Question What to do with a Commodore VIC-20

[danielking4684]

I found an old Commodore VIC-20 in my great aunts garage. It still powers on and puts out image. I don't really know what to do with this thing, it's nearly twice my age. Is it worth anything? Anyone want it? Have any suggestions?

 

[ShadeSlayer812]

It's a cool collector's item. Every time I stumble across something like this I compulsively buy it and then go home to screw with it, being the nerd that I am. However, unless you are the type of person that wires RJ-45s in your sleep, it will probably just collect dust.

From my research (literally just googled it) these are selling for $80-100 in the original box and with all the accessories (casset player, original 2 games, PSU, etc). If what is in the picture is all you have, it won't even turn on, considering these use an external power supply. As is, it's not worth anything as far as resale is concerned. If you have the accessories then that's a different story. HMU if you do have them

 

[CountMike]

Beside power supply you also need an audio cassette player to run programs/games off as it doesn't have any storage in it. It also has connector for game cartridges. There are still games for it and could be downloaded https://www.gamesdatabase.org/all_system_games-commodore_vic-20 but you have to record them to audio cassette tape thru sound output on a PC. It has to be mono though.

 

[HEXiT]

open it, recap it (replace the capacitors) and sell it to a collector... there roughly worth x2 there original price if its working properly.
if its just the keyboard then its worth about 20 to the same collector.

 

[darksun9210]

or start banging out some basic commands
10 print "hello!"
20 goto 10
run

i found this, dunno if you can get these in text form to type in. this kinda stuff is what would be in the back of computer mags before cover-disks.
http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/vic20/games.basic/index.html

i've got one myself, with cassette desk, carts etc. must dig it out to see if it still works...

 

[Deleted member 14196]

I was just going to say learn basic

 

[danielking4684]

It's a cool collector's item. Every time I stumble across something like this I compulsively buy it and then go home to screw with it, being the nerd that I am. However, unless you are the type of person that wires RJ-45s in your sleep, it will probably just collect dust.

From my research (literally just googled it) these are selling for $80-100 in the original box and with all the accessories (casset player, original 2 games, PSU, etc). If what is in the picture is all you have, it won't even turn on, considering these use an external power supply. As is, it's not worth anything as far as resale is concerned. If you have the accessories then that's a different story. HMU if you do have them

I have the original power cord. I used to have the original box, however unfortunately it rotted from moisture in the basement.
This sat in the great aunt's garage for YEARS (Can only imagine, when do you think they last used it? This was my first time meeting her...)
But from what I recall, before I stowed it in the basement, it works just fine. And the moisture damage to the box stayed on the outside of the box. It was more of from humidity than actual standing water leaking. Plus, the cardboard was old and already worn from that garage. It was only in my basement a couple years, with the moisture happening very recently; glad I pulled it out when I did, however.
Let me tell you, this unit reeks of old!

Take a look at what others said as well and my responses...

 

[NightHawkRMX]

I would use it to learn basic and maybe play a few cartrage games. These machines didnt have a lot of ram, even for the time, so a common addition was a ram expander.
They are pretty common machines.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

You might want to check the power supply voltages aswell. I dont know if this applies to vic20 but i think the c64s powersupplies would slowly fail and send more and more voltage killing conponents.

 

[danielking4684]

Beside power supply you also need an audio cassette player to run programs/games off as it doesn't have any storage in it. It also has connector for game cartridges. There are still games for it and could be downloaded https://www.gamesdatabase.org/all_system_games-commodore_vic-20 but you have to record them to audio cassette tape thru sound output on a PC. It has to be mono though.

It has some serial port like connectors as well as some cartridges.

I'll show you some images...

That funny old school colored box shown beside the unit in the first image of this thread is the original box for the AC adapter and accessories from that actual original box for the entire unit.

 

[danielking4684]

open it, recap it (replace the capacitors) and sell it to a collector... there roughly worth x2 there original price if its working properly.
if its just the keyboard then its worth about 20 to the same collector.

^^^

 

[danielking4684]

or start banging out some basic commands
10 print "hello!"
20 goto 10
run

i found this, dunno if you can get these in text form to type in. this kinda stuff is what would be in the back of computer mags before cover-disks.
http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/vic20/games.basic/index.html

i've got one myself, with cassette desk, carts etc. must dig it out to see if it still works...

I probably will tinker with it for a bit; but thing is, I just don't see myself holding onto this forever.

 

[danielking4684]

You might want to check the power supply voltages aswell. I dont know if this applies to vic20 but i think the c64s powersupplies would slowly fail and send more and more voltage killing conponents.

You see, I do have the RAM expander.
However, I see your point about the voltage as a very valid potential.
I have a multimeter, but how would I test this? Where would I place the probes?
It is..
Input 117V 47-63Hz 40W
Output 10VAC 30V A

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Nevermind. It seems the vic 20s dont have this issue.
https://amigalove.com/viewtopic.php?t=247