Commodore SX 64 Portable.

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Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300 bucks, even today.

Bill


"boB" <akitaREMOVECAPS77@excite.Icom> wrote in message news:sPhQd.61677$uA.26428@fe1.texas.rr.com...
This old computer is up to US $324.30

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5164518878&ssPageName=ADME:B😀S:US:28

--

boB

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 15:05:15 GMT, BillW50 wrote:

> Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300 bucks, even today.

Well, that particular one sold for $660!

It makes me wish mine hadn't been stolen... ;(

Bill
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

BillW50 wrote:
> Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300 bucks, even today.
>
> Bill



I think the cost was the reason I didn't get the SX. I did use a
Commodore 64C with some database software (that I forget the name of) to
manage the Squadrons 128 pilots. Mostly monthly reports on pilot
proficiency checkrides, medical currencies and instrument checkrides
completion dates, border currencies to mention a few. I know I had 9 or
10 columns of info and that C64 saved me many hours of work every month.

People bought Apples and called my C64 a game machine. Well, yep, you
could play games with it, or you can use it like the computer it is.

I upgraded to the C128 and had an amazing 80 columns on the screen. :)


--

boB

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi boB... Yeap I've used the Commodore VIC-20, C-64, and the C128 for many years. And I still have one of each (plus the SX-64) with four C128s (one is a C128D). Although if I remember right, two out of the four is used for parts.

The Commodore 128 can also use composite video in 80 columns. So you can use your big screen TV there too. Although I believe it is only in B&W in this case. Otherwise it uses a CGA monitor or a Commodore 128 compatible monitor.

Bill


"boB" <akitaREMOVECAPS77@excite.Icom> wrote in message news:OsxQd.1312$911.478@fe2.texas.rr.com...
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 01:36:46 GMT

BillW50 wrote:
> Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300 bucks, even today.
>
> Bill

I think the cost was the reason I didn't get the SX. I did use a
Commodore 64C with some database software (that I forget the name of) to
manage the Squadrons 128 pilots. Mostly monthly reports on pilot
proficiency checkrides, medical currencies and instrument checkrides
completion dates, border currencies to mention a few. I know I had 9 or
10 columns of info and that C64 saved me many hours of work every month.

People bought Apples and called my C64 a game machine. Well, yep, you
could play games with it, or you can use it like the computer it is.

I upgraded to the C128 and had an amazing 80 columns on the screen. :)


--

boB

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

BillW50 wrote:

> Hi boB... Yeap I've used the Commodore VIC-20, C-64, and the C128 for many years. And I still have one of each (plus the SX-64) with four C128s (one is a C128D). Although if I remember right, two out of the four is used for parts.
>
> The Commodore 128 can also use composite video in 80 columns. So you can use your big screen TV there too. Although I believe it is only in B&W in this case. Otherwise it uses a CGA monitor or a Commodore 128 compatible monitor.
>
> Bill
>
>


I think I'll dig the thing out and fire up the FS II from SubLogic and
see how it looks on my 32" TV and get some screen shots.



http://flightsims.vze.com/sublogic/sublogic


--

boB

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

boB wrote:

> BillW50 wrote:
>
>> Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run
>> SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight
>> Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it
>> still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so
>> Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare
>> side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300
>> bucks, even today.
>>
>> Bill
>
>
>
>
> I think the cost was the reason I didn't get the SX. I did use a
> Commodore 64C with some database software (that I forget the name of)
> to manage the Squadrons 128 pilots. Mostly monthly reports on pilot
> proficiency checkrides, medical currencies and instrument checkrides
> completion dates, border currencies to mention a few. I know I had 9
> or 10 columns of info and that C64 saved me many hours of work every
> month.
>
Chances are the data base prog was "dbase" or "dBase" from that era.
AL
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

In article <UptQd.1165$IU.343@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com says...
>
> "boB"
> > This old computer is up to US $324.30
> >
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5164518878&ssPageName=ADME:B😀S:US:28
>
> Winning bid: $660! Shoot.. I'm going up to the attic right now to bring
> down my TI Portable Professional.
>
> Dallas

What was the difference between an SX64 and a C64?

John Black
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

In article <utAQd.847$cW2.482@fe2.texas.rr.com>, akitaREMOVECAPS77
@excite.Icom says...
> I think I'll dig the thing out and fire up the FS II from SubLogic and
> see how it looks on my 32" TV and get some screen shots.

I had that. It ran at 1 frame per second (literally).

John Black
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi John... Well the SX-64 was the portable version of the C=64 (nowadays we call them luggables). Which included a monitor (a color one too), drive, keyboard and power supply in one huge box. Just a bit smaller than the size of a modern CPU. And you just plugged it into the wall and fire them up.

Other companies back in the early 80's also made luggables. Like Kaypro, Osborne, and Compaq comes to mind. Although very few luggables came with a color screen. And the Commodore SX-64 was said to be the first color luggable. And Commodore computers including the SX-64, didn't use fans. Although the D128 had a spot for one.

Commodore also advertised a DX-64 luggable. Which was the two drive model. Although that one never went into production. Do to problems of the internal power supply of overheating. Commodore must of had a few of them, but I serious doubt you will ever see one. Although some people installed a second drive into their SX-64s. And I believe most of them installed a fan to keep the power supply cooler. Although I haven't seen any working two drive SX-64 models in about 15 years now.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody made luggables anymore near the end of the 80's. As the first laptops came out in '84, first with the Tandy and then with the Epson PX-8 (I still have mine). So I think the luggable market must have been overtaken by the laptops by then.

Bill





"John Black" <jblack@texas.net> wrote in message news:MPG.1c7d621ec7ec1b27989748@news.chi.sbcglobal.net...
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 19:59:13 GMT

In article <UptQd.1165$IU.343@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com says...
>
> "boB"
> > This old computer is up to US $324.30
> >
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5164518878&ssPageName=ADME:B😀S:US:28
>
> Winning bid: $660! Shoot.. I'm going up to the attic right now to bring
> down my TI Portable Professional.
>
> Dallas

What was the difference between an SX64 and a C64?

John Black
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

How and when did this happen Bill? I always worried about that with my luggables and laptops when I went out on business trips.

Bill





"Bill Leaming" <n4gix@comcast.net> wrote in message news:7fii8xvc76mo$.tstf879rhw6p.dlg@40tude.net...
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 23:45:07 -0500

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 15:05:15 GMT, BillW50 wrote:

> Hi boB... I still have one of those right here. I used to run SubLogic Flight Simulator II on it (same thing as Microsoft's Flight Simulator). Last time I fired it up was like a few years ago and it still worked fine. These SX-64 was pretty costly when new, so Commodore didn't sell many of them. So they are sort of on the rare side. And it is really rare to find one of these SX-64s for under 300 bucks, even today.

Well, that particular one sold for $660!

It makes me wish mine hadn't been stolen... ;(

Bill
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 01:44:10 GMT, BillW50 wrote:

> How and when did this happen Bill? I always worried about that with my luggables and laptops when I went out on business trips.
>
> It makes me wish mine hadn't been stolen... ;(

Oh, the SX64 was stolen in a burglary of my business back in 1982 or so.
My insurance company's claim settlement allowed me to purchase my first
"real computer," a Tandy 1000 (which is still operational, I hasten to
add!). The only "downside" was having to reconstruct all the books, since
I used the SX64 for that purpose. The data disks weren't stolen, but
without the SX64... or a way to actually xfer the data... they were
useless. ;(

Bill
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote in message
news:QEbRd.8978$hU7.6148@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com...

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody made luggables
anymore near the end of the 80's. As the first laptops came out in '84,
first with the Tandy and then with the Epson PX-8 (I still have mine). So I
think the luggable market must have been overtaken by the laptops by then.

Bill



There was that weird transitional period from about '88 - '91 or so. No one
had yet figured out how to make (powerful) battery powered laptops at a
decent price, but they had added nice gas plasma screens to slim down the
luggables. My first portable computer on the job was a 286-powered Toshiba
with a flip up EGA orange plasma screen (T5200 I think it was called).
About the size of a slim portable typewriter, and it still required a power
outlet, but a nice improvement on the huge luggables.

Then within a year I saw my first true laptop and I was amazed.

Stephen
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"Stephen F." <ferguson@NOJUNKbluewin.ch> wrote:

> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody made luggables
> anymore near the end of the 80's.

IBM made luggables up until at least 1993 in the States. I was given a new
one as part of an initiative at my then-employer to train several
developers in Expert Systems (an artificial intelligence business
programming tool).

I had forgotten all about that term until I read your post.

--
Peter













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http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi John! Oh come on! It wasn't too speedy, but it wasn't that slow from what I remember (4 or 5 FPS sounds about right to me). Although on a dare I could find my SubLogic Flight Simulator II disks (I have two of them, but I don't recall why I bought two for). Then I need to hunt for a joystick which won't take that long and I'll tell you how many frames per second it does run at.

By the way, I only have two computers here that can run FS9. And the Pentium III 533MHZ one can bring FS9 down to its knees at one frame per 4 seconds if I crank all graphics up in a high graphic area. Although normally with most sliders maxed out, it gets 10 to 15 frames per second. This one also has that SiS315E video card installed (only 32MB of RAM).

My other desktop computer, a AMD 1.2GHZ with a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX400 video card (AGP w/64MB) has frame rates at least double of the other machine (it used to have another NVIDIA card, but it died). Although while the SiS card is only a PCI card, I'm really tempted to put it in this 1.2GHZ machine as the graphics are far better with the SiS card. Especially the lighting is just fabulous!

Bill



"John Black" <jblack@texas.net> wrote in message news:MPG.1c7d625de5d11e69989749@news.chi.sbcglobal.net...
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 20:00:14 GMT

In article <utAQd.847$cW2.482@fe2.texas.rr.com>, akitaREMOVECAPS77
@excite.Icom says...
> I think I'll dig the thing out and fire up the FS II from SubLogic and
> see how it looks on my 32" TV and get some screen shots.

I had that. It ran at 1 frame per second (literally).

John Black
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi Bill... Oh that's too bad! As though SX64s are not that useful anymore, they still hold their value very well. Kind of like my Marantz 4400 quad ('77 era w/built in o'scope) with Sansui SP-X9000 speakers (x4 w/16 inch woofers). Dang things still sells for retail price after all of these years.

Bill


"Bill Leaming" <n4gix@comcast.net> wrote in message news:18rwwmw1wo3hr.11zb282k7y5pu$.dlg@40tude.net...
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 00:27:40 -0500

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 01:44:10 GMT, BillW50 wrote:

> How and when did this happen Bill? I always worried about that with my luggables and laptops when I went out on business trips.
>
> It makes me wish mine hadn't been stolen... ;(

Oh, the SX64 was stolen in a burglary of my business back in 1982 or so.
My insurance company's claim settlement allowed me to purchase my first
"real computer," a Tandy 1000 (which is still operational, I hasten to
add!). The only "downside" was having to reconstruct all the books, since
I used the SX64 for that purpose. The data disks weren't stolen, but
without the SX64... or a way to actually xfer the data... they were
useless. ;(

Bill
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi Stephen! Wow! A smaller luggable with an orange plasma screen! That I haven't seen that yet. My first color laptop was a Toshiba 1950CS 486 released back in '94. I still got it except the power regulator board won't fire up the laptop anymore.

I really would like to see pictures of this gas plasma screen Toshiba. I'll search the Net, but you find one first, please let me know where. Thanks again Stephen! I really like this old stuff. As some of this old stuff has features that we no longer have today.

Bill




"Stephen F." <ferguson@NOJUNKbluewin.ch> wrote in message news:42159a62$1@news.unibe.ch...
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 08:33:50 +0100

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote in message
news:QEbRd.8978$hU7.6148@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com...

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody made luggables
anymore near the end of the 80's. As the first laptops came out in '84,
first with the Tandy and then with the Epson PX-8 (I still have mine). So I
think the luggable market must have been overtaken by the laptops by then.

Bill



There was that weird transitional period from about '88 - '91 or so. No one
had yet figured out how to make (powerful) battery powered laptops at a
decent price, but they had added nice gas plasma screens to slim down the
luggables. My first portable computer on the job was a 286-powered Toshiba
with a flip up EGA orange plasma screen (T5200 I think it was called).
About the size of a slim portable typewriter, and it still required a power
outlet, but a nice improvement on the huge luggables.

Then within a year I saw my first true laptop and I was amazed.

Stephen
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi Peter! IBM made a luggable? Boy and here I thought I was a top of most things of that era too. They must have been a late comer in the luggable market. And it sounds like they were one of the last as well. Say do you recall such things as the CPU, model numbers, etc of these IBM luggables? Did these late luggables sport color screens yet? Thanks again in advance.

Bill




"pr" <nope@nospam.com> wrote in message news:1ciuafnyl6pfz.dlg@ID-259643.user.individual.net...
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 07:52:01 -0500

"Stephen F." <ferguson@NOJUNKbluewin.ch> wrote:

> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anybody made luggables
> anymore near the end of the 80's.

IBM made luggables up until at least 1993 in the States. I was given a new
one as part of an initiative at my then-employer to train several
developers in Expert Systems (an artificial intelligence business
programming tool).

I had forgotten all about that term until I read your post.

--
Peter
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

> Hi Peter! IBM made a luggable? Boy and here I thought I was a top of most
> things of that era too. They must have been a late comer in the luggable
> market. And it sounds like they were one of the last as well.
> Say do you recall such things as the CPU, model numbers, etc of
> these IBM luggables?

Here it is (or was, as the case may be):

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney/p70.htm

Pictured is the model P70, but IIRC we were issued P75s, which had 486
chips. You should find most of what you were looking for here.

> Did these late luggables sport color screens yet?

No, the built-in screen was monochrome orange.




--
Peter













----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Hi gosh Peter! You don't know how much you have made my week (or even month)! I just *love* this older computer stuff! Kind of like people generally like the music that they grew up with. Well it is true of music and fabulous older computers with me.

Bill




"pr" <nope@nospam.com> wrote in message news:133ifgbgqlkwn$.dlg@ID-259643.user.individual.net...
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 21:01:23 -0500

BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

> Hi Peter! IBM made a luggable? Boy and here I thought I was a top of most
> things of that era too. They must have been a late comer in the luggable
> market. And it sounds like they were one of the last as well.
> Say do you recall such things as the CPU, model numbers, etc of
> these IBM luggables?

Here it is (or was, as the case may be):

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney/p70.htm

Pictured is the model P70, but IIRC we were issued P75s, which had 486
chips. You should find most of what you were looking for here.

> Did these late luggables sport color screens yet?

No, the built-in screen was monochrome orange.

--
Peter
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

> Hi gosh Peter! You don't know how much you have made my week
> (or even month)!

My pleasure. Keep in mind that this trip down memory lane was brought to
you by the letter "L" and the word "luggables."

--
Peter













----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

"BillW50"
Hi Peter! IBM made a luggable? Boy and here I thought I was a top of most
things of that era too. And it sounds like they were one of the last as
well.

Actually, I'm pretty well qualified to answer this question... they made
one down in Austin, Texas called the IBM Portable PC 5155 model 68 - it was
in response to the Compaq.. It was a very attractive machine but oddly, it
was not a widely successful product. I believe IBM came to market too late
with that model to have broad distribution.

http://oldcomputers.net/ibm5155.html

Dallas
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

John Black <jblack@texas.net> astounded us with:
news:MPG.1c7d621ec7ec1b27989748@news.chi.sbcglobal.net:

> In article <UptQd.1165$IU.343@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
> Cybnorm@spam_me_not.Hotmail.Com says...
>>
>> "boB"
>> > This old computer is up to US $324.30
>> >
>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5164518878&ssPageName
>> =ADME:B😀S:US:28
>>
>> Winning bid: $660! Shoot.. I'm going up to the attic right now to
>> bring down my TI Portable Professional.
>>
>> Dallas
>
> What was the difference between an SX64 and a C64?
>
> John Black

The SX was "portable", similar to the Kaypro's and Osborne 1's of the time
http://computermuseum.50megs.com/brands/sx64.htm

--
Phÿltêr
AA#1938
Denizen of Darkness #44 & AFJC Antipodean Attaché
Remove "s" to respond
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim (More info?)

Guess what boB! This must be the year of the value of old computers are finally worth something. Check this out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4193&item=5168507907&rd=1

Normally these things sell for about 20 bucks! And I have the slightly rarer Osborne Executive sitting right here. Too bad FS Simulator never came out for CP/M machines AFAIK.

Bill



"boB" <akitaREMOVECAPS77@excite.Icom> wrote in message news:sPhQd.61677$uA.26428@fe1.texas.rr.com...
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 07:48:40 GMT

This old computer is up to US $324.30

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5164518878&ssPageName=ADME:B😀S:US:28

--

boB

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)
 
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