This is not exactly vintage radio, more like vintage computer.
Anyway if pressed i'm sure I could put a valve in it somewhere!

Back in 1979 EA described a computer designed by a Michael Bauer and it ran over a bunch of issues.
The local kit makers sold heaps of them and I wound up running a repair service for the kits.
Note i'm clueless about computers, I can barely add 2 and 2 but I was very clever at trouble shooting something that should work and then make it work.

Michael J Bauer has a web site and a link to an archive folder about the DREAM if you are interested.
There are STILL people making DREAMS and a 40th anniversary design can be found.
Just google his name and DREAM for links.

Fred.

Keeping the DREAM alive

Interesting: My introduction to actually working a computer was in the eighties & it didn't have a hard drive. I still have three slide rules & the instruction book for two of them, plus a still working programable "Sharp" form the 80's.

My first experience with the electronic computer landed on my bench in the form of the power supply: With the comment "You repair radio's; Don't you?". Err .. yes Ray but, this is out of a computer.

It was switch mode (new experience) & there were bits of track missing. What was evident was that it should not have been let into the country. Diodes were only 200V type so it was doomed & all he may have done was plugged it in? Probably would have been marginal, even in the US.

Document uploaded.

My hobby is working on emulating these old computers in the well-known emulator MAME.

I wrote the emulation of the Dream6800.

If the sight of computer code makes you swoon, take a look at this:

https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/ausnz/d6800.cpp


EDIT: 21/5/2025 - updated link.

Hi Rob, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
I'll pass that onto my son!

Fred.

Hi Fred,
I have one of these and also tried to resurrect it for the 40 year anniversary. Alas I had a few more issues. When I tried to remove the 6800, most of the pins were rusted into the socket and just snapped off. Similarly the 2112 memory chips also had issues. I was able to track down replacements for all of these from eBay. A new/old stock 6800 was about $4 from somewhere in eastern Europe, and the memory chips a few dollars each from the US.
Unfortunately the two Microbee monitors I had, which would have been a good match, both had different problems. So the project got shelved and I never got back to it. Maybe after I read the three articles I might have another go at it
I had many programs for this system and wrote quite a few myself.
One suggestion from MJB was to use your smartphone to record and playback the audio.
regards,
Glenn

I wouldn't mind getting a copy of the programs you wrote, especially if they are games.

Hi Glenn I shelved my workhorse Dream its on a shelf somewhere in the shed.
I have no memory now about the build, not only Eproms lose memory!
I would have to start from scratch again to run it.

My son did some work on his Car mounted version and actually got it going again, but that as well is just shelved at the moment.
We have not contacted MJB for a few years.
I'll have a talk to my son about the state of play with his system, he may be able to assist or then again maybe not.
I'll report back about the subject.

Cheers, Fred.

This website looks like that under the skin, though the programming/scripting language is very different.

Deleted by Glenn