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My first Commodore haul


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I'm not a Commodore person. Never was. I'm almost exclusively Atari 8-bit since forever ago. However, I noticed that A8 gear is much harder to find in the wild in my area, let alone nuts expensive when it is found. (Think $95 for a dirty 800XL with no cables or power and unknown condition). So, while toying with the idea of obtaining an Amiga (which is just about impossible to find in the wild) I realized there was a large abundance of C64 8bit gear and at very cheap prices. So I figured why not. I can learn how to restore C64 gear just as well as a 1200XL. Although I prefer the 64C/128 industrial design way better than the old V20/C64 style, I couldn't pass this up even if I use it as a boat anchor. :-D

 

So this is my first haul... all for $15.00 USD! I have no idea if it works. Its filled with dust bunnies falling out of the cartridge port. Perhaps this weekend I will get to open it up and sterilize the thing before even attempting to supply power.

 

post-4566-0-88550400-1468531862_thumb.jpg

Edited by kheller2
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At least measure the voltages without load on the power supply. Sometimes those fail and output overvoltage, and at least you could check that it already hasn't.

 

What is the item with four DE9 connectors? If it had two connectors, I had thought it was a joystick expansion for the userport, but it seems to be two ports too many. The other black item with DE9 connectors I presume is some kind of autofire dongle that connects between a joystick and the computer?

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Looks good! I'll second the idea that you check the power supply before trying to power up the C64. If it's gone bad, it could ruin an otherwise functional computer.

 

The 4-plug connector looks like the 4-player adapters Electronic Arts made for the Sega Genesis. I don't know of any C64 games that could use it and, depending on how it's wired, it might damage the 64.

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Genesis controller has active high and low while Commodore and Atari controller only have active low signal. When the direction aren't pushed, the input pins are floating. With Genesis controller, when input isn't used, the inputs are held to 5v. Because the keyboard shares some of the same lines as controller, using keyboard to pull some lines low while Genesis controller is plugged in can create a short that can fry a CIA chip.

 

The 4 player adapter isn't valuable, probably $5 or so. I'd toss it in a freebie thread and the first one to pay shipping gets it.

 

$15 is a steal for the C64 lot. A working C64 is probably worth around $50. Do have the power supply checked before you plug it in or get a C64 Saver first. The black brick are fail prone and has no safety to prevent overvoltage from being dumped into C64, frying chips.

 

Disk drive is also nice if it works but alignment and dirty heads are common. If your disk drive is working, you should pick up a guide on using 1541. C64 BASIC is very lacking in convenient disk command so you need convoluted string to format a new disk, convoluted string to delete an old file, etc. Load and save are the only easy command.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Only $15, wow nice find! 8 bit computers are great game "consoles" featuring a cart port (as well as floppy disk games) and hookup to regular TV. You can upgrade that RF to a Composite or SVideo cable, look online. The official Commodore Cable that plugs to the back of the 1701/1702 monitors can easily be adapted to SVideo.

 

Hey that tiny 9 pin plug looks like an auto fire adapter, I have one of those! The EPYX Joystik also sweet, works great on the Atari 2600/7800 as well!

 

Have care on that Genesis adapter, read somewhere Genesis Controllers will fry the Commodore joyport. Something about the joyport pin supporting lightpens. 2600 Joystiks and 2600 paddles are okay though. Oh and speaking of Lightpens, if you ever come across a Flexidraw snag it! So sensitive you can actually "airbrush paint" the on screen drawings with it.

Edited by CRTGAMER
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