4 ms·

There is no reason to buy these clones on Ali while there is Monotech NuXT.

undersuit 3y ago
Well I have to be informed of it's existence, so thanks.
kitsunesoba 3y ago
> Monotech NuXT Hadn't heard of this before, but it's a great concept. I love the idea of modern takes on retro tech. Wish it were more practical to do something like this for 68k or PPC Macs… unfortunately I don't think there are any usable 68k or PPC derivatives currently in production which limits possibilities. The closest thing I've seen are FPGA-based setups like the Plus Too[0]. [0]: https://www.bigmessowires.com/plus-too/ https://www.bigmessowires.com/plus-too/
- agg23 3y ago
  For easier access, you can run the Plus Too core on the MiSTer FPGA project, which is a bit more prevalent and user friendly (plus supports many, many more systems) (https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MacPlus_MiSTer https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MacPlus_MiSTer).
- nico 3y ago
  From the Plus Two site: > The Mac’s 512 x 342 screen is pixel doubled to fit Do you know what algorithm they use to “pixel double” the screen?
  - kitsunesoba 3y ago
    I don't actually know but I'd imagine it'd have to be nearest neighbor to maintain crisp lines.
  - monocasa 3y ago
    Pixel doubling typically refers to the algorithm itself. Simply making each quad (set of 2x2 aligned pixels) in the final image match one of the pixels in the source image.
    - nico 3y ago
      Is there an inverse function of this? ie. that will take a higher res image and reduce by 4 the number of pixels?
- undersuit 3y ago
  There's the MBC lines(https://shop.mcjohn.it/en/8-diy-kit https://shop.mcjohn.it/en/8-diy-kit), options include: Z80, 68K, and the VIC-20. You can get them pre-assembled, but they are far less standard than this XT clone.
mysterydip 3y ago
Is this the right thing? https://monotech.fwscart.com/details/p6083514_19777986.aspx https://monotech.fwscart.com/details/p6083514_19777986.aspx it doesn't seem comparable. The Ali clones are all in one devices, this is just a motherboard.
- kitsunesoba 3y ago
  > Not just a motherboard, but more of a "single-board-computer", which includes built on, many peripherals that a separate ISA card would usually be needed for. > Can be used as a full featured IBM XT-compatible without any extra cards. > Can add Sound, Network Card, or more storage/connectivity via the four ISA slots. From the linked page. It's an SBC but in a motherboard form factor with expansion slots.
  - mysterydip 3y ago
    Ah, thanks. Still no keyboard, display, or case. I like the concept, just seems designed for a different use case.
- kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
  You can get old PC/104 SBCs with tons of integrated IO for much less.
pengaru 3y ago
At least one of the clones is a 386, the NuXT is just an 8088. Nobody wanted an 8088 once the 386 was available, and that was back then. Convincing "enthusiasts" to buy 8088s in a new box today is little more than shilling e-waste
- hakfoo 3y ago
  There's some appeal in constraints-- look at the people who do new homebrew NES/SNES games. I've built a kit-based 8088 product, and I have a 386 clone. The 386 is more capable, but I've gotten more hobby mileage out of the 8088 because there's interesting projects built around coping with its limitations. (I designed a custom memory board because it was designed with 512k, and I wanted 640 and upper memory blocks, and did some firmware work that made the kit much more usable).

Well I have to be informed of it's existence, so thanks.

> Monotech NuXT Hadn't heard of this before, but it's a great concept. I love the idea of modern takes on retro tech. Wish it were more practical to do something like this for 68k or PPC Macs… unfortunately I don't think there are any usable 68k or PPC derivatives currently in production which limits possibilities. The closest thing I've seen are FPGA-based setups like the Plus Too[0]. [0]: https://www.bigmessowires.com/plus-too/ https://www.bigmessowires.com/plus-too/

agg23 3y ago
For easier access, you can run the Plus Too core on the MiSTer FPGA project, which is a bit more prevalent and user friendly (plus supports many, many more systems) (https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MacPlus_MiSTer https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/MacPlus_MiSTer).
nico 3y ago
From the Plus Two site: > The Mac’s 512 x 342 screen is pixel doubled to fit Do you know what algorithm they use to “pixel double” the screen?
- kitsunesoba 3y ago
  I don't actually know but I'd imagine it'd have to be nearest neighbor to maintain crisp lines.
- monocasa 3y ago
  Pixel doubling typically refers to the algorithm itself. Simply making each quad (set of 2x2 aligned pixels) in the final image match one of the pixels in the source image.
  - nico 3y ago
    Is there an inverse function of this? ie. that will take a higher res image and reduce by 4 the number of pixels?
undersuit 3y ago
There's the MBC lines(https://shop.mcjohn.it/en/8-diy-kit https://shop.mcjohn.it/en/8-diy-kit), options include: Z80, 68K, and the VIC-20. You can get them pre-assembled, but they are far less standard than this XT clone.

mysterydip 3y ago

Is this the right thing? https://monotech.fwscart.com/details/p6083514_19777986.aspx https://monotech.fwscart.com/details/p6083514_19777986.aspx it doesn't seem comparable. The Ali clones are all in one devices, this is just a motherboard.

kitsunesoba 3y ago
> Not just a motherboard, but more of a "single-board-computer", which includes built on, many peripherals that a separate ISA card would usually be needed for. > Can be used as a full featured IBM XT-compatible without any extra cards. > Can add Sound, Network Card, or more storage/connectivity via the four ISA slots. From the linked page. It's an SBC but in a motherboard form factor with expansion slots.
- mysterydip 3y ago
  Ah, thanks. Still no keyboard, display, or case. I like the concept, just seems designed for a different use case.
kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
You can get old PC/104 SBCs with tons of integrated IO for much less.

pengaru 3y ago

At least one of the clones is a 386, the NuXT is just an 8088. Nobody wanted an 8088 once the 386 was available, and that was back then. Convincing "enthusiasts" to buy 8088s in a new box today is little more than shilling e-waste

hakfoo 3y ago
There's some appeal in constraints-- look at the people who do new homebrew NES/SNES games. I've built a kit-based 8088 product, and I have a 386 clone. The 386 is more capable, but I've gotten more hobby mileage out of the 8088 because there's interesting projects built around coping with its limitations. (I designed a custom memory board because it was designed with 512k, and I wanted 640 and upper memory blocks, and did some firmware work that made the kit much more usable).