only news was possible: ASCII art was used to create various motifs, such as Snoopy or Cologne Cathedral.
One stand was particularly steeped in history, with three iconic systems from the 1970s on display: In addition to a replica of the Apple 1, considered to be the world's first PC, there were also two DIY computers, the Altair 8080 and IMSAI 8080. A young student named Bill Gates became aware of the Altair 8080. Together with Paul Allen, he developed Altair Basic, which later became Microsoft Basic .
This year's Retro Computer Festival was a meeting in a relaxed atmosphere and very family-friendly: kids could play on several games consoles, which the museum already had ready for the younger visitors. There were also several guided tours of the computer museum on both days. The visit was also free of charge. The offer was gladly used: The organizer counted a total of over 2700 visitors on both days. The date of the next Retro Computer Festival has not yet been set, but the plan is to hold the event in the fall.
(mawi)
