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Rarest IBM PC compatible

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First post, by Jo22

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Hi there!
Just saw an interesting video on YouTube about an early PC clone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alsv-v9o4yQ

I'm not affiliated, I just thought you might find it interesting.

Best wishes,
Jo22

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 1 of 7, by theelf

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Oh my god, this monitor is one of most beautifull ones i ever see

Nice vdeo thanks i will watch!

Reply 2 of 7, by Jo22

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You're welcome, glad to hear. ^^
The firmware has been preserved, too, I heard - so maybe this PC's experience can be recreated in the future.

PS: The monitor might be an RGB Display Corporation RGB-1400PC.
Our friends over there at Vintage Computer Federation Forums have a bit of information about.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 3 of 7, by BitWrangler

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Wild.... did they determine it's a COTS case though because I feel like I've seen them in the past, not with that badging, though it might have been coincidental, some software advert happened to have the exec looking serious or the kid punching the air in front of one.

Talking of rare clones though, I have yet to confirm that another Apco Turbo XT still exists on the planet, though it is cut from the same Korean clone cloth as the PB VX88, and I have seen Apco's main product, Apple II ][ or // Clones, in the wild.

edit: Wow, the number of times I've searched for that and drawn blank and user bluethunder on VCFED mentions having one when I try it again just for luck.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 4 of 7, by Jo22

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Hi again. I hope it's not disrespectful to mention this in this thread, but there was another forgotten IBM PC compatible.
It's the CDP MPC 1600, which was more of an commercial product than the Centurion PC was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPC_1600

Edit: The BIOS is interesting. It supports serial terminals.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 5 of 7, by DaveDDS

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I think it kinda depends on what is meant by "IBM PC compatible"... Do you mean "sold as a PC", or would a product which
is a PC inside but is sold as something else count?

I've had PCs since not long after IBM first came out with them, and have certainly had a few that were not all common,
and I've never seen again.

But I still have and use from time to time a little system I've only come across once which I run DOS on, but as
shipped it ran XP (without most buyers being aware of that)

I find it a useful DOS system because it runs from a CF card, and has quite a bit of Ram.
Being CF, and not using a cache, I have it on a remote power-plug and can turn it on/off from anywhere in the
house - without having to "shut it down".

It also mounts a good-sized RamDisk, and launches a DDLINK server in it's Autoexec.
This gives me a nice easy way to move stuff around between various DOS machines without having
to run up/down stairs to power them on/off and strart/stop the link software.

Re: Using XT-IDE on 386 with Compact Flash larger than 512MB - My tests.

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

Reply 6 of 7, by Jo22

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DaveDDS wrote on 2025-05-15, 19:49:

I think it kinda depends on what is meant by "IBM PC compatible"... Do you mean "sold as a PC", or would a product which
is a PC inside but is sold as something else count?

Hi! In this thread, I was thinking of IBM 5150 and early compatibles in first place. 😅
That Cenurion PC was mainly made to get a better deal with IBM, rather than being a commercial product.
It was made to show IBM that they would like to buy IBM PCs but also can make their own, if needed if the deal is bad.

DaveDDS wrote on 2025-05-15, 19:49:

I've had PCs since not long after IBM first came out with them, and have certainly had a few that were not all common,
and I've never seen again.

That's cool! I'm pretty sure you have a lot of experience here. 😀 👍
By contrast, my knowledge about the XT class models is limited. I'm still learning.

DaveDDS wrote on 2025-05-15, 19:49:

I like it! Btw, you can use an external CD/DVD drive case to install the 5,25" floppy.
Some old external HDDs with firewire ports (iomega etc) also have suitable cases.
That way, your floppy drive will match the PC very well.
The floppy ribbon cable needs an extenstion, maybe, though.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 7 of 7, by DaveDDS

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Jo22 wrote on 2025-05-16, 20:06:
DaveDDS wrote on 2025-05-15, 19:49:

I've had PCs since not long after IBM first came out with them..

That's cool! I'm pretty sure you have a lot of experience here. 😀 👍

You can see many of the ones I've had on "Daves Old Computers". Unfortunately some of my earliest PC
campatibles had gone by the wayside by the time I decided to start keeping them and build a site about them 🙁

I like it! Btw, you can use an external CD/DVD drive case to install the 5,25" floppy....

Never had to ... the thing is "new" enough that it's BIOS supports a USB floppy drive (and looks like
any other to DOS) - ImageDisk on the other hand can't see it because it's not a NEC765 compatible FDC!

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal