iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 27/04/2026

I'm trying to decide which is the best view. Saint Ives or the Office at home.

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 04/02/2026

I finally got around to putting a video together for the North Star Horizon. youtu.be/gFO5XHTvKG8?...

youtu.be

The North Star Horizon - It's Finger Lickin' Good!

YouTube video by GlassTTY

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 27/08/2025

Recreating a 1980s weather receiving station.

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 30/06/2025

Can't wait to see the video! We tidied up specially and everything 😄

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 24/06/2025

A massive thank you to @petescircuit.bsky.social and @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social for their generosity in supplying the missing components for my now working ZX80.

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Kevin Edwards ( Retro game developer ) @kevedwardsretro.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

If you are interested in trying out an Acorn System 1, but don't have deep enough pockets for an original, then you could try out a 'System 1 Trainer' by Chris Oddy. He also does replica boards for the Acorn Atom amongst other things!

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 08/06/2025

Day 159 - #retrorandom - It was a happy day in 2020 when I eventually got one of the most stylish little computers ever made - the Alice 90. What does it have 90 of? No one is sure. Not kilobytes of memory, that's for sure (it has 32). But who's going to nitpick when you're this gorgeous?

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museumofcomputing.bsky.social @museumofcomputing.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

The Museum of Computing would like to thank @shortcircuit.org.uk for organising the amazing RetroFest event in our home town of Swindon. It was a pleasure to collaborate with them and we met so many wonderful visitors and exhibitors. We look forward to supporting next year's event!

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ZXGuesser @zxguesser.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Do you need some teletext advertising? 😄

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 25/05/2025

I'll be there with as much Prestel junk as I can fit in a reasonably priced hatchback along with some of my favourite badges.

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More Fun Making It @morefunmakingit.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

I'll be there both days! I'm really looking forward to catching up in MR (Meat Reality) with a huge bunch of amazing people. I'll be there with a bunch of other YouTube people representing the Big Red Arrow club.

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The Loud Scots Bloke @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Time for an embarrassing plug! If you would like some digital downloads for your Aquarius then please check out loudscotsbloke.itch.io If you would like a physical copy of my games, on cassette (yes! tape!), then please head over to Cronosoft cronosoft.fwscart.com/browse/cat53... #mattelaquarius

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L Break Into Program @breakintoprogram.co.uk · 23/05/2025

Weekend to myself. Mrs B is off to Lisbon to visit daughter. Going to do my soak testing and packing for RetroFest. Then a short week - bank holiday for those of us in the UK on Monday, and then I'm off on Friday so that I can take my time loading up and travelling down to Swindon. retrofest.uk

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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 24/05/2025

Scream-face.jpg Perhaps spending all afternoon trying to get sigrok to recognise my saleae clone analyser isn’t the best use of time. It’s interesting that all variants fail with the same error though.

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 24/05/2025

I am completely calm about this. So calm. Very calm indeed. Not panicking at all.

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 24/05/2025

It's just one week to go! It's getting full, though. We have more tickets available for Sunday, and it’ll be almost exactly* the same wonderful exhibitors. If you’re just coming one day, please consider coming Sunday, to ensure everyone gets to come to our event! www.retrofest.uk/tickets.php

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 17/05/2025

Isambard Kingdom Brunel would like to remind you that it's just TWO WEEKS until RetroFest! retrofest.uk

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The Loud Scots Bloke @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

Nothing like advertising your own game! Lol. Come and see (and play!) my latest Aquarius game 'Grid Trap' at RetroFest 2025!! www.retrofest.uk

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RetroBytes(John) @retrobytes.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

As a small reminder RetroFest is this month, so get your tickets while you still can. I'm going to be there along with many of the retofest regulars, and a number of retro Youtubers who's faces you might actually recognise.

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The Loud Scots Bloke @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Only 4 weeks!!! Grab your tickets now! I need to start sorting out what I'm exhibiting, but rest assured I will be bringing rare and interesting oddballs! Come and see my incredibly rare Aquarius 2 showing off the event logo in person!

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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 05/05/2025

Retrofest2025 is getting closer! The Sinclair QL has properly entered the chat. 31st May/1st June at STEAM in Swindon.

Pic of a Sinclair QL with a Medic disk interface, 3.5” floppy drive with its cover off and the monitor displaying RETROFEST 2025 in the Psion ‘Quill’ application.

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DevilishDesign @devilishdesign.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Spending the afternoon getting things ready for RetroFest later this month. Things are finally starting to work! 😀. #RetroFest www.retrofest.uk

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 06/05/2025

Finally sorted the disk 'module' thanks to some Cardboard Aided Design.

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 14/04/2025

Day 104 - #retrorandom - Look at all these lovely pocket and portable computers at 'Made in Japan' in Cambridge in 2023! A combination of my machines and @glasstty.bsky.social's. I am such a sucker for these little machines ...

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 11/04/2025

Day 101 - #retrorandom - This lovely little machine isn't a laptop, it's a portable Minitel terminal! Here it's connected to @glasstty.bsky.social's Telstar system via the internal modem. I can't help but wonder what the market for a machine like this would be in the days before mobile comms ... 1/2

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 12/04/2025

I got a new toy! (thanks @glasstty.bsky.social) So I know it's a capable little Z80 machine with plenty of memory that runs CP/M - there must be more funky things I can do with it than just wordprocessing?

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The Loud Scots Bloke @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Well, tonight is looking up!! 😎👍🍻

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 15/03/2025

This time it's not just us (you'll be glad to hear) - I spy @glasstty.bsky.social, @onlyretrofans.com, www.youtube.com/@techmadeeas..., @visitthecave.bsky.social and @retrobytes.bsky.social in there too ...

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 12/03/2025

Day 71 - #retrorandom - It's been a while since we've had some Dragons, and now we've got a pair of doozies, getting ready for the 2024 Dragon Meetup. On the left we've got the 'black' Dragon connected to @glasstty.bsky.social's Telstar service via a wifi modem ... 1/2

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TME-Retro @tme-retro.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

RETROFEST!!!!!!!

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 08/03/2025

To all you YouTubers and particularly the Big Red Arrow Club... youtu.be/THUADgyaLJU

youtu.be

RetorFest 2025 - Hagrid and Chewbacca

YouTube video by GlassTTY

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 07/03/2025

It's time to sit down with a cup of tea here at ShortCircuit and see what's on TV ... www.youtube.com/@shortcircui...

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Chris Carter @c-carter-cmas.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Retrofest 31st May->1st June 2025, Swindon UK ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZ-...

youtube.com

Short Circuit Events Presents - RetroFest 2025

YouTube video by Short Circuit

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 06/03/2025

We thought we'd take advantage of our dashing good looks and natural talent in front of the camera to create a video to tell you a little more about us and RetroFest - please do all the subscribe and share stuff if you want updates on the event (or just like looking at us!) youtu.be/UCZ-BtFW9Ok?...

youtu.be

Short Circuit Events Presents - RetroFest 2025

YouTube video by Short Circuit

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 25/02/2025

Day 56 - #retrorandom - An early retro computer purchase today - the Apple IIe Platinum that I bought almost ten years ago. The Platinum itself dates from 1987. I'm currently with @glasstty.bsky.social, admiring his, and thinking I must drag mine out of the loft and actually use it!

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Andy Toone @lockfarm.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

RetroFest going from strength to strength!

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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 02/03/2025

We are VERY excited to announce our first major retro event - RetroFest 2025, to be held at STEAM, the GWR museum in Swindon on 31st May / 1st June. Over 40 exhibitors will be bringing a vast range of computers from the 70s, 80s and 90s. More info - retrofest.uk

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 09/01/2025

Today has brought very high levels of anxiety, followed by euphoria.

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HereBeDragons @heredragons.be · 04/01/2025

Day 4 - #retrorandom - It's the weekend, so a quick post today. I'm not entirely sure why I took this picture back in 2021 - I can't see a theme linking these machines at all. I suspect I was in the middle of a house move and this was simply the contents of one packing box!

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DevilishDesign @devilishdesign.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

Two for one deal today with the NEC V20 & V40 CPUs. The V20 is pin & code compatible with the Intel 8088 and slightly more efficient providing a small speed bump for XT class PCs. The V40 is an embedded version, containing a UART, programmable timer and 8255 parallel port interface.

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DevilishDesign @devilishdesign.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

Do have a few others though, R12000, R10000, R5000, R4000, R4400, R4600 and R3000

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DevilishDesign @devilishdesign.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

Next up is the MIPS R12000. Introduced in 1998, it's an improved version of the R10000 CPU. It was used in a handful of machines from NEC, Siemens, Tandem and SGI. This particular one was pulled from a faulty CPU board in an SGI Origin 2000 deskside system.

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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 15/12/2024

After lifting the CPT on and off its trolley a few times today, my spine is insisting that I share this pic just so you can get an idea as to how BIG this thing is. Here’s its rear view in full with a ZX Spectrum on top of it. The Speccy is more powerful too, in processing terms at least.

Rear view of the CPT8520 with its cover removed showing the surprisingly spartan internals. To give an idea of the scale of the beast I’ve put a Sinclair Spectrum on top and it almost disappears.

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DevilishDesign @devilishdesign.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

Found this in a job lot of Z80's. It's a Zilog Z8 micro-controller, introduced in 1979. Although the instruction set is similar to the Z80, this is a different beast altogether. This is a ROMless version, without integrated ROM. However, some were available with BASIC or a one time programable ROM.

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 14/11/2024

I remember when I though a 5Mb hard disk was large, now I think its enormous!

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John Newcombe @glasstty.com · 11/11/2024

After a great weekend at RetroFest it's back to normal today with some Telstar updates. :)

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