24 Jul
2020
24 Jul
'20
4:24 a.m.
Hi Tom,
I finally picked these up from Mike and haven't even had a chance to go
through everything yet (due to w*rk).
I have the backplanes available, please feel free to contact me
privately if you want to.
As Greg said, the s100computer google group and s100computers.com are
both great places to check out.
Boards that I and others have available are at
https://retrobrewcomputers.org/doku.php?id=boardinventory (go down to
the S-100 section if that's your interest and contact details for people
are at the bottom of the page).
Specifically, Gary Kaufman's Altair 8800 CPU board reproduction might be
interesting to you if you're looking to build as close a replica as
possible (with nice light switching power suppplies instead of the old
heavy, back breaking linear supply).
Also Josh Bensadon's JAIR board might be of interest as well.
I think Mike's cabinet, front panel and other boards if you want to stay
mostly true to the original is a great way to go.
It's not a kit in that you have to source the boards and parts yourself
(aside from Mike's prebuilt boards) but that's part of the fun (for me
in any case).
Best of luck!
Todd
On 7/23/2020 11:15 PM, Tom Hunter via cctalk wrote:
Hi Greg,
I saw Mike Douglas' Altair 8800c but he writes on his website that this is
not a complete kit. I got the impression that he offers only the front
panel PCBs, FDC and SIO and maybe the S100 motherboard.
Thank you for the link to the S100computers group. There is a lot of useful
info there.
I am retired now and always wanted an Altair 8800. It is time to make that
dream reality. The easiest and more affordable path would be the Altair
8800 clone but somehow I am more attracted to the non-emulated
implementation.
Thanks again
Tom Hunter
On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 3:02 AM Greg Beat <gregory.beat at gmail.com> wrote:
> ?Tom,
> Grant moved shortly after this Kit offering, over a decade ago.
> That kit is OVER (Grant no longer offering).
>
> Participate in the S100computers Group: http://www.s100computers.com/
> Join the List at Google Group: S100Computers
> https://groups.google.com <https://groups.google.com/my-groups>
>
> Grant special ordered the metal fabrication, at that time, from the
> original metal fabricators (Optima, $$), who have gone thru mergers &
> off-shoring.
> Mike Douglas looked into that chassis possibility ? but was cost
> prohibitive (>$300).
>
> Mike Douglas offers BOTH the Altair Clone (you referenced) AND
> the Altair 8800c Kits (November 2018). This case he had fabricated is a
> close look-a-like, but Lighter in weight. Still the case alone is $300 .
> This case does not have the internal Optima sub chassis (weight) and rails.
> ?https://deramp.com/altair_8800c.html
>
> Suggest you look at Mike?s multiple vintage computer offerings (web site)
> AND
> https://deramp.com/
>
> His YouTube Videos (deramp5113). Here is the Altair 8800c, shown November
> 2018
> https://youtu.be/Q5LjkL5b4n8
>
> greg
> w9gb
> ==
> From: Tom Hunter <ccth6600 at gmail.com>
> To: "General Discussion? <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Altair 8800 reproduction
>
> About 10 years ago Grant Stockly in Anchorage Alaska produced high quality
> MITS Altair 8800 reproductions in kit form. The website still exists:
> http://www.altairkit.com/
>
> I have tried to contact Grant but did not get a reply. Does anyone know if
> these kits are still available? Is Grant on this forum?
>
> Alternatively is somebody else making complete Altair 8800 kits? I have
> found people making individual boards but not a complete kit.
>
> There is also the Altair 8800 clone which is based on a PIC microcontroller
> emulating the entire original Altair 8800. It is cute but not the real
> thing.
>
> Thanks
> Tom Hunter
>
> Sent from iPad Air
>