Saving Nostalgia - Modding an Old Z80 Computer

Embark on a nostalgic journey through a 51-minute conference talk from the 44CON Information Security Conference. Follow Graham Sutherland's project to modify an old VTech computer from the late 1980s, adding save functionality to its hardware. Discover the process of reverse engineering the circuitry, identifying integrated circuits, and understanding the system topology of this vintage machine designed to teach kids general knowledge, science, history, typing skills, and BASIC programming. Learn about the computer's unique features, including its one-line text-based LCD display, 2KB of SRAM, and Z80 processor. Explore the challenges of designing and fabricating a hardware modification to enable data saving, addressing the long-standing limitation of lost state upon power-off. Gain insights into the intersection of nostalgia, hardware hacking, and preservation of early educational technology.

Saving Nostalgia: Modding an Old Z80 Computer - Presented By Graham Sutherland