when did you get it and why? how often do you use it?
If you don’t own a retro system or console, what is the oldest system you emulate or which system would you like to own in the future?
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For me, my oldest system is an Atari 800xl (i’m counting early home computers). I purchased it on a whim when Netflix’s Bandersnatch interactive movie was briefly popular. I was studying (and still am) computer science and was curious on what you could all do on a home computer from the early 80s. Turns out, quite a lot and I’ve had a lot of fun sifting through the 50+ floppies i have finding everything from home finance software, a plethora home brew games, and even floppy magazines (a bunch of articles on a floppy. not sure the proper name)
when i first got it i was on it more than my modern computer, but after moving it has been gathering some dust in its box. i’m hoping to eventually find a home for it in my home so i can use it more.
a fun thing of note is that it still has the saran wrap on its chrome parts, and it has a Sears Service sticker on the bottom of it when one of the previous owners had it serviced.
The oldest functioning system I have is an Atari 2600. it was originally my mother’s.
Personal computer. I got a Atari 130xe in middle school (newer version of the 800xl).
Put hundreds of hours on the thing. Had a 300 baud modem and connected to BBSs to download pirated games.
Actually fired it up 3-4 years ago. Most of the floppies still work !
Mattel Electronics IntelliVision (1979)
Had 2-3 of them! Amazing machines for their time. Only knock would be the controller pads kept going bad. My dad started repeating them at one point.
I was so hooked on B-17 bomber with the voice module!
Atari 7800. I bought it from someone on craigslist about 3 years ago. The video was pretty fuzzy and audio wasn’t consistent, so I talked them down to a good price. I ended up modding it for composite video and audio, but I rarely play it. I didn’t grow up with an Atari, so I don’t have the nostalgia for the games, but I still think it’s pretty neat.
Oldest by release is my NES which I got recently as a sort of gift sort of “Well I’m not using it” from a family member.
Oldest in terms of owned by me the longest is my SNES which I got for Christmas when I was about 8-10 along with a CRT, I remember that Christmas quite fondly.
I don’t find myself often going through the effort to play my retro consoles anymore with projects taking up a lot of my time. If I had the time, however, I’d happily use the consoles over emulating, which I do frequently.
i have a 2600. warlords and circus atari are awedome with the paddle controllers. that seems to be the one of if not the oldest answer showing up in this thread, but i’d love to own a coleco telstar one day. the wood grain aesthetic is so cool, i wish it stuck around longer!
Atari 2600. Got in a few years ago from my in laws. Still hook it up and play berzerk from time to time.
A Binatone 6-in-1 Pong machine from (if I recall) around 1977. My next oldest machine is a red-label Astro Wars from 1980.
Psion 5mx palmtop computer running Epoc OS. Had the screen cable replaced a few years ago. Still use it for the word processor from time to time. Runs on two AA batteries.
Original 6-switch Atari 2600. Spent so many hours playing it. Hope it still works haven’t tried it in decades.
I have a *working Pong machine.
*It runs, but I don’t like to turn it on because it gets extremely hot.
My NES. My dad had a Pong machine that hooked up to old TVs, but it was in terrible condition when he threw it out after the divorce. If I remember correctly the connector required you to screw it into the contacts on the back of the TV - Old electronics were so bad lol
Sega Mega Drive with the blue reset button. My pops got it for me when I was a kid to distract me. Doesn’t see a lot of use but I’ll never sell it, got the 32X for it as well which is just a regret brick.
Mine is an Atari 2600. It’s my dad’s old one that I used to play as a kid, so it has a lot of sentimental value to me.
I have a computer from the 70s but I can’t find it right now to tell you the model.
But my next oldest is vic-20.
