Dive into the fascinating world of rare Apple II clone computers with an in-depth look at the MicroSCI HAVAC (Home Academic Very Affordable Computer), a compact 6502-based Apple II-compatible system from the early 1980s. The HAVAC is an extremely uncommon Apple II clone that rarely appears within the retro computing community, making it an especially interesting system to document, preserve, and explore in detail.
This video examines the HAVAC hardware inside and out including the rear expansion ports, internal floppy drive, power supply, keyboard connector, joystick port, motherboard layout, DIP switches, socketed chips, and EEPROM hardware that may contain valuable archival data. Compatibility testing is also performed using the Floppy Emu disk emulator while running classic Apple II software and games including Oregon Trail, Dino Eggs, Lemonade Stand, and Hard Hat Mack.
During testing, the system experiences a classic vintage computing moment when a RIFA capacitor inside the Astec power supply releases the infamous "magic smoke," leading to additional inspection and troubleshooting of the hardware. The video concludes with a request for documentation, manuals, historical information, or personal stories related to the rare MicroSCI HAVAC in an effort to help preserve information about this little-known Apple II-compatible computer.