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anchor: compinfo
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LASER was the computer division of Vtech, an electronics company based in Hong Kong, best known for its electronic children's toys. In 1983, they ventured into the computer market with systems compatible with TRS-80 and Apple II compatibles. Followed soon by XT compatible machines. These products were relatively successful, but due to intense competition, Vtech withdrew from the computer market in 1997, leading to the end of LASER.
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anchor: Turboxt
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I acquired this computer along with the Philips P3202. What intrigued me about this machine was the abundance of components it contained. From the listing's pictures, I could see that it had two hard drives (D&C), a 5.25-inch drive, and a 3.5-inch drive. Additionally, upon inspecting the back of the machine, I noticed that all the PCI slots were populated. Another pleasant discovery was finding some handwritten information on the back of the computer, although I couldn't determine who wrote it.
Typically, most vintage computers I acquire and test function quite well. However, this was not the case with the Turbo XT, as none of the drives appeared to work initially. Engaging in some troubleshooting, which turned out to be quite enjoyable, I managed to get the 5.25-inch drive operational. I had hoped to access the hard drives, but unfortunately, I made the mistake of inserting a rogue Philips MS-DOS disk. To my dismay, it launched unexpectedly, resembling Skynet, and began formatting the C:/> drive. You can watch the video showcasing this incident in the Appearances tab. |
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anchor: threeten
anchor: fivehundered
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In many ways a copy of the above listed Laser 310, more info to come!
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Soon to appear on the channel!
anchor: twoeightsix
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I acquired this particular computer after being contacted by an individual on the Dutch version of eBay who offered it for pickup. Although I hadn't placed the highest bid, I'm always eager to seize an opportunity to obtain old hardware. I promptly enlisted the help of my friend Bianca, and together we embarked on a journey to a Dutch city to collect the computer depicted in the picture accompanying this story. (You can find the video documenting this pickup in the Appearances section.)
The computer in question is a Laser 286/2x, which holds special significance as it was my first encounter with a combination of 5.25 and 3.5-inch drives. Naturally, I was quite thrilled about this feature. I have future plans to experiment with creating disks in different formats using this computer, perhaps for my TRS-80 Model III or even my Apple //E. However, those endeavours will have to wait for the appropriate time. |
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*Estimated based on BIOS sticker
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anchor: LaserLT
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I acquired this laptop from the original eBay, not the Dutch version this time. It was purchased from a seller whom I already found somewhat questionable, as they were asking exorbitant prices for other old hardware. However, this laptop was surprisingly inexpensive, which should have raised some red flags. Regrettably, I ignored those warnings and placed a starting bid. As expected, I won the auction, and the laptop was shipped to me.
Upon closer inspection, I tinkered with the laptop to determine if it would function properly. Upon opening the power supply, I discovered leaked capacitors, and upon disassembling the laptop itself, I noticed signs of prior tampering, such as cracked plastic. After spending several hours attempting to revive it, I reluctantly conclude that the laptop is beyond repair and I officially pronounced it dead. Consequently, it will join my collection of non-functional computers, which still possess an aesthetic appeal due to their unique form factor. |
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