Blimey, It has been a long time since I posted on here.

What can I say, we have been busy.

We sold our house 12 months ago (Along with all my retro computer gear and 90% of our possessions) and have been touring the UK in our motorhome for the last 9 months. After a trip to America and Disney World, we had some van issues with another months down time while it was fixed.

We are back now for another 9 months touring the UK, visiting as many places as we can while still working full time. Other ideas for travelling are in the back of my mind, so the future is not set in stone!

So … to kick off the posts again, here is my Einstein coded ZX Spectrum .SCR loading screen loader (That sentance does not flow, but …)

I wrote this over 12 months ago and it has been on my Youtube channel since then, but it should also have been on here.

Sooo much has been happening that I have not had time to code anything else in Z88DK, but I really hope that the next 9 months gives me some spare time to get back into the retro computing scene.

Finally got around to making an rgb to scart cable for the Einstein.

Rock steady image now on my retro analogue lcd TV.

Much better than the crappy uhf signal.

The colours no longer look washed out.

Happy days!!

So … After another month of searching, I have discovered/re-discovered an unreleased game by Ocean Software.

Hunchback was released on most of the home computers of the early 1980s, but I can find no adverts or mentions of it in any of the Einstein magazines.

Was it released then withdrawn? Was it un-released? Who knows.

My copy works in Mame/Mess and on the real hardware so the disk image is good!

It plays very well, although I am rubbish at it) and the graphics are superb for the age of the game (40 years old next year!)

Just goes to show the sorts of quality titles Ocean could have released if the Einstein had sold more units!

Watch out for a You Tube video of it on my channel soon!

My entire Tatng Einstein files collection is available directly from this site now.

I have given up on using hopto.org as it required validation every month and my home server that was running the files list was getting a bit slow.

Hopefully you are able to access them all here.

Mike’s Tatung Einstein files and good stuff!

The hunt is on for illusive Tatung Einstein software and hardware.

Batman (3D) by Ocean Software
Beach Head 1 & 2

Audio DAC
Hard Drive interface
Speech Synthesiser
Light Pen

I know some of this hardware is featured on www.tatungeinstein.co.uk but unfortunately it is being kept under wraps and not shared, which is quite understandable.

I want to see if it is possible to re-create the hardware using todays production methods to offer these accessories to the new wave of Einstein enthusiasts and collectors that is appearing.

As more Einsteins are listed for sale on eBay, more and more people are able to savour what should have been the best 8-bit micro of the early 1980s.

Fingers crossed I can get somewhere in my quest!

Drop me a message if you have any of the above, or anything that I have missed off my list (Hint: There is a lot of hardware and software that has vanished over the years!)

Thanks. Mike.

UPDATE: Feb 2023

After 12 months of searching, I have located quite a few rare unreleased Einstein games

Airwolf by Elite systems (This runs, but has corrupted graphics, i think, due to a duff disc sector.
Gloop – A paint the walls and make full blocks style game
Alien 8 (yes the one by Ultimate, converted by A.C.G)
Knight Lore (again by Ultimate, converted by A.C.G)
Super Cobra by Konami
Telebunnie
SASA
ZEXL
RoverBall
JetPak by Merlin Software (Like Jetpac on the ZX Spectrum by Ultimate)

Plenty there to keep me going for a few months, testing and checking.

Merry Christmas to you all, from Mike’s Retro Tech.

My ZX Spectrum refurb (Issue 2) is now online on my YouTube channel. Here are the supporting images for the grotty speccy, before, during and after the refurb.

With the demise of my trusty solder station (As seen on a recent repair video on my YouTube channel), i needed a replacement.

These are really expensive for what they are, but needs must.

I found a reasonably priced 2 in 1 digital solder station and heat gun on eBay, so placed the order. It arrived in a couple of days and has now taken pride of place, within easy reach, on the workbench in the Retro Tech Loft studio.

A review video will be compled soon so watch out for it on my YouTube channel. If you subscribe to my channel and hit the notification bell icon, you will be told when it has been uploaded (And any other videos I upload)

I recently re-acquired a Dell AT102W mechanical keyboard. I had one of these a few years ago, and foolishly got rid of it when I purchased an RGB gaming keyboard. To be honest, the gaming keyboard looks ok, with its heart beat LEDs, but its nowhere near as good for typing on as the DELL.

It was in quite a sorry state when I purchased it from eBay, Yellowed with age and crusty mc crusty!

A good clean with Isopropyl Alcohol and 14 hours in the sun with B-Blond (40%) and it looks as good a new!

As this is PS2, I had to get a USB to PS2 convertor from eBay, but for £1.99 gbp it was well worth it, and Windows 10 recognised it right away, and I am typing this blog post on it right now! 🙂

I must say, the clicky keyboard sounds eminating from my desk when I type are bringing back some fond memories.

YouTube refurb video coming soon, so go check out my channel, subscribe and hit the notification bell so know when its been posted!

Recently I bought a ZX Printer along with a Cheetah Sweet Talker interface off eBay.

Sadly, both of these are not working, but there is salvation for the printer. The Sweet Talker is another story!

Watch out for a new video of the ZX Printer refurb, coming soon.

As you can see from the image below, the internal belt has perished making it just feed the paper and not print anything.

A new printer belt has been ordered from eBay, but will take a few weeks to turn up as it has to come from Portugal!