Retro-Z

The Commodore 64 can be a great, fun system. Having said that, if you are just wanting to try out some old 1980s computer tech, I'd suggest trying out some of the computers from other makers first. The Atari 600XL and 800XL are pretty reliable, and would likely be a pretty good "stepping stone" from the 2600 to 8-bit computing. I'd also recommend the TI-99/4A, as every single one I have ever come across has been fully functional, and we have a nice, active little sub-forum here at AtariAge focused on them. Some of the Radio-Shack/Tandy Color Computer models can be good as well, though the earliest versions can be very limited in memory and have sub-par keyboard setups. However, they are well made (compared to Commodore stuff), tend to be fully functional, and there is quite a bit of hobbyist support for them as well. Really, just scrounge up any decent little 1980s 8-bit home computer that you can find in functional condition for pretty cheap, and start playing with the thing! I have come across several fully functional TI-99/4As for less than $10. Any of these old 8-bit computers should give you a good idea of whether or not you may like this somewhat different approach to vintage gaming. Personally, I find the vintage computers to be far more interesting than vintage game consoles.

LOL. I'm betting that after you get a suitable 90s PC to run your games, you'll find just as much nostalgia even with the different hardware. Using the older operating systems (like DOS, Windows 95, or Windows 98) is as much a nostalgia trip as anything. And go ahead and try to find that old IBM you used to have. They made a ton of them back in the 90s, they are just hard to find today. A huge percentage of them have probably been sent to the scrap heap or recyclers at this point, and the remaining units are stashed away in people's closets/garages/basements/attics all across the U.S. Many times I have been to estate sales where all of the 80s/90s computer equipment was thrown away a few weeks earlier so room could be made to run the sale. Any that are donated to charity or thrift stores like Goodwill are often immediately taken to a recycling center. 99% of people don't place any value on outdated computer systems and components, other than their fairly high scrap value.

From what I can see, it looks like you are looking for an IBM PS/1 model 2155 style computer (they apparently made a few PS/Valuepoint computers in this case style as well). The "Expert" and "Consultant" titles are generally marketing names, and I wouldn't worry about them too much. Just focus on finding a good, clean, functional example. If you get too picky, you are likely going to be hunting for the thing for quite a while. Possibly years, if you hold out for a nice, clean example of one particular model, and want to pay a reasonable price. As I said before, get yourself a cheap Pentium III (or equivalent AMD processor) which should be vastly more powerful than your old IBM, and still run most of the programs you'll likely be using. It'll also likely be easier to find decent video and sound cards with a later machine (good 486 era sound and video cards are hard to find and can be very expensive). While you are enjoying the Pentium-III era computer, keep looking for that particular IBM model. I'm speaking out of experience. I remembered fairly well that the family computer I used as a kid growing up in the 90s was a small PC tower with a greenish power button, and somehow I remembered it had an AT&T logo on the front. Sure enough, with some thorough internet searching, I figured out it was an AT&T Globalyst 630 with a Pentium 100mhz processor and a 1GB hard drive (I remember my mother remarking back in the 90s about that 1GB hard drive, which she was amazed about after working with computers in an office environment since the 70s). I've been looking for quite a while now for a nice example of this model, and haven't even found ONE available for sale ANYWHERE. Fortunately, I picked up an old generic tower PC that is very similar in appearance and specification to that old Globalyst 630, and have been having a great time with it ever since. I'm sure I'll run into a Globalyst 630 one day, but until then, that generic tower will work perfectly fine. BTW, most people who have two "retro" PCs often do so for convenience and software compatibility. Some of the older DOS games don't run well on something as fast as a Pentium III, so they also have a slower 486 computer running DOS. With this two-computer setup, you can basically run (and with less fiddling) all of the games made from the early/mid 1980s up to the early 2000s.

Yes, building a retro-PC can get out of hand quickly. I got into it a few months ago, and have a stack of PC towers for parts, along with a couple large plastic storage totes full of components and cards. My total cash outlay is still well under $100. Plus, you always wonder if you can get the performance of your computer to be better, so you end up trying to get different sound/video cards to see what they do (as well as hunting down the fastest CPU the motherboard can handle). My current rig is an early generic AT-style Pentium mini-tower running Windows 95, which I swapped the original 100mhz Pentium for a 166mhz version. It has a cheap PCI Sound Blaster in it (so MIDI and OPL sound isn't overly fantastic) but it seems to be working well with 90s DOS and Windows 95 games. For fun, I hooked it up to a flatscreen TV's VGA input, and it actually looked fairly good (not perfect... but I'm still using a fairly low-end video card). Playing Descent on a such a large screen is AWESOME (in comparison to the old CRT monitor I played on in the 90s). I say go for it! Just don't get overly picky with the base computer to use for your build. Find something local, and work from that. A good, functional Pentium III (or equivalent AMD processor model) can still be found without too much trouble, but anything much older than that is actually surprisingly hard to locate without resorting to online dealers. Most people simply take 386/486 and early Pentium computers to the recyclers and scrapyards, so they are a bit elusive.

Before buying, make sure the VIC-20 actually works. Commodore computers have a knack for not functioning 35+ years after the were manufactured. The joystick and paddle controllers are neat, they basically look like they were subcontracted from Atari. Later Commodore joysticks are absolute JUNK. Note that the paddle controllers in this lot have some damage to the wiring, so keep that in mind as well. Overall, a good clean lot, but you shouldn't have to pay a top-dollar price if everything is untested. If it were me, I'd start at $50 and negotiate from there. The boxes all look damaged, worn, and creased, so I'm not blown away by the fact they are "CIB".

Well, I'm just glad to see that there ARE some other members here at AtariAge that still play/tinker with PC style computers. There is a lot of discussion about many of the other 8 and 16 bit computers of the era, and I have been surprised to see so little about the 8088/8086, 286, 386, 486, and early Pentium PC computers. I mean seriously... how can you even MENTION video gaming in the 1990s without bring games like Doom, Descent, Warcraft, and many others into the conversation. I was rocking a Super Nintendo and early Pentium PC all through the early 90s and into the early 2000s (at which point I moved on to the PS2), and I believe that was definitely an awesome time to grow up around all of the great new titles that were coming out. I got so spoiled off of the awesome soundtracks in games like Descent that I actually find it very hard to enjoy early 70s/80s console games, since they almost always lack any kind of background music.

This is very true. Some of the REALLY early IBM 5150s are valuable machines as well. Heck, even some of the high end sound cards from the early 90s are insanely expensive at the moment. More and more of these machines are getting thrown out or recycled every day. I was just at an estate sale this morning, and I saw some scattered 5.25" floppy disks, disk drive cleaning stuff, and other signs that there were some old computers in the estate. When I asked if they still had any of the computer equipment, they said it was taken in for recycling before they opened the sale. It's always a bummer to hear stuff like that, and they rationalized their decision by saying nobody used floppy disks anymore, so they knew nobody would want the computers. I guess it just increases the rarity of the machines that survive being discarded as trash or e-waste.

This machine is often brought up as being the first home "computer" available to the general public. Of course, not quite what we'd think of as a computer today, but I'm sure it seemed pretty mind-blowing in the 1950s.

Man, if you just want an Osborne for the sheer novelty of owning one of the first "portable" computers, then go for it. But if you intend to actually use the thing, I suggest you go back to looking for a Kaypro. Something like an Osborne 4 is pretty esoteric, even for vintage C/PM computers. Kaypro computers are a lot more common, the cases always look pretty nice and are easy to clean up, and they are actually pretty durable. Something to consider... an Osborne 4 is pretty different from the earlier Osborne computers. They finally figured out that tiny screen was a FAIL.

They were!!! My family had a set of these when I was a kid. Totally awesome. Oddly enough, I never really thought about how dangerous they could be, until someone else mentioned it not too long ago.

There's a Tandy 1000TL available nearby for around $100 that sounds nice, complete, and functional, but I don't know if I can rationalize making the room for ANOTHER retro computer system. Those old Tandy 1000s are neat machines, though!!!I'd love to hear your process for transferring the downloaded game files to 5.25" disks!!! I'm sure a LOT of people are playing old PC/Compatible DOS games, they are just most likely using modern hardware and DOSBox. Still, I personally think it's fun to fire up the real thing and play some games off of the 5.25" floppy disks. I'm surprised the old PCs are overlooked here, considering we have subforums for many other classic computer platforms. Guess they don't have quite enough of a "cool" retro factor.

It's great to hear that someone has had good luck with vintage Commodore 8-bits. I sure haven't!!! Whenever I buy a Commodore 64 or VIC-20 I simply assume it won't be functional. I have had MUCH better luck with the products from other companies, such as Atari, Tandy, IBM, and Texas Instruments. I have NEVER had a non-functional computer from either of these companies. Then again, like I stated above, most of the Commodore stuff obviously wasn't as well cared for compared to the computers from other brands. I'm sure this has a lot to do with it being seen as a "cheap" computer in its heyday, along with the type of users it was aimed at (a first computer for kids or people likely using it primarily as a game console). I know that if I had my choice between an Atari product or the equivalent Commodore product, I"d likely skip the Commodore. The Commodore computers are awesome when they work, but I just don't have much faith in them. As with anything, everyone's experiences vary.

Hello Everyone! I'm surprised to see so few discussions about the early IBM PC/Compatible computers. Sure, they may seem a bit "boring" compared to the C64, Amigas, STs, etc. Nonetheless, I've somehow ended up with a few nice, early PC computers (IBM 5150 and AT&T 6300 WGS) that have proven to be fun to tinker with. I'd love to hear some recommendations for early PC games (early 1980s to early 1990s). So far, most of my retro PC gaming has been with Zyll (one of the only early PC games I have), but I'd love to pick up some additional titles in different genres to show off the capabilities of the classic hardware.

Interesting discussion. Personally, I have found the 8-Bit Commodore hardware to be pretty flaky. I have had about 10-12 C64s and VIC-20s cross my patch, and I have only had two C64s that actually functioned when I acquired them (I was able to get another 2 going after some repair) and none of the VIC-20s have ever been picked up in working condition. Once they get fixed and maintained, however, the C64s seem to be fairly sturdy and reliable. The 1541 disk drives are another story... those things are horrible! I have a box full of non-functional 1541 drives. However, the two Atari ST computers I picked up a few years back (a 520ST and a Mega STe) both worked great. The hard drive in the Mega was starting to fail when I sold it, but I figure a 25 year service life from a vintage hard drive is fairly respectable. The ST computers are very interesting and fun to mess with, but as has been stated, it is a completely different experience from what you'd find using a C64. A comparison between the two really doesn't accomplish much. You'll most likely find a lot more software and accessories "in the wild" for a C64, but I have found a lot of C64 owner kinda neglected their systems, whereas the Atari ST owners took better care of their equipment. In the end, I'd suggest you just get both whenever the opportunity presents itself. I found nice C64 and ST systems by watching Craigslist, even out here in the middle-of-nowhere Kansas. If you want reliablity, the old Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer 1 models have all been incredibly robust. Those things always seem to work!

Actually, yes, there are car collectors who seek out extremely low mileage vintage cars. They are on a whole different level of collecting, and yes, there are examples of vintage cars with under 10 miles. I remember a magazine article I read 10 or 15 years ago about a 1973 Mustang convertible that was purchased brand new, driven onto a trailer at the dealership, towed home, and put directly into storage. The buyer thought it would be collectible since the general consensus at the time was that this would be the last year Ford offered a Mustang convertible. Of course, the car now resides in a high-end Mustang collection. I know there is/was at least one Mustang collector that had several examples of extremely low mileage, all-original cars. Unused/unopened vintage merchandise provides a unique look back in time. I recently picked up some old IBM software/games for my IBM 5150 that were New-Old-Stock and still sealed in the plastic wrap. I ripped off the shrink wrap and have been using/playing the software for the last few weeks. It's a trip opening the package for the first time, loading up the pristine 5.25" floppy disk, and reading through the immaculate paper documentation and manuals. Almost like stepping 30 years into the past. Nonetheless, I would certainly think twice about doing this with any game that has substantial monetary value as a sealed, unused vintage collectible. A 30+ year old video game is only sealed/unused once, and they aren't making any more new original copies of Demon Attack. Once you open that sealed game, you are making all of the other sealed examples more valuable. If you are okay with that, then open it up. If not, leave it sealed...

Final call on the Shooting Gallery. This will be listed via online auction within the next few days. No longer available... Moved to online auction!!!

Hello Everyone, I'm looking to part with a few items after a recent vintage computer purchase. Consequently, I've decided to sell off the last few pieces of my Atari 8-bit computer stash. Here's what's available: Everything has been SOLD locally!!! Please feel free to send me a PM if you are interested in purchasing something, or if you simply have some questions. Thanks! 1. Atari 800 Computer w/ 48k RAM, Power Supply, DIN A/V Cable, BASIC Programming Cartridge, & Documentation/Manuals: This is a late production Atari 800 computer, with the full 48k of RAM (RAM cards are bare boards without cases, as is correct for a late production 800). The computer has been extensively tested, and is working fairly well. The only functional flaw is that a few of the keys are sticking due to the aging of the plastic key plungers (primarily the 7 and "semicolon" keys). All other functions are working great, including the video output, joystick inputs, cartridge port, peripheral port, etc. I primarily used this computer as a video gaming system with the small lot of cartridge games listed separately below. Also included with the Atari 800 computer is the original owner's manual, a few assorted Atari pamphlets, and the book "Programming Your Atari Computer." Everything shown (except A/V cable) was purchased directly from the original owner, and was all well cared for. A/V cable is not pictured, but is included. This cable is an inexpensive aftermarket item, but it does work... just don't expect mind-blowing image clarity while using it. SOLD Price: $70 + Shipping SOLD Aren't Atari 800s simply gorgeous vintage machines... 2. Atari 400/800/XL Cartridge Game Lot: Lot of 12 fully tested and working game cartridges. Included are the following: - Super Breakout - Missile Command (with manual) - Defender - Qix - Ms. Pac-Man (with manual) - Star-Trek - Dig Dug - K-Razy Shoot-Out - K-Razy Kritters - Donkey Kong (with manual) - Pac-Man - Space Invaders (with manual) Most of the cartridges are in very good to excellent condition. The labels on Dig Dug and Star Trek do exhibit some discoloration, and Miner 2049er shows some wear to the foil label as well. These would be a great set of cartridges for getting started with gaming these Atari 8-bit computers. SOLD Price: $45 + Shipping SOLD 3. Compute!'s Atari Book Set 1-3: Nice, informative set of Atari programming books. This includes the First, Second, and Third Books of Atari. Along with explanations of different ways to program the Atari 8-bit computers, these books also include a large number of sample programs for typing into BASIC to illustrate the concepts discussed. All 3 books are in good overall condition, showing some wear from handling. SOLD Price: $20 + Shipping SOLD 4. Atari Programming Book Lot: Tips & Tricks, Graphics, and Memory Mapping: Another set of informative Atari programming books. This lot includes: - Mapping the Atari (published by Compute! Books) - Compute!'s First Book of Atari Graphics - 101 Atari Computer Programming Tips & Tricks All books are in good overall condition, showing some wear from handling. There is a name written inside the cover of the Mapping and Graphics book. Just some good Atari 8-bit reference material. SOLD Price: $15 + Shipping SOLD Terms: Accepted forms of payment are Paypal or USPS Money Orders. Shipping will be via USPS Priority within the U.S., and USPS First Class International or Priority International outside of the U.S. This does NOT include shipping insurance. This can be added at the buyer's expense, just inform me you'd like insurance and I'll refigure the total cost. I am more than happy to ship items internationally, just send me a PM and I'll figure up a total to take the international shipping costs into account. Heavy items will naturally be expensive to ship internationally, so keep in mind that something like a game console may cost $50+ USD to ship outside the U.S. The buyer is granted a 7-day return policy if the item is not "as described", but return shipping must be paid for by the buyer and must include tracking. Thanks for looking!

The only time you truly stop finding stuff is when you stop looking. I scored a lot of great stuff the last few years at garage sales and flea markets. Such as the following: - Complete-In-Box Atari 2600 (Light Sixer) - Complete Intellivision II system with 6 boxed games - Complete Nintendo Virtual Boy - Atari 2600 (Heavy Sixer) w/ 2 joysticks, paddle, and a couple of games - Complete-In-Box Magnavox Odyssey 2 w/ 5 boxed games - Giant lot of Atari ST computers, hardware, and software (Atari MEGA STe system, modified Atari 520ST system, 20-30 boxed games, etc.). No, your finds won't be as frequent, and yes, it will be more difficult as time goes on to find the "good" stuff. But it is always out there. You just have to find it!

You know, I can see why the early ventless Apple II computers can be worth so much. They played a huge role in the history of one of the most successful modern tech companies, influenced the beginnings of the personal computer market, there were only a tiny handful of them made, and many of them have been altered/upgraded throughout the past 35+ years. I'm sure there are lots of other reasons why a vintage Apple computer can attract so much attention from collectors. But a Commodore 65? I don't know... I guess I just don't get it. It's certainly a very cool machine. But... nah... not for me.

I find it fascinating that a "vintage" computer like the C65 can sell for $20,000+. It really didn't change computing history in any way, and there are more than a few out there (50-200 examples in existence isn't quite insanely rare). I have sold quite a few items for much less that were far more rare. It's always amusing to see which obscure relics from the past can wedge open a checkbook, and which items can't. I honestly don't think the law of supply and demand applies in cases like these... LOL.

1972 Game Pack: SOLD "Shooting Gallery" Light Gun w/ Games & Overlays: LOWERED PRICE- $115 Shipped!

Hello Everyone, I picked up a small lot of original Magnavox Odyssey items recently, and am placing a few of the extra items up on the selling block. Here is what's available: If interested or if you simply have some questions/concerns, please feel free to send me a PM. Thanks!!! 1. 1972 Edition 6-Game Pack Complete w/ Shipping Box: This is the "1972 Edition" pack of 6 games, which includes the following titles: - Handball: includes cartridge #8 - Fun Zoo - Invasion - Wipeout - Volleyball: includes cartridge #7 - Baseball As can be seen, all 6 games are in their original boxes, all packed inside of the factory original brown cardboard shipping box. The game boxes are all in good condition, with all of them showing some wear to the corners and edges (the game Wipeout shows slightly more wear to the box). Some of the games appear to have never been used/played (such as Baseball and Invasion). All of the games appear to be complete, and the contents of the games are generally in very good to excellent condition. The contents of Invasion are not shown, however it appears this game was never played, and I knew that if I removed the contents I would never be able to get them back in the same ever again. Overall, a nice, clean, and complete set of 6 original Magnavox Odyssey games, and a great piece of video gaming history. !!!SOLD!!! Price: $175 Shipped (within the U.S.) !!!SOLD!!! No longer available 2. Magnavox Shooting Gallery Rifle w/ Game Cartridge 9 & 10 + 8 Screen Overlays: No longer available Mostly complete Magnavox Odyssey Shooting Gallery set with the rifle, both game cartridges, inspection card, and all 8 screen overlays. There are no foam inserts for the box or instruction manual included. The box shows obvious wear to the exterior (primarily on the edges and corners) and one tear in the middle on one side, however it is still presentable and complete. The rifle is in good condition, with some marks in the plastic of the barrel on side side. Otherwise, the rifle still looks great. All of the original overlays are included, which are in nice condition. Inspection card and box are matching, with both stating "RUN 1" (date code seems to indicate production in 1974). While not a 100% complete set, it has all of the important components that would be needed to actually play the games. This set is untested. No longer available... moved to online auction!!! Terms: Accepted forms of payment are Paypal or USPS Money Orders. Shipping will be via USPS Priority within the U.S., and USPS First Class International or Priority International outside of the U.S. This does NOT include shipping insurance. This can be added at the buyer's expense, just inform me you'd like insurance and I'll refigure the total cost. I am more than happy to ship items internationally, just send me a PM and I'll figure up a total to take the international shipping costs into account. The buyer is granted a 7-day return policy if the item is "not as described", but return shipping must be paid for by the buyer and must include tracking. Thanks for looking, and have a great day!!!

If you can find a nice, fully working CoCo1 for $50-75, it would be worth picking up. Oddly enough, I remember a former teacher on Ebay who was liquidating a fairly large number of these from their school in fully tested condition a few years back (most of them with upgrades to the memory), and most of them all sold for under $50. I tried selling a fully tested unit here on Atariage with a joystick and a few boxed games for what basically amounted to $45 plus shipping, and had no takers. I eventually sold it locally, but it took forever to find a buyer. I will say, after using a factory stock CoCo1, the later machines are definitely an improvement... especially the CoCo3. I would hate to have to do some serious typing on the original CoCo1 keyboard. The CoCo1 system I keep around has a high-quality upgraded keyboard, which is definitely a good thing to have on the original CoCo

It would seem to me you already answered your own question. It is simply an earlier variant that had a sticker applied to reflect the new patent approvals before it was shipped out. What specific information are you wanting?

Yes, this is the "original" Commodore 64, with the original style silver case logos and the Revision A board. Not many were made to begin with, and not many survived in their original configuration due to these early models being recalled by Commodore and updated to later specifications, as well as simply being repaired or thrown away throughout the last 30 some years. Having the original box is a huge plus. This is definitely something for the serious C64 collector, not the casual user simply wanting to try out the system. Taken in the grand context of C64 production (assuming there were about 20 million manufactured), this particular unit is within something like the first .09% of production. Most likely, this will be getting moved to online auction by the end of the weekend, so if anyone is interested, give me a shout.