The Official "Thrift finds" Thread

[FireStar]

 

Went out to a place I normally don't go to to wait on a clothes store to figure they wanted to give me 90 cents for 1 t-shirt out of a bag of clothes. It's a "bargain hunt" type of place that gets a lot of rejected items from other stores like target and such. Got the games in the picture from there, not sure how they had the xbox era games, they even had a few ps1 games and a dreamcast game.

[Tanooki]

Oh wow that's just too much, I'd so have picked up Gizmo there if I ever had seen that lying around at a thrift no questions asked.

[Jess Ragan]

I just got this from Goodwill...'s online auction site. I really ought not to have, but man, it was $16 (with an extra $13 for shipping) and I'm always up for an arcade-style joystick. Problem is, I've heard there were multiple versions of the Fighting Stick PS, and they're not all created equal. As a bonus, check out those fighting games! Who could pass up Capcom vs. SNK 2?

[+FujiSkunk]

Today was something of a repeat of my very first day as a thrift store volunteer. One of the workers handed me a CD book and said it was full of PS2 "anime fighting games". Figuring it was going to have a few Dragonball and Naruto discs scattered among some less memorable titles, I thought, "Well at least it won't be all sports games." Then I unzipped it and found...

 

 

Now I'm wondering where all the cases and manuals went, dang it!

 

Ah well. A few of these discs will be available to buy in the thrift store thread soon.

 

Later I picked up a tangle of assorted Wii cables, along with something I didn't recognize. I thought maybe it was just some other random gadget that got mixed in, but instead it turned out to be...

 

 

Now I can play Epic Mickey the way it's supposed to be played! Or at least I will once I finally get an Epic Mickey disc.

 

Finally, this one isn't so special, but it was still a lot more than I thought it would be...

 

 

Yep, it's one of those NoaC clones with a bunch of games of questionable origin built in. However, rather than go for the usual assortment of pirated titles, this is one of those NoaC's that actually tries to be legal, or at least something closer to it. As 7800fan commented on his recent find, "legal" NoaCs usually have freshman programming class rejects for games, and/or a lot of titles that seem awfully close to actual games. This one is no exception, with a few titles that were obviously "inspired" by real games and a few others that were obviously not built as well as they could have been. No one is going to win any awards for naming these games, either:

 

 

However, despite the typical lack of polish, a few of the games were surprisingly original, decently programmed and, if you can believe it, fun to play! First I was impressed by...

 

 

Block Out. Yeah, it's another Breakout or Arkanoid clone, but it has some interesting little twists that make it more than just the same old game. Occasionally a brick will release a power-up, just like in Arkanoid, but this time some of them are actually power-downs! If you're not careful, you might end up losing a life after chasing a bad bonus item. To make things even more challenging, the power-ups zig-zag their way down the screen, making the bad power-ups as hard to avoid as the aliens in Arkanoid.

 

This next one is my favorite of the bunch, and I believe this is the game that convinced me to keep this gadget:

 

 

This plays sort of like a cross between Clowns (aka Circus aka Circus Atari) and the Fire Fighter that the Atari 2600 got. The result is what Atari 2600 Fire Fighter should have been! As you keep your firefighter bouncing through the air, you can focus on rescuing those trapped by the fire, or you can focus on fighting the fire itself. Fighting the fire is more valuable, because you get hefty bonus points for every "guest" still in the building after the fire is put out. On the other hand, quenching the fire is sometimes easier said than done. If you take too long putting out one particular flame, it will roar back to life. Fire Fighter (yep, they called it the same thing as that 2600 game) is maybe a little on the easy side overall, but I still got a good kick out of playing it.

 

Finally, this one took me by surprise:

 

 

Here it's called Challenge 100, but clearly this is a spin on the same idea behind 2600 homebrew Man Goes Down. Between the two, Challenge 100 is easier, but not by a whole lot. Instead of power-ups, different platforms have different quirks, from springs and treadmills to spikes and platforms that collapse when you land. Also, hitting your head is not instant death (but falling off the screen still is), and you can regain lost health as long as you can keep your footing.

 

For all I know these actually are pirates of obscure Famicom games. If they are, the creators at least get points for choosing games not everyone (including the lawyers) would recognize. But if they aren't, then bigger kudos are in order for making some cheap games actually worth playing.

[AtariLeaf]

I went yardsaling for the first time this year (actually first time in a long time) and got a few good items. Two sealed Tandy Color Computer disk games - Rogue and Koronis Rift. Got both for $15 at an Antique store. Got the 2DS and DS lite at two separate garage sales for $5 each. The 2DS didn't read games at first but I sprayed a bit of deoxit into the card slot and everything fired right up. I haven't tested the lite yet as it seems to have a different style charger that I don't have. The 2DS also came with a loose Super Mario 64 DS which I traded into the game store for credit since I don't play those kinds of games.

 

At said game store, as I'm trading in that DS game, one of the employees who I am friendly with as we share the same affinity for Atari, gave me a small stack of Antic magazines and a graphic novel that apparently has an Atari reference. Looks like a good read based on the cover

 

BTW, is there a good method to "unsquish" boxed games? I cut small slits in the plastic to release some pressure. It's funny, sealed games, especially floppy disk games, are kinda like Schrodinger's cat - since they're sealed I can't test them so they could both be working or non-working and only by opening them (which I won't, I don't need to with virtual disks and the CocoSDC) will I know for sure. I always wonder that with the few sealed games I own.

[Yakumo1975]

Not much these last few weeks although I did find a nice Mega Cd game for 100 yen and a Hong Kong version of an Xbox One game for 2000 yen cheaper than the Japanese release.

 

[Tanooki]

No picture, but weeks ago I snapped up Mega Man V in a general Gameboy lot locally, and now I can report I have Mega Man IV now too. 4 down #3 left to go.

 

Bonus, been trying to find for a few years now a Hubley cast iron toy without resorting to ebay battling, finally got a really sweet condition P-38 WW2 fighter toy, totally intact, great shape, paid under what they go for too.

[Tanooki]

Found these gems today, mega score in my book. Top one is branded under/inside 'Made in Occupied Japan' so it's a US gov't forced labor project as it has no japanese company stamp to it. 70~ years old, still works like new, minimal paint loss on that jockey on a horse and set me back $30. The other, very rare to find that thing complete with all the parts in the box, but that's the original release of Jarts (lawn darts) that got taken off the market years ago because well people got stabbed in the body being stupid with them...they're javelin darts. A complete set only once in recent ebay history sold for $127 and I paid $17 (boxes alone can go for $25 and up depending on condition.) I'm keeping both.

 

Not shot, found for $1 a tomytronic cib tabletop tennis game, and also for $3 a complete (nearly spotless disc) gamecube Mario Kart. Those should cover my expenses.

 

...and the Hubley P-38 I mentioned before.

[Atari PAC-MAN Fan]

I just went to a garage sale yesterday and found a Windows 7 32-bit computer. It was only $25! For something like that, I couldn't pass it up. It works perfectly, but i am still trying to get everything installed.

[Tanooki]

 

Stupid copy and paste failed, and this site won't let me edit a post after awhile. This is the P-38. Been trying to find one in good shape for a fair price for a 4 years. The props aren't supposed to be painted, former owner got cute with it and I'm tempted to disassemble and get the paint off so the shiny props return.

[HoshiChiri]

Having another but of CVS today- thankfully somewhat mild, so I decided to tough it out & hit the thrift store after work. I'm glad I did, because i found a Touch Me handheld! Works fine. Battery cover intact. Fifty cents.

[Tanooki]

I've wanted to find one of those for awhile locally, good job. This one dude for over a year now has been posting one for $20 on craigslist, clearly not worth it. I probably should look harder, recently my radio shack pocket repeat dropped dead (which is the same thing, just smaller being a little square pocket simon running on a 9v battery.

[icemanxp300]

I've wanted one of these things for awhile. This year I decided to skip having a sale and go to the sales since I live in the biggest yard sale for hundreds of miles. I went out early and seen this TV on the curb in front of a house having a sale. I walked up and sure enough it was a Trinitron. I asked the guy if it worked and he told me his neighbor put it out there and for free and said it did work, they just upgraded all their TV's. He plugged in it and it turned on so I took it, well had him save it for me.

 

I have not ran anything on it yet so hopefully it has good sound and all. This thing is a beast! I know people said these weighed a ton but I did not comprehend LOL. The screen diagonal is 27". My back is not the greatest these days, that is why it is on a dolly cart. Still deciding if I want to beast this thing in my basement or leave it in the garage.

 

 

...

[CRTGAMER]

I've wanted one of these things for awhile. This year I decided to skip having a sale and go to the sales since I live in the biggest yard sale for hundreds of miles. I went out early and seen this TV on the curb in front of a house having a sale. I walked up and sure enough it was a Trinitron. I asked the guy if it worked and he told me his neighbor put it out there and for free and said it did work, they just upgraded all their TV's. He plugged in it and it turned on so I took it, well had him save it for me.

 

I have not ran anything on it yet so hopefully it has good sound and all. This thing is a beast! I know people said these weighed a ton but I did not comprehend LOL. The screen diagonal is 27". My back is not the greatest these days, that is why it is on a dolly cart. Still deciding if I want to beast this thing in my basement or leave it in the garage.

 

 

Great TV, no worries on the weight, it is not like you will be moving the TV once set up. You do not know how lucky you are, if from what I see on the front right hand logo. Not only is it a Wega, but the very uncommon one of the last Sony CRT models that comes with a built in HD Tuner! Note that even though designated as SDTV the specs sheet states a 1080i tube! The tuner picks up off the air digital broadcast which appear HD quality.

 

Note that if your TV did not come with a remote any Sony Remote of the same era will work; be sure it has a ANT button to switch between the RF inputs of analog such as an Atari and digital broadcast, see my review for details.

 

The component hookup does not support 480p. Not really an issue the Wega displays game consoles, DVD and Bluray players just fine with surprising clear quality. One of the best SD converted tubes around. Check my in depth review and simple audio output mod:

 

KD-27FS170 Review and Mod - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1005514#p1005514

Edited June 10, 2017 by CRTGAMER

[icemanxp300]

 

Not only is it a Wega, but the very uncommon one of the last Sony CRT models that comes with a built in HD Tuner! Note that even though designated as SDTV the specs sheet states a 1080i tube! The tuner picks up off the air digital broadcast which appear HD quality.

 

 

Yes the top right says SDTV. I had no idea there were so many models and looks like I scored on this one lol. Just need to hook it up first and see how it plays before I lug it in the basement.

[+FujiSkunk]

Not a thrift find and not a find worth bragging about, but I'm going to mention it anyway. I bought a Retron 5.

 

Now before anyone gets out a torch or a pitchfork, let me say I'm an open source advocate who thinks Hyperkin did not act ethically or even legally in how they acquired the emulator code for the Retron 5, and so I didn't want to give them my money. But, the local Fry's had them essentially on clearance sale at $80 a pop, so I figured why not? Now that hackers have made the system "truly" open, I don't feel so guilty. If nothing else, this is by far the cheapest cartridge dumper money can buy.

[Tanooki]

Good for you getting that R5. I just sold mine off a week ago. I could not care less about hyperkin's ethics or the online whining over it, it promised to do something and did it very well. Let the lawyers sort it out, not the criers.

 

I decided that I'd rather just use my old machines and pulled them back out, but I do desire roping a retrofreak at some point though as it's far more convenient and supported. Hyperkin though supposedly has a emulated (or not?) Gameboy TV box coming sooner or later, wouldn't surprise me if it was at E3 next week. It's only for GB, GBC and GBA stuff. Depending what it is and how cheap it costs that could be interesting.

 

 

I doubt community yard sales really count as a thrift, but it works as such. Spent just $10 today. Got a tiger handheld game, a gyroscope, a 50 year old Hectix puzzle, a yomega fireball yoyo, a new wanna be nerf baseketball, a 12" lava lamp, and then also these 2 which sadly ended up being 1 G1 Transformers! The dearly departed sickened me, it was Shockwave. Up until the arm electrical side disintegrated I could have popped for $50 in parts/parts bots and fixed it. Ended up salvaging 4 pieces of it was worth the replacement costs so it was buried in the garbage without ceremony after its organs were black market harvested. The other is G1 Slag the triceratops dinobot, needed some decent cleaning so I unscrewed and cleaned/tightened every piece and now it's a nice desk toy.

 

The 2 (to be 1) transformers were $5 of that days total so I'm not upset about it other than I don't have a cool desk laser gun as the electrical worked on it (cracked hose, missing battery cover, busted off laser tip, and stressed leg plastic and a shoulder too were it.) Had the arm not crumbled I found a $40 shipped bot that would have fixed the entire mess but it had the same damage just stopped before it was too late glued solid.

Edited June 11, 2017 by Tanooki

[Asaki]

Still deciding if I want to beast this thing in my basement or leave it in the garage.

Basement!

 

The component hookup does not support 480p. Not really an issue the Wega displays game consoles, DVD and Bluray players just fine with surprising clear quality.

I'm assuming you have to have just the right BluRay player for the job, though. Mine only has HDMI and composite (released after the analogue sunset), and the downconverted composite video looks much worse than DVD quality =|

 

I decided that I'd rather just use my old machines and pulled them back out, but I do desire roping a retrofreak at some point though as it's far more convenient and supported.

Speaking of which, I finally bought myself my own personal Wii B) eBay, though.

 

I was thinking about getting a TG16/PCE, but didn't realize how expensive they were...so I guess it's back to the Homebrew Channel for me.

[CRTGAMER]

icemanxp300, on 10 Jun 2017 - 3:52 PM, said:

 

Yes the top right says SDTV. I had no idea there were so many models and looks like I scored on this one lol. Just need to hook it up first and see how it plays before I lug it in the basement.

 

I hope your basement is a den game room. Really, that TV makes a great multi use gaming and movie watching screen. I have mine in the bedroom hooked up to a sound system for bedroom watching home theater. Give the HD tuner a try for a real surprise (Sony Remote with ANT button); even a basic rabbit ear antenna will pick up some of the local HD broadcast. See my link for full details of this unique semi HD mode CRT.

 

 

CRTGAMER, on 10 Jun 2017 - 3:38 PM, said:

 

The component hookup does not support 480p. Not really an issue the Wega displays game consoles, DVD and Bluray players just fine with surprising clear quality. One of the best SD converted tubes around. Check my in depth review and simple audio output mod:

 

KD-27FS170 Review and Mod - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1005514#p1005514

I'm assuming you have to have just the right BluRay player for the job, though. Mine only has HDMI and composite (released after the analogue sunset), and the downconverted composite video looks much worse than DVD quality =|

 

Definitely need an older model player that has component output. Even though a component cable is analog, it can be set all the way up to 1080p. Though the TV iceman discovered only supports 480i, the video "color stream" separation worth going the component route.

Edited June 11, 2017 by CRTGAMER

[Asaki]

Even though a component cable is analog, it can be set all the way up to 1080p.

Right, but AFAIK, most BluRay players that support component had updates released to cripple the output resolution (max of 480i I think?)...and certain BDs are said to not play if your player is not up-to-date =|

 

Which is all stupid, because the whole point of it was to keep people from using analogue passthrough to pirate BDs, but that's not going to stop the superior method of digital decryption

[Mitkraft]

Right, but AFAIK, most BluRay players that support component had updates released to cripple the output resolution (max of 480i I think?)...and certain BDs are said to not play if your player is not up-to-date =|Which is all stupid, because the whole point of it was to keep people from using analogue passthrough to pirate BDs, but that's not going to stop the superior method of digital decryption

I don't think its as hard as you think to find a BD player with component video output that does 1080. Most of the ones I've come across will do it because I use component for video dostribution throughout my house (had it in place before HDMi was prevelant.

[Jess Ragan]

Ladies and gentlemen, it's the incredible disposable game system!

 

I found this in the free box at the local church thrift store. The lady running things that day was convinced that it was a mistake, and suggested a donation. I gave her two bucks, and everybody was happy. That makes three Wiis in my collection so far!

[Grig]

Have you checked it to see if it has any nintendo store games or d/l stuff? The last boxed wii i found had a multitude of d/l NES and SNES games on it.

[icemanxp300]

 

I hope your basement is a den game room.

 

It is. I have a half basement devoted to my game collection. I'm not worried about fancy stuff that the TV can do. I purely want it for retro gaming. I doubt I will be watching any movies on it. I did however just get like 200' of cat 5 cable for $1 yesterday as well so maybe I will use it to run a line from my roof antennae down to the basement and toss my spare converter box on it. The roof antennae is all I use for TV right now and it gets me tons of channels, everything I need anyhow.

[SignGuy81]

I've wanted one of these things for awhile. This year I decided to skip having a sale and go to the sales since I live in the biggest yard sale for hundreds of miles. I went out early and seen this TV on the curb in front of a house having a sale. I walked up and sure enough it was a Trinitron. I asked the guy if it worked and he told me his neighbor put it out there and for free and said it did work, they just upgraded all their TV's. He plugged in it and it turned on so I took it, well had him save it for me.

 

I have not ran anything on it yet so hopefully it has good sound and all. This thing is a beast! I know people said these weighed a ton but I did not comprehend LOL. The screen diagonal is 27". My back is not the greatest these days, that is why it is on a dolly cart. Still deciding if I want to beast this thing in my basement or leave it in the garage.

 

100_9717.JPG

 

...

 

 

I used to have a Sony Trinitron monitor, wasn't a TV but had composite input and I used it for TV using my VCR for tuner for a long time. The one I got I found at the dump and picked it up. I kept if for a long time had the best picture of any TV I had before. I wish I would have kept the darn thing. Very nice find.

Edited June 11, 2017 by SignGuy81