Keyboard Component Talk

[+BBWW]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/5251478676/permalink/10154636951833677/

 

For sale in consignment shop in Canada.

 

[+cmart604]

Ugh. I'm not on FB. Does it say where in Canada? It's a pretty big country.

[+BBWW]

Didn't say which store did say it is in Vancouver. "The asking price was $12,000 CDN. So, $8700 USD and the fellows told me there is a slight problem with the video output. No software or manuals included, but I was told the tape drive does spin up."

 

"Guys, I know this is NOT an Apple II, but it has a 6502 processor, and I never thought I would see one in my life... but earlier this afternoon, at a used video game store I frequent, I saw this. It's on consignment and trust me... I can't afford the asking price otherwise I would have snagged it on the spot.

It is known as the Intellivision Keyboard Component. The consumer edition of the nicknamed "Blue Whale" development console. It is exceedingly rare. About 4000 were made for the entire North American market. It was only released in order to stem a legal action against Mattel Electronics because they claimed the Intellivision game console could be expanded to become a personal computer. It does have some relation to the Apple II since the so called Blue Sky Rangers programming team also used Apple IIs for Intellivision development.

This is a Unicorn for Intellivision collectors and enthusiasts. Its damn near mythical.

Had this not been made by a toy company, it would've been a stout computer for the era. Very capable graphics and sound, dual CPUs (1 6502, 1 CP-1610), around 22K bytes total RAM (split up among 16K x 10 shared RAM, 752 bytes of 8-bit RAM and 352 words of 16-bit RAM on the CP-1610 side and an additional 960 bytes on the 6502 for video), a block addressable CPU-controlled 4-track (2 digital, 2 analog) tape drive, two cartridge ports (6502 and CP-1610), a microphone port, two video controller chips, Microsoft BASIC.

(EDIT) - The asking price was $12,000 CDN. So, $8700 USD and the fellows told me there is a slight problem with the video output. No software or manuals included, but I was told the tape drive does spin up."

[+BBWW]

At $8700 Canadian dollars...it would still be too much.

[mthompson]

Also interesting on that page was a comment from a guy who said he'd seen one on display in a Service Merchandise store in 1984. Service Merchandise was kind of a catalog outlet chain. He posted a negative scan as proof:

 

[+cmart604]

Yah so it's near me as it turns out. $12K CDN for a sort of working inboxed unit? No thanks. Weird that he didn't say what store since he's clearly not buying it.

[+the1hatman]

Also interesting on that page was a comment from a guy who said he'd seen one on display in a Service Merchandise store in 1984. Service Merchandise was kind of a catalog outlet chain. He posted a negative scan as proof:

 

Service Merchandise.png

 

I can personally confirm Service Merchandise was also a store chain. Not only was there one in my hometown but my father bought our first Intellivision there. We'd go back for games every few months or so before it closed about a year later.

[+Lathe26]

$12K CDN or $8.7 USD is just waaaaaay too high to be asking for. Ouch. That is over 2X the typical selling price. I think the seller is hoping for a sucker buyer. Maybe they are willing to negotiate, though.

[+cmart604]

What did that last one go for on eBay? $2K?

[+Lathe26]

Here are the Keyboard Component prices (loose) I have seen over the past several years, in order from oldest to newest:

$2700, $3000, $3200, $3300, $2938

 

There was also a single CIB that sold for $2568

 

(note: I am sure there are other sales that I have overlooked.)

[+BBWW]

I've had a good start to the new year cash flow wise. It a CIB came up = to or < 3000 I'd be on it for sure. They only show up when I have negative cash flow.

Here are the Keyboard Component prices (loose) I have seen over the past several years, in order from oldest to newest:
$2700, $3000, $3200, $3300, $2938

There was also a single CIB that sold for $2568

(note: I am sure there are other sales that I have overlooked.)

[+cmart604]

Sadly I don't think a CIB would go for anything close to $3000 anymore but I'd like to be wrong.

[Games For Your Intellivision]

Sadly I don't think a CIB would go for anything close to $3000 anymore but I'd like to be wrong.

 

That keyboard is grossly overpriced. I bet if you walked in with $3000 in cash and waved it under his nose....told him it was the best offer he'd get and then walk out if he says no....I bet he'd chase you.

[+BBWW]

 

That keyboard is grossly overpriced. I bet if you walked in with $3000 in cash and waved it under his nose....told him it was the best offer he'd get and then walk out if he says no....I bet he'd chase you.

 

 

I'm thinking you might be right but he'd have to make a phone call if it is on consignment. Or someone is just waiting for a fool. I'd love to have one of these...as a paperweight is would be more fun than the Play Cable. :-)

[Deprekate]

Not CIB but "complete sealed without box"

 

 

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/253156-check-out-my-thrift-store-find-intellivision-keyboard-still-sealed/

[Rextro]

$12,000.00 Canadian seems ridiculous to me I'm glad I see some similar opinions here, Mine will most likely be going up for sale soon so Thank you to Lathe26 for the sales price breakdown very useful!

[+fdr4prez]

Not CIB but "complete sealed without box"

 

...

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/253156-check-out-my-thrift-store-find-intellivision-keyboard-still-sealed/

Is CSWoB the correct acronym for this? ?

 

I am curious if someone has a spare box that you can get to make this a real "like new CIB with sealed internals"

[+cmart604]

$12,000.00 Canadian seems ridiculous to me I'm glad I see some similar opinions here, Mine will most likely be going up for sale soon so Thank you to Lathe26 for the sales price breakdown very useful!

I went to the shop and it's not functioning at the moment. They're trying to get it up and running. It's on consignment and I'm pretty sure the parties involved have vastly overestimated it's worth. That price would be nuts for anything other than a NIB unit.

 

The number of people on the planet that care about this and can afford $2K+ Is a very small group. Plus many that want one of these and are willing to pay 4 digits for it already have one. I'm sure the number of people that would love one of these for $75 numbers in the high hundreds to low thousands. Most of these are expensive paperweights at best.

[freewheel]

Yup. I'm a rabid collector of all kinds of useless crap, but I'd pay $100, *maybe* $200 tops just to say I had one. And that's if I just won a bunch of money at Blackjack.

[mr_me]

They may have no interest in selling; only want to have it out on display. Odd that the facebook post refers to it as the "consumer edition". I guess they are referring to the ones that were not modified into development systems for Mattel (blue whales and black whales). They also say this.

 

"...and the fellows told me there is a slight problem with the video output. No software or manuals included, but I was told the tape drive does spin up."

 

Video output uses the Intellivision Master Component. I think you'd have to type a command to get the tape drive to do anything.

[+nurmix]

 

"...and the fellows told me there is a slight problem with the video output. No software or manuals included, but I was told the tape drive does spin up."

 

Video output uses the Intellivision Master Component. I think you'd have to type a command to get the tape drive to do anything.

Yes, there are several cassette-related commands to; start playback, rewind/eject (or open cassette door), and a 'cleaning' function - which moves the tape transport into the play position with the cassette door open so you can clean the heads, capstan and pinch roller with a swab.

 

One of the Keyboard Components I tested will do all of these functions, and the take-up reel does spin, but only if there's no tape in there. So if these guys tested it without a tape, it may have appeared to be working, but there's no guarantee if they didn't actually have a tape. I call shenanigans!

 

 

 

Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk

[Rextro]

Yes, there are several cassette-related commands to; start playback, rewind/eject (or open cassette door), and a 'cleaning' function - which moves the tape transport into the play position with the cassette door open so you can clean the heads, capstan and pinch roller with a swab.

 

One of the Keyboard Components I tested will do all of these functions, and the take-up reel does spin, but only if there's no tape in there. So if these guys tested it without a tape, it may have appeared to be working, but there's no guarantee if they didn't actually have a tape. I call shenanigans!

 

 

 

Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk

 

I finally got around to testing mine this morning with some inspiration from this post and the posters in it, to my disbelief it works rather well for example, didn't have any issue getting the screen to come up, keyboard input works very well (Commands, Eject, Index, etc.)

 

The only thing I really want to do is clean it up, I need to clean inside the cassette port any recommendation of cleaning products or stick to the basics? Dry Cotton swaps and some wipes for the exterior?

 

Thanks!

[+nurmix]

 

I finally got around to testing mine this morning with some inspiration from this post and the posters in it, to my disbelief it works rather well for example, didn't have any issue getting the screen to come up, keyboard input works very well (Commands, Eject, Index, etc.)

 

The only thing I really want to do is clean it up, I need to clean inside the cassette port any recommendation of cleaning products or stick to the basics? Dry Cotton swaps and some wipes for the exterior?

 

Thanks!

Congratulations! As for cleaning...

 

Get a cotton swab with some rubbing alcohol and activate the "cleaning" function from the menu. This moves the tape transport up into the play position, and gently rub the swab on the tape heads, and the capstan (small silver shaft that presses up against the rubber pinch roller).

 

Try to avoid getting alcohol on the pinch roller though. It's not good for the rubber. Ideally, you'd want to use something like Tascam tape head cleaner instead of alcohol. And Tascam rubber cleaner and conditioner for the pinch roller, but those products are kind if pricey these days, and a bit hard to find.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk

[Rextro]

Congratulations! As for cleaning...

 

Get a cotton swab with some rubbing alcohol and activate the "cleaning" function from the menu. This moves the tape transport up into the play position, and gently rub the swab on the tape heads, and the capstan (small silver shaft that presses up against the rubber pinch roller).

 

Try to avoid getting alcohol on the pinch roller though. It's not good for the rubber. Ideally, you'd want to use something like Tascam tape head cleaner instead of alcohol. And Tascam rubber cleaner and conditioner for the pinch roller, but those products are kind if pricey these days, and a bit hard to find.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Sent from my Intellivision ECS using Intelli-Tapatalk

 

Thanks! I'll see what I can do the whole thing needs some cleaning anyway haha! If I am patient enough I'll post before/after photos haha!

[mr_me]

 

I finally got around to testing mine this morning with some inspiration from this post and the posters in it, to my disbelief it works rather well for example, didn't have any issue getting the screen to come up, keyboard input works very well (Commands, Eject, Index, etc.)

 

The only thing I really want to do is clean it up, I need to clean inside the cassette port any recommendation of cleaning products or stick to the basics? Dry Cotton swaps and some wipes for the exterior?

 

Thanks!

Nice. Ultimately it would be good to know if it reads and writes data. Where did you find yours?