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[AQUARIUS] Snagged an Aquarius today


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20 bucks for the system, the mini-expander, and 2 control pads. Not bad, really. All in very good shape, works like it just came out of the box. It did actually come in the box (but it was super nasty, so I chucked it). The boxes for 2 of the games were in it, but no games. Oh, well. Add another classic computer to my collection!

 

Also snagged Final Approach and Frankenstein's Monster for the 2600 for 3 bucks each. Again, not bad at all.

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Congratulations on the Aquarius! I've picked up a few Aquarius systems since I got my first one earlier this year, most of them with Mini-Expanders and hand controllers, and I don't think I paid more than $30 for any of them. Keep an eye on my multi-cart project, because by the end of the summer, I hope to have some interesting Aquarius goodies ready.

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  • 9 years later...

Wow, replying to a 10 year old thread.  ;-)

Someone recently gave me an Aquarius computer.  I wasn't all that familiar with them, but said yes when offered.

It was just the computer and tape drive, but with boxes.  The computer and tape drive look great and the boxes look pretty good. (although I have never been a box collector myself...)

 

The tape drive wasn't working when I got it, but the Aquarius seems to work great.

I finally got around to opening up the tape unit.

There was a broken belt.  And I had bought a spare variety belt pack awhile ago, so I had some.

But OMG!!!  Old belts are messy!!!

It was in pieces and they just melted as I touched them.  ?  What a mess to clean up!  I still think I can see some belt remnants on my fingers... (OK, maybe not anymore, but what a pain to clean...)

Luckily, it looks like there was just the one belt connected to the counter?

Anyway, cleaned that totally up.  Replaced with a new belt.

Cleaned up the inside and the heads, and now the tape drive and the counter work!!!

 

So I have now working Aquarius and matching tape drive.

 

To be honest, not sure how much I will use it tho.

Without a mini-expander, I'm not sure the value (to me, not in money..).  And I don't know if I will like it enough to invest much more time/money. ;-)

 

But at least for my shelf and pulling it down from time to to time to poke at...

 

A quirky looking piece of history (not necessarily for the best reasons, but..).  ;-)

Edited by desiv
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/16/2020 at 2:39 PM, desiv said:

Wow, replying to a 10 year old thread.  ;-)

Someone recently gave me an Aquarius computer.  I wasn't all that familiar with them, but said yes when offered.

It was just the computer and tape drive, but with boxes.  The computer and tape drive look great and the boxes look pretty good. (although I have never been a box collector myself...)

 

The tape drive wasn't working when I got it, but the Aquarius seems to work great.

I finally got around to opening up the tape unit.

There was a broken belt.  And I had bought a spare variety belt pack awhile ago, so I had some.

But OMG!!!  Old belts are messy!!!

It was in pieces and they just melted as I touched them.  ?  What a mess to clean up!  I still think I can see some belt remnants on my fingers... (OK, maybe not anymore, but what a pain to clean...)

Luckily, it looks like there was just the one belt connected to the counter?

Anyway, cleaned that totally up.  Replaced with a new belt.

Cleaned up the inside and the heads, and now the tape drive and the counter work!!!

 

So I have now working Aquarius and matching tape drive.

 

To be honest, not sure how much I will use it tho.

Without a mini-expander, I'm not sure the value (to me, not in money..).  And I don't know if I will like it enough to invest much more time/money. ;-)

 

But at least for my shelf and pulling it down from time to to time to poke at...

 

A quirky looking piece of history (not necessarily for the best reasons, but..).  ;-)

I(and probably many others) don't think it's a very good idea to reply to these prehistoric threads. Just make a new topic if you want to discuss about a certain system.

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5 minutes ago, bluejay said:

I(and probably many others) don't think it's a very good idea to reply to these prehistoric threads. Just make a new topic if you want to discuss about a certain system.

Different people will have different opinions, but I don't have a problem with bumping old threads, especially if they're not time sensitive.  The new information might be helpful to others, if not the original poster.

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1 minute ago, jaybird3rd said:

Different people will have different opinions, but I don't have a problem with bumping old threads, especially if they're not time sensitive.  The new information might be helpful to others, if not the original poster.

Oh right, this isn't a for sale thread! What was I thinking?

P.S. @2600Lives, I know you haven't been on AA for a while, but I am a fan of your profile photo:)

Edited by bluejay
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On 3/16/2020 at 4:39 PM, desiv said:

Wow, replying to a 10 year old thread.  ;-)

Someone recently gave me an Aquarius computer.  I wasn't all that familiar with them, but said yes when offered.

It was just the computer and tape drive, but with boxes.  The computer and tape drive look great and the boxes look pretty good. (although I have never been a box collector myself...)

 

The tape drive wasn't working when I got it, but the Aquarius seems to work great.

I finally got around to opening up the tape unit.

There was a broken belt.  And I had bought a spare variety belt pack awhile ago, so I had some.

But OMG!!!  Old belts are messy!!!

It was in pieces and they just melted as I touched them.  ?  What a mess to clean up!  I still think I can see some belt remnants on my fingers... (OK, maybe not anymore, but what a pain to clean...)

Luckily, it looks like there was just the one belt connected to the counter?

Anyway, cleaned that totally up.  Replaced with a new belt.

Cleaned up the inside and the heads, and now the tape drive and the counter work!!!

 

So I have now working Aquarius and matching tape drive.

 

To be honest, not sure how much I will use it tho.

Without a mini-expander, I'm not sure the value (to me, not in money..).  And I don't know if I will like it enough to invest much more time/money. ;-)

 

But at least for my shelf and pulling it down from time to to time to poke at...

 

A quirky looking piece of history (not necessarily for the best reasons, but..).  ;-)

Congratulations on your acquisition!  As I mentioned in my first post in this thread (almost ten years in the past now!), I've had some fun tinkering with the Aquarius myself.  The project thread that I linked to has since culminated in the Aquaricart, which I'm still offering.

 

I know exactly what you mean about aging belts.  I had the same problem with one of my Data Recorder drives; it worked fine, but the counter belt had broken, and the pieces had dissolved into a sticky slurry of the nastiest rubber I'd ever seen (they must have used cheap belts for that part of the assembly).  I have yet to find a suitable replacement, but it's good to know that they're available!

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