Retro Tech

I don't miss my "can't miss" events easily. There's only a few of em (Texas Pinball Festival, Houston Arcade Expo, Vintage Computer Festival) and I can usually plan my and the family's other stuff around them. (funny how that works, huh?)

But this year, worlds collided! It's one thing to sway my own family's schedule, but a whole other thing when it comes to extended family.

Hornucopia > Vintage Computer Festival

[sigh]

But I don't go quietly.

Just when I needed something to fill the gap, along comes the Retro-Tech Show!

Actually, this small gathering is in it's 30th year, which seems like a long time until ya come across thing after thing that looks like this.

Martian Death Ray?
Nope, an ophthalmometer.
(the owner finally explained it to me)

Lots of cool stuff! Cool looking anyway, even without knowing what it does. Alas, I've learned I can't bring home every cool thing I find (what room doesn't need a Martian Death Ray though), but I can still pick and choose. The haul...

L: Sony Watchman clock radio (1992) which may wind up in the arcade
R: Cenco Microwave Receiver (196?) which I will absolutely tell people is a ghost detector

It's only a couple hours, but the Retro-Tech Show now joins the other annual events on repeat!

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CODA: VCF Light

Though we got in late on Saturday, that still left me a few hours on Sunday make an abbreviated visit to the 2026 Vintage Computer Festival.

Though it felt slightly smaller than years past...

...that may have been because it was split into two rooms. (both pretty good size though)

Not enough time to attend any panels, but just enough time to check out all the vintage computing goodness!

Cylon Attack!
Computer screens shown in Battlestar Galactica created using this early Tekktronix lab equipment.

Altair 8800
Earliest of the early "personal" computers. Just switches and blinking lights.

PDP-11
I love the blinking lights and the idea of flipping all those switches, but that's enough.
Took me about 5 minutes to input a 1 liner that just turned on one LED.

And also some bona fide vintage weirdness!

Apparently, EVERYONE finds inputting data with switches slow and tedious.

Early AI? Na.

Just one computer programmed to program the other one with a robot arm.

Ya know, totally normal.

Until next year... ✌