Ask HN: Do you know any modern computers with retro characteristics? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do you know any modern computers with retro characteristics?

9 pointsibobev10 comments

I know about several modern computer projects with retro characteristics:

* ZX Spectrum Next[1]

* Commander x16[2]

* Mega 65[3]

* C256 Foenix[4]

* Vampire V4+ Standalone[5]

* MiSTer[6]

* Maximite series

  - The Monochrome Maximite[7]
  
  - The Original Colour Maximite[8]
  
  - Colour Maximite 2[9]

Do you know any other?

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum_Next

[2] https://www.commanderx16.com/forum/index.php?/home/

[3] https://mega65.org/

[4] https://c256foenix.com/?v=6cc98ba2045f

[5] http://www.apollo-computer.com/v4.html

[6] https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/wiki

[7] https://geoffg.net/MonoMaximite.html

[8] https://geoffg.net/OriginalColourMaximite.html

[9] https://geoffg.net/maximite.html

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I am not sure if it fits the definition perfectly, but when I read your post this recently launched console came to my mind https://play.date. Its SDK is still not launched https://play.date/dev/

I think soon enough there will be Raspberry Pi Pico computers. It's already getting pretty close. I think you could get a fully functional computer combined with a Raspberry Pi Pico Explorer board and some choice circuits on the built-in bread board.

Another one that you might like for you list - I'm building one of these right now: https://smartykit.io It's a working Apple-1 clone. I consider it "modern" because it has 3 Arduino chips on board to handle input and output.

Also, check out the MiniSAM. Not only are they really useful, they're cute.

We recently discovered two projects that fit into the modern-retro approach and published short articles here:

https://8bitnews.io/archive/2021-06-17/happy-birthday-8bitne...

The CERBURUS is a mix between an C64 and a ZX80/81 and the MiniPET is a pure re-creation of the original PET.

Maybe the NuXT: https://monotech.fwscart.com/NuXT_v20_MicroATX_Turbo_XT_10MH...

There's the Fignition:

https://sites.google.com/site/libby8dev/fignition

It's a few years old now but a similar style of project.

Would it be possible to define what you mean by "retro characteristics"? From some of the examples that you give, it looks like you are talking about modern recreations of classic computers. Is that correct?

The most of the examples are not modern recreations of classical computers. They are new machines in classical style.

Apologies, I only looked at a few examples.

So what do you mean by "retro characteristics" and what do you mean by "a classical style"?

For example 8/16-bit ISA? Direct access to the hardware? I cannot define it super precisely, but I think that it is intuitively obvious. I do not judge the answers to specific criteria.

It's not as retro, but the new colored iMac M1 remind the first generation of iMac from 1998.

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