7:48 Back in the mid-80s, I wrote middle school papers on a word processor typewriter with a 16x1 display. I would actually write and edit them on the display, THEN print them with the built-in daisywheel printer. NO idea how I did that.
John Francis Doe A dot-matrix typewriter/word processor? I feel sorry for you. Daisy wheels were loud, but dot matrix is a sound only skrillax/deadmau5/niki minaj could love
When I was in... I think, middle school, I discovered by accident the ability to inverse the LCD by flipping the polarizer. So I did it to a calculator at school the class was using shortly there after and I remember many of the students showing it to each other and being baffled at what happened to it. Gave me some amusement. I don't think I ever told anyone what I did.
I had a pocket calculator once, which also had a polarising filter; i discovered that if i removed the filter, i could still see the display if i was wearing my polarising sunglasses ;)
The HP-48G/GX calculators had memory expansion cards. I also had the TI-85 and TI-92 at one point, and while I would have sworn those had upgrade options, I can't find anything to support that now.
I really enjoy watching your vids because you explain in a normal way, no ridiculous bells and whistles or over the top personality traits as so many other YT'ers do. Interesting, informative, to the point and extremely enjoyable. Even though I don't know practically anything about computers, old or new, I love watching the retro tech. Thank you for your effort. Thoroughly interesting and enjoyable.
I had an Epson HX-20 as a kid, and it had an external display, a huge monochrome amber LCD. It also had a hand scanner on it that let you swipe over words in a book to display on the screen in large print. I wish I still had those things. I wrote tons of adventure games in BASIC on it.
Nowadays (ok, it's been a while now) computers don't really have any historical value, because they are all mostly made from separate components. Back then you couldn't buy CPU-MOBO-RAM and build your own PC.
Technically, around the time these were released, you actually could build your own PC, if you knew where to shop. It wasn't always cost effective, and things didn't all follow the same standards, so getting everything to work together was a bit of a pain sometimes, but it was possible.
IVAN3DX I disagree. Computer operation could drastically change in 10 years. Going in the direction of quantem cpu's that need to be chilled to the ambient temperature of deep space. Wetware computer's that require medical knowledge. Or even interfaces that need a bunch of up keep and static precautions for brain machine linkages. They may view our fetish driven gaming PC culture as quiant. I'm the future, everyone may need powerful computer's. For work, social events, and even to eat.
I don't think Wetware computers will be available in the next 10 years. And I was talking about PCs, and quatum computers aren't PCs at the moment, and I don't think it will be in the next 10 years, research and industry use? Maybe. Home computing? nope.
Hi David, a brilliant video as always. A couple of these models were sold in Israel in the early 90s by a local company named “Top Technologies” (״טופ טכנולוגיות״). I had the Laser PC3 when I went to grammar school. It had what I guess was a specialised firmware, was marketed as an English-Hebrew (and vice-versa) dictionary and went under the name “Targumon” (״תרגומון״, a twist on “translation”). All other “apps” were included as well. The PC4, however, was marketed as a business-oriented portable computer, was locally marketed as TC4 (Top Computer 4), and it too had a bilingual firmware.
you must get that laser pc6 to work with a tv. you cant leave your viewers with this cliff hang... i would love to see what colors, sounds etc it have... i believe you will be the first on the internet to show it connected to a tv ever. so i hope you can do it at some point.
i think he might need a s-video for the computer and a scart rbg for the 40/80col tv.. he might need to hunt down parts and do some soldering thou.. but anyway what ever the laser pc6 needs, i am sure The 8-Bit Guy will figure it out.
Omg my school used the PC6 back in the day for typing class without the need to go to the computer lab. I remember wanting one of those things so badly, and this is a nostalgia trip. I'm tempted to purchase one right now. Great video. I've watched most of them but this is the one that got me to subscribe.
Hi, I almost never write to youtubers because it is most of the time a waste of time, but are one of the most intersting channels on youtube and I want to see you grow, so I want to tell you some tips. 1) Keep doing unboxing videos, they are very interesting. 2) Talk more of each unboxing and show the item better, remember, these things sent to you are because people love you, show them how much you love them reviewing the items a little more in depth, be fun about it, have some fun you too, it is ok to get emotional with things, you love this stuff, and most important WE LOVE seeing you LOVING this retro hardware. 3) Do not cut so much the scenes. Sorry about my bad english.
You have an amazing collection. That Laser 128 brings back bad memories of an Apple lab I inherited as a new tech director at a school. Luckily, we replaced it 6 months after I arrived with Macs in 1992. Bunch of A2's, A2e's and a couple Laser 128s.
Nah.. nobody pays any attention. When The Obsolete Geek took his SX-64 to starbucks (a much more attention getting machine) nobody noticed at all.. and I was there filming that so I was surprised.
Very interesting. Whenever I see a video like this, I am always amazed how far computers have come in such a short period of time. Thanks for the video and keep doing what you're doing!
Right? when I was a kid computers just seemed like this gimmicky dumb thing that, at best, could provide an inferior gaming experience. There was just such a leap at the end of the 90s that suddenly it became something I couldn't live without. It's fun to be reminded of the previous era, and things that seemed pointless and simplistic, but now understanding what they could actually be used for and how they compare.
The first computer my family owned was a Vtech Laser Compact XT. I knew Vtech made an apple clone too, but I didn't know about any of these machines. Very informative!
I wish someone nowadays would make a modern 8-bit laptop. Imagine a fully commodore 64 compatible laptop, opens up into basic, but with additional commands and memory access to sd card reader, ethernet/wifi commands - and just imagine what the battery life would be. A nice keyboard with the right markings for typing in your programs, of course user I/O but maybe in a smaller format. A simple screen and a made in a small as possible package, maybe with some built in joystick buttons. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
The only way something like that would get to market is through kick-starter or a really nostalgic company. I do agree with all your points though and would probably buy one if it was affordable (probably would be due to low specs).
the Pyra handheld would do a good job for that. once it's finally out, anyway.. okay, not quite booting straight into basic but support for pretty much any programming language and emulators for anything you can imagine. :)
Ben Heck once made a C64 laptop, with the original mainboard (www.benheck.com/commodore-64-original-hardware-laptop/). For what you are talking about you would be better off with something like a Raspberry Pi Zero based laptop, which several people have done also but they've focused on making it small rather than packing in a lot of battery. By now these are probably more energy-efficient than whatever 8-bit tech is still knocking around.
Ya know.. this kinda reminds me of a similar thing I used in school ~2005 called an "Alphasmart". I used it mostly for taking notes, which transferred to a computer by emulating a keyboard and typing very quickly. It had a USB B port on one side of the screen, and an Apple ADB port on the other. I remember that it had a few other applications like a spreadsheet and a typing tutor. I wonder if they are related?
I remember those! I used one when I was in 3rd Grade and it was a blast! I did not use it for taking note though. I used it for word processing and relied on the spell check heavily back then lol. I was the only one who used one though, I tried to get more people to use them but it never happened.
Now that I actually look at them in the first time in a decade, I may have actually had two. I vividly remember at one school being able to plug it into the ADB bus of a Mac LLSi (or one that looked similar) by disconnecting the keyboard cable from the keyboard and plugging it into the ADB side of the alpha smart and it working. It appears that the 3K didn't have ADB, but it was transparent. I moved and still had it, but it belonged to the school so it's possible that I just got a new 3K and didn't realise there was a difference.
Wow, like you said I think mine only had a USB and not a USB/ADP combo if I recall correctly. Based off of a quick Google search, I think anything above the Alphasmart 3000 line does not have a ADP port. I actually still have my Alphasmart 3000 somewhere, maybe I will check if it has a ADP port later. I had no idea how popular these things were at one point! Is yours the 2000? It seems to have a similar case to the 3000.
wikipedia: VTech was founded in Hong Kong in October 1976 by two local entrepreneurs, Allan Wong and Stephen Leung. When the first single-chip microprocessor "Intel 4004" became available in the early 1970s, the company saw the potential it offered for portable consumer electronics products. Wong & Leung set up a small factory in To Kwa Wan, with a US$40,000 investment and a staff of 40 people. In the first year, turnover was less than US$1 million.
Same place mentions the company got in a little bit of trouble because of an app it produced was compromised. VTech's still going strong 50 years later, otherwise.
VTech make baby monitors and some interesting toddler toys. We have their car playset, which features a "town" of bays and three cars. Each car has flashing lights and a set of digital recordings. They also have about eight or ten trigger switches in a row on the bottom. When you park a car in one of the town bays, it will play relevant tracks. For example: parking at the gas station leads to bubbling sounds and the driver talking about being filled up. At first the recordings are fairly annoying, especially the police car. However I started playing with the triggers and found some of the oddest recordings, such as the SUV's driver saying "the animals are our friends". Weird, but innocuous. My son is horribly addicted.
My first "experience" with a computer was a VTech Precomputer 1000 that ran a Z-80 clone. Ended up sparking a passion that's still burning today. Definitely decent hardware given the time period and target demographic.
I love the detail you go to in your videos. As a millennial, I find myself living vicariously through your retro entertaining and educational videos. Thank you
At 15:20 you mention using an oscilloscope to figure it out but not having the time.. I'm sure Ben Heck would help with that one, thats right up his alley
When I was little I had a Vtech Smart start Elite. My dad got it for me and my sister when he came back from a trip. I wish I still had it now; but that was my first computer.
REMINISCE ALERT: I didn't grow up with these models; though i had smaller equivalents that were geared towards kids. My parents always asked why tf do i need another calculator/planner with a basic lcd display? My only response was that i loved to tinker with it, push the boundaries of what it was meant for using imagination. When you said you wished you had something like that growing up, it hit home when i realized that i did, and that the reason i watch and genuinely enjoy your content is because you have the same mentality of exploration. Your content is genuine. Thanks for your continued efforts and creativity.
I actually remember a friend dialing up old multi-line BBS's back in the 80's on one of these portable computers with the Mini LCD display. Good Times. He'd chat with me while I was online. He was very happy when he finally got his first 'Real Computer', and he told me it was like 'seeing a movie in Cinemascope for the first time.'
I guess, the phone-ports on the pc3 were only for assisted dialing. you could probably dial a number from the phone-book app, and then pick up your phone and talk.
Amazing! Never heard of these. Always thought that V-tech just made toy laptops with BASIC built in that I used to program in the toy shop sometimes to the amazement of younger family members!
Oh my god, I picked up one of these things (The 50 if I remember correctly) from a thrift store for next to nothing a while back and was interested to find out more about it, only to find next to nothing about it online at the time. It's nice to see someone actually discussing it! I actually know a bit more about this thing now!
I'm 24 and I love computers. (Modern) I really appreciate these videos to see what started it all! That's why I subscribed. One day I'll master basic. Thanks for your videos.
Excellent episode again David :) That was very in-depth. I didn't even knew about these computers! And yes, the Laser 50 must have been a good option on the field, for long calculations you could write programs, and then even print your results! This would be handy for a Land Surveyor (my field) inthe 80's. Also, your hipster level just soared over 9000 when you went to the coffee shop with your Laser computer! haha. That was too funny I also wanna take the opportunity to say that you do a terrific job of computer/retro tech preservation. When all is said and done, this vid might be the most complete source of information on this line of computers that lots of people didn't know about. You just help them not getting forgotten :)
IRDA was on several devices in the 90s but not sure it was used by a lot of folks. Not sure this thing used IRDA or some other proprietary protocol. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_Data_Association
Great video. I love the odd-ball and retro stuff. I'm also in favor of deep technical dives like the LCD screen stuff. Keep diggin' for more oldies and I'll keep watchin'. Oh... You gotta update this one with info on that video connector and infrared port thing. It's terrible to tease us like that. Looking forward to more.
I used, and still have the 3 and 4, boxed up with all the cables and manuals that came with them. Lots of fun back then, and the 4 was actually useful. By the way, both the 3 and 4 had automatic phone dialers built in. You held the phone up to the rubber pad on the bottom and the tones from the computer would dial the number. Thanks for the memories. I haven't had them out for a long time. You could also buy an additional memory plug in for the 4, which I did.
Oh, holy #$%*! You triggered one of my earliest memories at 0:27! I had that exact model of Smart Start Speller when I was 4- my grandfather bought it for me for Christmas way back in 1991. I remember playing with that thing for years!
Just wanted to say, you're one of my favorite youtubers. Very down-to-earth, you cover interesting topics, and I feel like every time I watch a new video by you I learn something new! There aren't many youtubers I actually have notifications turned on for! Keep up the fantastic work :)
This was really interesting. I too had little/no knowledge of this product line. And you did your normally thorough and enjoyable job at reviewing them.
His intro shows a cassette tape being used with a computer. Basically, a cassette tape is like any other storage media. Take a CD, for instance. You usually see those in the form of audio CDs nowadays, but they are still widely used for storing and transferring non-audio data.
Most 8-bit home computers could store programs on audio cassette tapes. The data was stored on the tape pretty much like any sound would, the most common way being to have one frequency indicating a 1 and another a 0. it's primary advantage was that it was cheap, so kept the cost of the system down. It's downside was that it was relatively slow, but I suppose that waiting a minute or five for a large program to load/save, is better than having no such option.
Ts6451 The thing is at first it was 5mins or so but later when games got bigger you would wait 10-15 mins for the tape to load and pray to got you get no reading error
yes, I had a computer from this same time period and all my software was stored on audio cassettes. Most of it originally programmed in by hand, and much from magazines that would have long pages of BASIC code for various games and utilities for people to enter.
My middle school writing class in 1998 used an Apple version of one of these. We only had as many computers in the lab as half the class size, so on days it wasn't our turn on the laptops, we could either write on these word processor things (and inevitably fix hundreds of typos and do the required formatting on the computers) or on pen and paper. We also had some readings that we were to do (mostly short stories) and do brief analyses on. In all it was a surprisingly forward-thinking class, where we were given general due dates and we were largely self-directed. I look back on it quite fondly.
I really like this channel but I thought this video was rather boring compared to some of the other videos. I think it deserves a thumbs down but I gave it a thumbs up to support the channel. He should of figured out the video out port for the video. That would of made watching it much better.
You are correcting me on my grammar? Are you kidding me right now? This is why I rarely comment because of people like you that get their rocks off trying to ruin a user's experience. Hope it really makes you happy you annoyed me today. A$$hole
I've been enjoying following your channel for a while now but not commented yet. Being a Brit who owned the sinclair ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum, it was very nice to hear you call it a Zed-ex 81 and not a zee-ex 81! I didn't know they were released in the US too. I don't know how many UK folk follow you, but I for one would love to see you do a piece on the sinclair range and it's place in generating a whole raft of home grown computer game programmers. I wish I still had my old rubber key 48k Spectrum, I'd have been glad to fedex it over to you!
Well, most of my life I called it the "Timex Sinclair 1000" because that is what it was called here. Only in the last few years did I realize it was originally a UK product. My friend here in town also has an original ZX-80 from the UK. So I may show that some day.
google Sir Clive Sinclair, the boffin whose brainchild they were. Bit of an oddball inventor by all accounts, but visionary for sure. From what I've read, he was one of the first people to champion the idea of a computer in every home, which was largely ridiculed by his contemporaries at the time.
This kind of reminds me of the AlphaSmart Basic Educational Computer Units I used to use back in my early years of Elementary School, where I took my Accelerating Reading (Abbreviation AR) and MathFacts in a Flash tests on. They were VERY SIMPLE keyboard computer units with a simple LCD screen that displays variable icons, numbers, and digits, but not backlit or in color. But of course, they have now been replaced by iPads and Tablets, or probably even the Chromebooks. But from what I saw, they have mostly been replaced with iPads. I'd say the targeted demographic for the device demostrated in this video is for people who get easily distracted with the internet, notifications, and other stuff while writing a document and doing math, if that thing were to still be sold today. And I'd call this, The AlphaSmart's Predecessor.
Boy do I wish UA-cam had existed back in the 90's when I was looking for a comparative review of the whole line of Vtech LCD computers so that I could pick out the one best suited to my needs!
I remember, when "the internet started" that around 93-94-ish there was a Laser computer that was a disguised (but fully licensed) Apple IIc, and the software came on tiny plastic cards, with a circuit board on them. It even ran Appleworks, looked like a laptop but instead of a LCD screen, that was the storage drawer for the cards.
I had the IQ Unlimited. But I had no idea these existed, nor that Vtech == Laser. As you know, it was a learning computer, but when I had it in the mid 90s, it was our only computer. So I'd often find mom using it too, as it had built-in word processor and spreadsheet apps. Vtech would go on to make a second model called the Genius IQ 128. That one used a mouse and had a 16 bit processor. I remember finding it in Fingerhut magazine and wishing it was mine. Excellent video as always, I look forward to the Vtech followup.
I purchased an Alphasmart Neo 2 from Amazon and i think it's the best portable word processor ever. Would love to see you review that. I would Buy you one, but have I financial issues at the moment. It runs about $45 shipped. No software needed, it acts as a USB keyboard and types the document into your computer. so it works on all platforms and is pretty much future proof as USB keyboards should be the standard for many years to come. I'm a fan of your channel. Keep up the good work! :)
I remember these computers. They were sold at a small local chain called Witmark and occasionally you would see them at others stores. They were sold to elderly people as great gifts to grandkids. Once received you would screw around with it for about 15 minutes and then go play Atari.
I cant help but get a "Sheldon in his later 40s"-vibe from you... (yes the big bang theory dude) I mean that in the best way possible. You're both great entertainment in your own ways
I knew the oldest one from 1985 looked familiar. There is one at my grandparents house. My mom was only 1 or 2 years old. Even though it doesn’t work anymore because it might be out of batteries, I still like to get it out sometimes and play with it though. I just like to act like I’m a grown person messing around in the 80s. It’s awesome.
Yes! A long day of school with a serious sleep deprivation from last night.. but it's all good because my favourite youtuber uploaded a new video. Hopefully my cup of coffee is great! Cheers!
I recently bought a PC4 after losing an auction of the Tandy. You are definitely correct about the lack of information on these computers, but at least you have the manual! I have not been able to discover the existence ANY of the expansion cartridges, but I do have the computer transfer cable (no manual and no transfer software currently preventing me from testing). If you learn anything more about these, I'd love to see another video!
I seem to remember pricing out a Sharp TFT LCD screen (XGA or something like that) back in 96-97 and it was around $1500.00 for just the screen assembly (somewhere near that price). So I think that was still a driving factor for sticking with the simple 4x80 or similar dot matrix LCDs for portables. I would guess that early in the 2000's is where the price of larger TFT LCDs started falling enough to be viable in laptops (without having a $5000.00 laptop sale price). Good video as always Dave! - Eddy
David, I don't normally comment on UA-cam videos, but I wanted to take a minute and thank you for uploading such interesting and professionally edited content. Your videos are truly excellent, and I've watched almost all of them. I wonder, though, if you could maybe work in some videos on woodworking or metal fabrication? I'm not really that interested in computers. Thanks again for sharing your passion and talent!
Old video, but the portion about distraction free writing reminds me of the Alphasmart devices. Which were basically those in the final two products they released. The Neo and Neo2, they came out in the early 00s and were supported till 2013. Which are fairly niche products that have a loyal fanbase today. And I'm told that it still works to transfer files from it to this day. Mostly by acting as a USB keyboard and typing out the documents in the opened program after you've hit the send button while connected to a computer. I don't have one myself. So I can't tell you how well it transfers the format of such things. Or if you'd be better in writing in along with some BBCode or something so that formating isn't a issue when picked up by the right website. But they still relatively cheap devices on ebay to pick up.
Woo. I bought a Compumate a year ago new in the box. Couldn't find any info on it. Of course the 8 bit guy would upload an awesome video on the Laser series.
I was a TRS-80 Model I user as a kid, and I was familiar with all the TRS-80 computers back in the day, so I did play with the TRS-80 Pocket Computer 1 and 2. This Laser computer does remind me of the PC-1.
I remember in elementary school we were given something like this. I forget the brand name but the later models had palm OS on it, and all of them were made to take notes but the cool thing is they had USB, and when you plugged them into a computer they acted like a keyboard, and you could press a button and it would spit out all the text you had written on the device onto a Word document or whatever text editor you had open. The PalmOS models even had WiFi and could do basic things on Google. Edit: I think they were called Alphasmarts?
They were known as smart keyboards, they're actually very much in demand these days among writers because of the decent keyboard and distraction free writing experience. Some of those involved with the alphasmart went on to develop a new product called Freewrite that is kind of a modern take on it aimed at novelists and journalists.
Great video, David! You should make a video about the AlphaSmart series, if you can. They were very similar to the Laser series, although they were meant just for word processing, and were very popular with writers and journalists for that reason. You could actually type on them over 20 WPM, for one thing, and the later models used a USB output for file transferring. They made them from the early 90s all the way up to the mid-2000s, and you can still get them super cheap online.
7:48 Back in the mid-80s, I wrote middle school papers on a word processor typewriter with a 16x1 display.
I would actually write and edit them on the display, THEN print them with the built-in daisywheel printer.
NO idea how I did that.
Ram Laska Yours had a daisy wheel?, I used one with a tiny matrix ribbon, it was a great upgrade from the regular typewriter.
@@johnfrancisdoe1563 me too, I still remember the noise of that Mannesmann, as it was generating my elementary and middle school papers.
You were definitely ahead of your time. I think I may have had a TRS-80 then, but the papers were getting the Selectric treatment.
John Francis Doe
A dot-matrix typewriter/word processor?
I feel sorry for you. Daisy wheels were loud, but dot matrix is a sound only skrillax/deadmau5/niki minaj could love
Jordan Taylor
Selectrics were the bomb.
Could do double duty as an anvil or anchor, in a pinch. 😁
"I also wrote this little program that creates random beeps."
*my kitchen timer goes off*
Me:HOLY COW HOW CAN HE DID THAT
Random Music: ua-cam.com/video/NmU-qqAsyiA/v-deo.html
Program for making the random music: ameblo.jp/sunday-developer/entry-11854981837.html
LMFAO ua-cam.com/video/vGZgXDNKNRI/v-deo.html (lawnmower man "birth cry")
“How did you get into my house?”
“Oh just a simple basic program”
Mr.Pikachu the Madman what
My first PC was a Laser 386SX 16 Desktop. I haven't seen that brand anywhere since then until now. Bought it in 1991.
It was odd that it came with GEOS instead of Windows
When I was in... I think, middle school, I discovered by accident the ability to inverse the LCD by flipping the polarizer. So I did it to a calculator at school the class was using shortly there after and I remember many of the students showing it to each other and being baffled at what happened to it. Gave me some amusement. I don't think I ever told anyone what I did.
same here
We would have made a great team. :-)
Maybe they found out that kids were flipping the polarizers around to freak out their classmates?
Yes, it was a mental health public service action.
I had a pocket calculator once, which also had a polarising filter; i discovered that if i removed the filter, i could still see the display if i was wearing my polarising sunglasses ;)
RAM expansion for a glorified calculator? *neat* :D
The HP-48G/GX calculators had memory expansion cards. I also had the TI-85 and TI-92 at one point, and while I would have sworn those had upgrade options, I can't find anything to support that now.
:(
my TI-84 could use a RAM expansion so I can -play better games- graph bigger equations
I really enjoy watching your vids because you explain in a normal way, no ridiculous bells and whistles or over the top personality traits as so many other YT'ers do. Interesting, informative, to the point and extremely enjoyable. Even though I don't know practically anything about computers, old or new, I love watching the retro tech. Thank you for your effort. Thoroughly interesting and enjoyable.
I had an Epson HX-20 as a kid, and it had an external display, a huge monochrome amber LCD. It also had a hand scanner on it that let you swipe over words in a book to display on the screen in large print. I wish I still had those things. I wrote tons of adventure games in BASIC on it.
imagine him one day in future explaining us how gtx 1080ti used to be cool..
Nowadays (ok, it's been a while now) computers don't really have any historical value, because they are all mostly made from separate components. Back then you couldn't buy CPU-MOBO-RAM and build your own PC.
Technically, around the time these were released, you actually could build your own PC, if you knew where to shop. It wasn't always cost effective, and things didn't all follow the same standards, so getting everything to work together was a bit of a pain sometimes, but it was possible.
IVAN3DX I disagree. Computer operation could drastically change in 10 years. Going in the direction of quantem cpu's that need to be chilled to the ambient temperature of deep space. Wetware computer's that require medical knowledge. Or even interfaces that need a bunch of up keep and static precautions for brain machine linkages. They may view our fetish driven gaming PC culture as quiant. I'm the future, everyone may need powerful computer's. For work, social events, and even to eat.
I don't think Wetware computers will be available in the next 10 years. And I was talking about PCs, and quatum computers aren't PCs at the moment, and I don't think it will be in the next 10 years, research and industry use? Maybe. Home computing? nope.
The 64bit guy
Hi David, a brilliant video as always.
A couple of these models were sold in Israel in the early 90s by a local company named “Top Technologies” (״טופ טכנולוגיות״). I had the Laser PC3 when I went to grammar school. It had what I guess was a specialised firmware, was marketed as an English-Hebrew (and vice-versa) dictionary and went under the name “Targumon” (״תרגומון״, a twist on “translation”). All other “apps” were included as well. The PC4, however, was marketed as a business-oriented portable computer, was locally marketed as TC4 (Top Computer 4), and it too had a bilingual firmware.
you must get that laser pc6 to work with a tv. you cant leave your viewers with this cliff hang... i would love to see what colors, sounds etc it have... i believe you will be the first on the internet to show it connected to a tv ever. so i hope you can do it at some point.
Yes please don't leave us hanging!
i think he might need a s-video for the computer and a scart rbg for the 40/80col tv.. he might need to hunt down parts and do some soldering thou.. but anyway what ever the laser pc6 needs, i am sure The 8-Bit Guy will figure it out.
The ole oscilloscope may shed some light on how to convert.
I second this. It should be a fun episode playing with an oscilloscope!
Looks like a 9 pin S-video port to me. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-Video (edit: ahum, 8 pins)
programming on a 1 line display.... mind blown...
The original Kirby was coded using a on-screen keyboard... on an actual NES(dev unit) that didn't have a mouse.
I wonder if it was actually intended to be connected to the printer and used teletype fashion?
@@amirabudubai2279 *_B R U H_*
@@amirabudubai2279The game boy game or the nes game? In assembly language? (likely)
Omg my school used the PC6 back in the day for typing class without the need to go to the computer lab. I remember wanting one of those things so badly, and this is a nostalgia trip. I'm tempted to purchase one right now.
Great video. I've watched most of them but this is the one that got me to subscribe.
I had no idea this line of computers even existed. They look very interesting. That space key (can't call it a space bar) on the Laser 50 though...
Hi, I almost never write to youtubers because it is most of the time a waste of time, but are one of the most intersting channels on youtube and I want to see you grow, so I want to tell you some tips.
1) Keep doing unboxing videos, they are very interesting.
2) Talk more of each unboxing and show the item better, remember, these things sent to you are because people love you, show them how much you love them reviewing the items a little more in depth, be fun about it, have some fun you too, it is ok to get emotional with things, you love this stuff, and most important WE LOVE seeing you LOVING this retro hardware.
3) Do not cut so much the scenes.
Sorry about my bad english.
Thank you.
Darn, now I really want to see what pc6 output looks like on a tv screen! :p Great video sir!
I'm also extremely curious.
It's just a 7 pin version of s video, that's it, you can also use normal 4 pin s video cables with it
You have an amazing collection. That Laser 128 brings back bad memories of an Apple lab I inherited as a new tech director at a school. Luckily, we replaced it 6 months after I arrived with Macs in 1992. Bunch of A2's, A2e's and a couple Laser 128s.
What did it get replaced with? 486s running Windows 3.1?
The Starbucks moment killed me. Did anybody ask about your retro device?
Nah.. nobody pays any attention. When The Obsolete Geek took his SX-64 to starbucks (a much more attention getting machine) nobody noticed at all.. and I was there filming that so I was surprised.
Yes, I remembered SX-64 video when watching this one. You should use cassette deck too :)
Of course they dont notice, all they notice is the college kid with the new Rose-Gold Macbook and Jet Black iPhone 7
The 8-Bit Guy is the Obsolete Geek still around? It seems like forever since he posted anything.
No one notices anything that's not their phone screens.
Very interesting. Whenever I see a video like this, I am always amazed how far computers have come in such a short period of time. Thanks for the video and keep doing what you're doing!
Right?
when I was a kid computers just seemed like this gimmicky dumb thing that, at best, could provide an inferior gaming experience. There was just such a leap at the end of the 90s that suddenly it became something I couldn't live without. It's fun to be reminded of the previous era, and things that seemed pointless and simplistic, but now understanding what they could actually be used for and how they compare.
and yet you can STILL buy (and this is no joke) calculators that don't know that 1 devided by 7 and then multiplied by 7 is eaqual to 1
+Windhelm Guard, blame floating point rounding for that.
The first computer my family owned was a Vtech Laser Compact XT. I knew Vtech made an apple clone too, but I didn't know about any of these machines. Very informative!
OH YOU'RE SO LUCKY! David said "it is rare as unicorns". You have one
UNIversal
CORN
You actually went to Starbucks with it, that's amazing
I wish someone nowadays would make a modern 8-bit laptop. Imagine a fully commodore 64 compatible laptop, opens up into basic, but with additional commands and memory access to sd card reader, ethernet/wifi commands - and just imagine what the battery life would be. A nice keyboard with the right markings for typing in your programs, of course user I/O but maybe in a smaller format. A simple screen and a made in a small as possible package, maybe with some built in joystick buttons. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
trylleklovn hell yeah id definately throw my wallet at it.
The only way something like that would get to market is through kick-starter or a really nostalgic company.
I do agree with all your points though and would probably buy one if it was affordable (probably would be due to low specs).
Sound something a Hobbyist can throw together in a rasperry pi
the Pyra handheld would do a good job for that. once it's finally out, anyway.. okay, not quite booting straight into basic but support for pretty much any programming language and emulators for anything you can imagine. :)
Ben Heck once made a C64 laptop, with the original mainboard (www.benheck.com/commodore-64-original-hardware-laptop/). For what you are talking about you would be better off with something like a Raspberry Pi Zero based laptop, which several people have done also but they've focused on making it small rather than packing in a lot of battery. By now these are probably more energy-efficient than whatever 8-bit tech is still knocking around.
These remind me of a device we used to use in school called an AlphaSmart.
Thanks for the shout out! Great video. And what an impressive amount of research you did. I know I learned a lot more than I ever found out on my own.
Ya know.. this kinda reminds me of a similar thing I used in school ~2005 called an "Alphasmart". I used it mostly for taking notes, which transferred to a computer by emulating a keyboard and typing very quickly. It had a USB B port on one side of the screen, and an Apple ADB port on the other. I remember that it had a few other applications like a spreadsheet and a typing tutor. I wonder if they are related?
I remember those! I used one when I was in 3rd Grade and it was a blast! I did not use it for taking note though. I used it for word processing and relied on the spell check heavily back then lol. I was the only one who used one though, I tried to get more people to use them but it never happened.
Which one did you use? I think I used the AlphaSmart 3000, not so sure though.
Now that I actually look at them in the first time in a decade, I may have actually had two. I vividly remember at one school being able to plug it into the ADB bus of a Mac LLSi (or one that looked similar) by disconnecting the keyboard cable from the keyboard and plugging it into the ADB side of the alpha smart and it working. It appears that the 3K didn't have ADB, but it was transparent. I moved and still had it, but it belonged to the school so it's possible that I just got a new 3K and didn't realise there was a difference.
Wow, like you said I think mine only had a USB and not a USB/ADP combo if I recall correctly. Based off of a quick Google search, I think anything above the Alphasmart 3000 line does not have a ADP port. I actually still have my Alphasmart 3000 somewhere, maybe I will check if it has a ADP port later. I had no idea how popular these things were at one point! Is yours the 2000? It seems to have a similar case to the 3000.
I have an AlphaSmart 3000. I used it up until recently to log my mileage at work and jot down notes.
I really love these long videos, they are great for watching when you're bored or have some spare time
wikipedia:
VTech was founded in Hong Kong in October 1976 by two local entrepreneurs, Allan Wong and Stephen Leung. When the first single-chip microprocessor "Intel 4004" became available in the early 1970s, the company saw the potential it offered for portable consumer electronics products. Wong & Leung set up a small factory in To Kwa Wan, with a US$40,000 investment and a staff of 40 people. In the first year, turnover was less than US$1 million.
Same place mentions the company got in a little bit of trouble because of an app it produced was compromised. VTech's still going strong 50 years later, otherwise.
VTech make baby monitors and some interesting toddler toys.
We have their car playset, which features a "town" of bays and three cars. Each car has flashing lights and a set of digital recordings. They also have about eight or ten trigger switches in a row on the bottom. When you park a car in one of the town bays, it will play relevant tracks. For example: parking at the gas station leads to bubbling sounds and the driver talking about being filled up.
At first the recordings are fairly annoying, especially the police car. However I started playing with the triggers and found some of the oddest recordings, such as the SUV's driver saying "the animals are our friends". Weird, but innocuous. My son is horribly addicted.
pseydtonne I remember those toddler toys VTech made, it was from a LONG time ago.
My first "experience" with a computer was a VTech Precomputer 1000 that ran a Z-80 clone. Ended up sparking a passion that's still burning today. Definitely decent hardware given the time period and target demographic.
tohopes haha yes, my business also had a first-year turnover of “less than $1 million.”
Great video 8'bit guy! It's a pleasure to see the passion that you put on that technologies.
I love this channel very much. And the Chinese subtitles have been uploaded😄
I love the detail you go to in your videos. As a millennial, I find myself living vicariously through your retro entertaining and educational videos. Thank you
At 15:20 you mention using an oscilloscope to figure it out but not having the time.. I'm sure Ben Heck would help with that one, thats right up his alley
When I was little I had a Vtech Smart start Elite. My dad got it for me and my sister when he came back from a trip. I wish I still had it now; but that was my first computer.
I was cracking up when you went to starbucks lol that was epic 😂😂
REMINISCE ALERT: I didn't grow up with these models; though i had smaller equivalents that were geared towards kids. My parents always asked why tf do i need another calculator/planner with a basic lcd display? My only response was that i loved to tinker with it, push the boundaries of what it was meant for using imagination. When you said you wished you had something like that growing up, it hit home when i realized that i did, and that the reason i watch and genuinely enjoy your content is because you have the same mentality of exploration. Your content is genuine. Thanks for your continued efforts and creativity.
You are the only UA-camr that I have enabled the notifications, and I have subscribed to a lot of them. Great video as always!
turing FTW
me 5
guys pls help me handle the fame. My comment got so many likes.
Any youtuber has adherents which have enabled notifications only for that youtuber
same here!
I actually remember a friend dialing up old multi-line BBS's back in the 80's on one of these portable computers with the Mini LCD display. Good Times. He'd chat with me while I was online. He was very happy when he finally got his first 'Real Computer', and he told me it was like 'seeing a movie in Cinemascope for the first time.'
I guess, the phone-ports on the pc3 were only for assisted dialing.
you could probably dial a number from the phone-book app, and then pick up your phone and talk.
The speaker underneath one of those computers looked like it fit onto a phone handset.
@@greenaum Yes, that's exactly it (I just tried it on mine). You have to pick an "appointment" and then press ^D
Amazing! Never heard of these. Always thought that V-tech just made toy laptops with BASIC built in that I used to program in the toy shop sometimes to the amazement of younger family members!
V-Tech just kicked in yo.
Oh my god, I picked up one of these things (The 50 if I remember correctly) from a thrift store for next to nothing a while back and was interested to find out more about it, only to find next to nothing about it online at the time. It's nice to see someone actually discussing it! I actually know a bit more about this thing now!
"Laser"
-Dr. Evil
I'm 24 and I love computers. (Modern) I really appreciate these videos to see what started it all! That's why I subscribed. One day I'll master basic. Thanks for your videos.
When the V-tech kicks in:
*V R O O M V R O O M*
Excellent episode again David :) That was very in-depth. I didn't even knew about these computers!
And yes, the Laser 50 must have been a good option on the field, for long calculations you could write programs, and then even print your results! This would be handy for a Land Surveyor (my field) inthe 80's.
Also, your hipster level just soared over 9000 when you went to the coffee shop with your Laser computer! haha. That was too funny
I also wanna take the opportunity to say that you do a terrific job of computer/retro tech preservation. When all is said and done, this vid might be the most complete source of information on this line of computers that lots of people didn't know about. You just help them not getting forgotten :)
I was waiting for you to explain the infrared sensor on the back, next to the video output, but then you never did :(
IRDA was on several devices in the 90s but not sure it was used by a lot of folks. Not sure this thing used IRDA or some other proprietary protocol. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_Data_Association
Great video. I love the odd-ball and retro stuff. I'm also in favor of deep technical dives like the LCD screen stuff.
Keep diggin' for more oldies and I'll keep watchin'.
Oh... You gotta update this one with info on that video connector and infrared port thing. It's terrible to tease us like that. Looking forward to more.
Very enjoyable David.
DatTrollGamer he's a time traveler
Patreon supporters get to view early.
I used, and still have the 3 and 4, boxed up with all the cables and manuals that came with them. Lots of fun back then, and the 4 was actually useful.
By the way, both the 3 and 4 had automatic phone dialers built in. You held the phone up to the rubber pad on the bottom and the tones from the computer would dial the number. Thanks for the memories. I haven't had them out for a long time. You could also buy an additional memory plug in for the 4, which I did.
When that vtec kicks in (Honda joke)
Incredibly coincidental that I was trying to learn more about these computers after seeing them in your LCD videos. thanks for making this!
Why don't you create a Wiki page for these, with a proper BASIC reference :)
Always worthwhile coming here. Your work is much appreciated - thanks.
These computers look awesome! I want one so I can play Skyrim in style!
Oh, holy #$%*! You triggered one of my earliest memories at 0:27! I had that exact model of Smart Start Speller when I was 4- my grandfather bought it for me for Christmas way back in 1991. I remember playing with that thing for years!
Who could possibly use up 16K of RAM? It's way too much!
I know right? I don't even know how many full screens of text characters that would be. MADNESS!
Laughs in 1.5 TB of Ram (if I had 1.5 TB of ram)
Nobody would ever need more than 640 bytes of RAM!
Just wanted to say, you're one of my favorite youtubers. Very down-to-earth, you cover interesting topics, and I feel like every time I watch a new video by you I learn something new! There aren't many youtubers I actually have notifications turned on for! Keep up the fantastic work :)
Maybe you should contact Ben Heck about that last computer.
Great episode David! I loved the music at the end too!
ZX Spectrum 48k review please!!!!!
This was really interesting. I too had little/no knowledge of this product line. And you did your normally thorough and enjoyable job at reviewing them.
I'd rather write a complete novel with a quill pen taped to the end of my nose than to write a single term paper on one of these.
QueeferSutherland Using this with a printer gets a cleaner result.
Loving the regular videos! Every single one is really interesting and well written :)
Hi Mate! Love your videos!
I've lived in the US my whole life, I'm not used to addressing people like this lol
Could you really save files and programs on cassette tapes ? How did that work
Christian M he has a video on it.
His intro shows a cassette tape being used with a computer. Basically, a cassette tape is like any other storage media. Take a CD, for instance. You usually see those in the form of audio CDs nowadays, but they are still widely used for storing and transferring non-audio data.
Most 8-bit home computers could store programs on audio cassette tapes.
The data was stored on the tape pretty much like any sound would, the most common way being to have one frequency indicating a 1 and another a 0.
it's primary advantage was that it was cheap, so kept the cost of the system down. It's downside was that it was relatively slow, but I suppose that waiting a minute or five for a large program to load/save, is better than having no such option.
Ts6451 The thing is at first it was 5mins or so but later when games got bigger you would wait 10-15 mins for the tape to load and pray to got you get no reading error
yes, I had a computer from this same time period and all my software was stored on audio cassettes. Most of it originally programmed in by hand, and much from magazines that would have long pages of BASIC code for various games and utilities for people to enter.
My middle school writing class in 1998 used an Apple version of one of these. We only had as many computers in the lab as half the class size, so on days it wasn't our turn on the laptops, we could either write on these word processor things (and inevitably fix hundreds of typos and do the required formatting on the computers) or on pen and paper. We also had some readings that we were to do (mostly short stories) and do brief analyses on. In all it was a surprisingly forward-thinking class, where we were given general due dates and we were largely self-directed. I look back on it quite fondly.
There is this one guy again who's just wainting for him to upload a new video and then dislikes it.
I really like this channel but I thought this video was rather boring compared to some of the other videos. I think it deserves a thumbs down but I gave it a thumbs up to support the channel. He should of figured out the video out port for the video. That would of made watching it much better.
You are correcting me on my grammar? Are you kidding me right now? This is why I rarely comment because of people like you that get their rocks off trying to ruin a user's experience. Hope it really makes you happy you annoyed me today. A$$hole
I think he was just trying to be helpful. Should of sounds terrible. Now you know.
@ BrainfartLP It is "it's" and not "its"
It's The 7-Bit Guy.
I've been enjoying following your channel for a while now but not commented yet. Being a Brit who owned the sinclair ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum, it was very nice to hear you call it a Zed-ex 81 and not a zee-ex 81! I didn't know they were released in the US too. I don't know how many UK folk follow you, but I for one would love to see you do a piece on the sinclair range and it's place in generating a whole raft of home grown computer game programmers. I wish I still had my old rubber key 48k Spectrum, I'd have been glad to fedex it over to you!
Well, most of my life I called it the "Timex Sinclair 1000" because that is what it was called here. Only in the last few years did I realize it was originally a UK product. My friend here in town also has an original ZX-80 from the UK. So I may show that some day.
google Sir Clive Sinclair, the boffin whose brainchild they were. Bit of an oddball inventor by all accounts, but visionary for sure. From what I've read, he was one of the first people to champion the idea of a computer in every home, which was largely ridiculed by his contemporaries at the time.
VTECH kicked in, yo!
ayy
VTAK
headcrash69 goddamnit, my thoughts exactly!
headcrash69 same thoughts exactly
lol my first console was a vtech VSmile.
B站发来贺电！大叔好厉害！！ｸﾞｯ!(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
This kind of reminds me of the AlphaSmart Basic Educational Computer Units I used to use back in my early years of Elementary School, where I took my Accelerating Reading (Abbreviation AR) and MathFacts in a Flash tests on. They were VERY SIMPLE keyboard computer units with a simple LCD screen that displays variable icons, numbers, and digits, but not backlit or in color. But of course, they have now been replaced by iPads and Tablets, or probably even the Chromebooks. But from what I saw, they have mostly been replaced with iPads.
I'd say the targeted demographic for the device demostrated in this video is for people who get easily distracted with the internet, notifications, and other stuff while writing a document and doing math, if that thing were to still be sold today. And I'd call this, The AlphaSmart's Predecessor.
new vid
Watching this really makes me appreciate my TI-83 Plus even more.
that moment you realize your cellphone is more a mobile computer than a phone 😲
Luis Fernando no
Luis Fernando how though?
Luis Fernando I bought mine on the CPU, RAM and upgradability specs, just like the previous ones.
Boy do I wish UA-cam had existed back in the 90's when I was looking for a comparative review of the whole line of Vtech LCD computers so that I could pick out the one best suited to my needs!
That 1 dislike is from a windows phone user
and one from Steve Ballmer
Why?
Watching this on a Microsoft Lumia 950...
Watching on windows 10
Wasn't me, must have been the other guy.
I love your channel, 8-bit guy, but I'd love to see more restoration videos too. I love your restoration videos.
But can they run crysis.
saturn0660
No,
ask linus
Right.... You can always download more ram or a better videocard off line..
You can run doom 1 now
Only if you download enough jailbroken RAM floppies to your motherboard cache. So many gigabytes, yo!
I remember, when "the internet started" that around 93-94-ish there was a Laser computer that was a disguised (but fully licensed) Apple IIc, and the software came on tiny plastic cards, with a circuit board on them. It even ran Appleworks, looked like a laptop but instead of a LCD screen, that was the storage drawer for the cards.
I had the IQ Unlimited. But I had no idea these existed, nor that Vtech == Laser. As you know, it was a learning computer, but when I had it in the mid 90s, it was our only computer. So I'd often find mom using it too, as it had built-in word processor and spreadsheet apps.
Vtech would go on to make a second model called the Genius IQ 128. That one used a mouse and had a 16 bit processor. I remember finding it in Fingerhut magazine and wishing it was mine.
Excellent video as always, I look forward to the Vtech followup.
As a kid, I was given a Vtech PreComputer 1000. I remember learning to code basic, and touch typing on it. I got a lot of enjoyment out of that thing.
I remember toy computers like that when i was a kid, but, in that time every body was busy with window XP. Great Video.
I purchased an Alphasmart Neo 2 from Amazon and i think it's the best portable word processor ever. Would love to see you review that. I would Buy you one, but have I financial issues at the moment. It runs about $45 shipped. No software needed, it acts as a USB keyboard and types the document into your computer. so it works on all platforms and is pretty much future proof as USB keyboards should be the standard for many years to come. I'm a fan of your channel. Keep up the good work! :)
Got my morning coffee, toast, and a new episode of 8-Bit Guy. This is going to be a good day.
I remember these computers. They were sold at a small local chain called Witmark and occasionally you would see them at others stores. They were sold to elderly people as great gifts to grandkids. Once received you would screw around with it for about 15 minutes and then go play Atari.
I cant help but get a "Sheldon in his later 40s"-vibe from you... (yes the big bang theory dude)
I mean that in the best way possible. You're both great entertainment in your own ways
Nice! Reminds me of my Casio FX880P calculator with BASIC support, even with the difference on size!
great video david. i was very interested in the laser 50. this computer was very ahead of its time in terms of expandablilty and its design choices.
I knew the oldest one from 1985 looked familiar. There is one at my grandparents house. My mom was only 1 or 2 years old. Even though it doesn’t work anymore because it might be out of batteries, I still like to get it out sometimes and play with it though. I just like to act like I’m a grown person messing around in the 80s. It’s awesome.
I fell in love with that type of old pc, never heard of them before. I really want one now. Just to play around. Great video!
Yes! A long day of school with a serious sleep deprivation from last night.. but it's all good because my favourite youtuber uploaded a new video. Hopefully my cup of coffee is great! Cheers!
Great video, David! That computers are really rare! Never saw one of that in my childhood.
That was a fun and informative video.
I hope you do find more info on these; would love to know more about these in particular.
I recently bought a PC4 after losing an auction of the Tandy. You are definitely correct about the lack of information on these computers, but at least you have the manual! I have not been able to discover the existence ANY of the expansion cartridges, but I do have the computer transfer cable (no manual and no transfer software currently preventing me from testing). If you learn anything more about these, I'd love to see another video!
I seem to remember pricing out a Sharp TFT LCD screen (XGA or something like that) back in 96-97 and it was around $1500.00 for just the screen assembly (somewhere near that price).
So I think that was still a driving factor for sticking with the simple 4x80 or similar dot matrix LCDs for portables.
I would guess that early in the 2000's is where the price of larger TFT LCDs started falling enough to be viable in laptops (without having a $5000.00 laptop sale price).
Good video as always Dave!
- Eddy
David, I don't normally comment on UA-cam videos, but I wanted to take a minute and thank you for uploading such interesting and professionally edited content. Your videos are truly excellent, and I've watched almost all of them. I wonder, though, if you could maybe work in some videos on woodworking or metal fabrication? I'm not really that interested in computers. Thanks again for sharing your passion and talent!
Old video, but the portion about distraction free writing reminds me of the Alphasmart devices. Which were basically those in the final two products they released. The Neo and Neo2, they came out in the early 00s and were supported till 2013. Which are fairly niche products that have a loyal fanbase today.
And I'm told that it still works to transfer files from it to this day. Mostly by acting as a USB keyboard and typing out the documents in the opened program after you've hit the send button while connected to a computer. I don't have one myself.
So I can't tell you how well it transfers the format of such things. Or if you'd be better in writing in along with some BBCode or something so that formating isn't a issue when picked up by the right website. But they still relatively cheap devices on ebay to pick up.
Woo. I bought a Compumate a year ago new in the box. Couldn't find any info on it. Of course the 8 bit guy would upload an awesome video on the Laser series.
I learned to program on a Laser 200 and Laser 310 when I was a boy. My older brother gave them to us after he graduated from DeVry in the mid 80's.
I was a TRS-80 Model I user as a kid, and I was familiar with all the TRS-80 computers back in the day, so I did play with the TRS-80 Pocket Computer 1 and 2. This Laser computer does remind me of the PC-1.
I remember in elementary school we were given something like this. I forget the brand name but the later models had palm OS on it, and all of them were made to take notes but the cool thing is they had USB, and when you plugged them into a computer they acted like a keyboard, and you could press a button and it would spit out all the text you had written on the device onto a Word document or whatever text editor you had open. The PalmOS models even had WiFi and could do basic things on Google.
Edit: I think they were called Alphasmarts?
They were known as smart keyboards, they're actually very much in demand these days among writers because of the decent keyboard and distraction free writing experience.
Some of those involved with the alphasmart went on to develop a new product called Freewrite that is kind of a modern take on it aimed at novelists and journalists.
Great video, David! You should make a video about the AlphaSmart series, if you can. They were very similar to the Laser series, although they were meant just for word processing, and were very popular with writers and journalists for that reason. You could actually type on them over 20 WPM, for one thing, and the later models used a USB output for file transferring. They made them from the early 90s all the way up to the mid-2000s, and you can still get them super cheap online.
Just saw this pop up on my feed. I was president of the Laser PC National Clun in 1990 and we has a newsletter called Lugnuts.