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Good morning, welcome back to the ValorosoIT channel and, for those who are here for the first time, welcome! Here we chat about vintage computers and electronics. I prepared a thematic route, at least that's what I called it, I didn't know what to call it. I wanted to organize a journey of vintage computers starting from the 70s and reaching up to the 90s. Unfortunately I realized that I don't have any computers from the 1970s in my collection. My computers all start from the 80s and then... oh well... they move on, obviously. So, to make the journey start from the 70s, I included some cute little objects from those years.
So, let's start taking a tour of the route. After that, we'll chat about different computers.
Even the desks I recovered are from the 80s, evidently. So, this is the first part of the journey, or rather, the first part that I assembled. Some small computers are also here, and on the other side. Then we'll delve deeper, eh, let's also talk about the various computers. Those that we can, we also light them. Instead, on this other side, here we are, other computers. All Commodore computers, but with a few other items that are decidedly not Commodore. For example, this beautiful phone.
Let's start with this magnificent one, in my opinion the top, number one: the Commodore 128. It is the computer that I have kept since I was a child. It wasn't my first computer, because from memory - unfortunately the memories are not always precise - but I remember having also had a Commodore 64. Evidently, my parents must have sold it and then bought this Commodore 128. It is a computer that was marketed from 1985 to 1989, and I am particularly sure that I had it quite early, so I would say already in '85, also because subsequently, in 1987, we bought an IBM PS/2 model 60, which I also keep, but it is not found within this thematic path that I have prepared. Because here, obviously, I wanted to put Commodore computers.
It is a very versatile computer, because inside it has two microprocessors: the MOS 8502, which is used to run the Commodore 128 and the Commodore 64 mode, and in addition it also has a Z80, which allows it to start the CP/M, which was an operating system that could be used at the time. So, since you tell me I never use CRT monitors, here it is: Mivar at 20 inches. So, now we also have the CRT monitor for the Commodore 128.
We can try to turn this on. So, my Commodore 128 has some problems with the power button, but not bad. Just try it a couple of times and then it lights up, amazing! I do some advertising on my blog. If you remember, on my blog I always insert product data sheets, understood as photographs, as electrical diagrams, etc., etc. Plus, you can also find all the other videos I make, so: www.valoroso.it.
But we don't send it to him because, otherwise, he'll give us the error. To use the Commodore 64 software, the GO64 command was used.
He asked me if I'm sure: sure. And then, somehow, he started as if he were a Commodore 64. You could also start directly by holding down the Commodore button, turning on the computer, and he started directly as if he were a Commodore 64. In addition to the Commodore 128, I also had a drive, which however isn't this one here, I have it somewhere else. The drive that I have had since I was little, this one was given to me, then I fixed it and it works now, which is wonderful! And the cassette player.
I particularly enjoyed myself with this computer, especially with version 7 of Basic, which is therefore used when the Commodore 128 mode is activated, and has a truly huge amount of commands. I mean, it's actually a lot of fun as a computer.
Let's turn it off.
In addition to the Commodore 128, I also have this Commodore 128D that I bought on eBay as 100% untested, actually. Whoever sold it to me had advertised that he hadn't tested it at all and I lowered the price on eBay. I contacted him, made him a proposal, he accepted it, luckily. I was quite lucky. I made a video, you can find it on my channel, in which I tried it: everything works quite well, except the drive, in this case. The drive doesn't read, but I haven't looked into it further yet. When I bought it it was very dirty, but now I managed to clean it. It remained a bit yellow, but until now I've never dared to do retrobrighting, so for the moment it stays that way.
Another interesting feature of the Commodore 128 and Commodore 128D is the ability to connect two monitors at the same time. And they are not monitors that show the same image, it is possible to show two different images on the two monitors. I had made a video about it, which can also be found both on my blog www.valoroso.it and on my YouTube channel.
Well, let's move on to this other magnificent computer: the Commodore SX-64. We talk about it as we turn it on. It's a computer from the 80s, from 1984. Some say it's from 1983, but I've seen that the first versions marketed are those from 1984. But I'm not a historian, eh, so if anyone has more accurate information than mine, well, they're welcome. Whoever sold it to me sold it to me without a keyboard. I also posted a couple of videos here. In the first, the computer arrived completely broken, destroyed, because it had not been carefully packaged. Then I later sent it back to the seller and he sent it to me completely repaired. I adapted a Commodore 64 keyboard because his one wasn't there.
And we can write the name of my blog here too. I had always wanted to have one because it seems like a really interesting computer, very beautiful. Unfortunately, in fact, I found it without a keyboard. So, those of you who have a Commodore SX-64 keyboard lying around and want to sell it, obviously I hope at a humane price, contact me because I'm absolutely interested. And this computer works very well, everything, both the drive and the computer, and is also in more than acceptable condition. The only thing is that the keyboard is missing.
Finally we can also see some 70s objects. Calculator and calculator, both from CBM, therefore Commodore Business Machines. And this Safnat phone. As for the Safnat phone, it is a rotary phone. Do you remember these noises? I purchased this phone to put it in a collection, mostly for the brand. When I was little, the father of a friend of mine was a contractor for Safnat, and I remember that both my friend and I often went to his workshop, without him realizing it. But in my opinion he also noticed it. We gave him the diodes, LEDs and other components he used to assemble the phones. So from there the logo and name of this brand stuck in my head, and so then I decided to commemorate it by buying this phone recently.
Two computers are the Commodore VIC-20, also a computer from the 80s, from 1980, and the Commodore 16 from 1984. The Commodore 16, in my opinion, is beautiful because it has the same shape as the Commodore 64, the Commodore VIC-20, the first version of the Commodore 64 I mean, and it is very stylish, in my opinion. Compared to these other computers that perhaps seem more vintage, this one could almost seem a little more modern.
I had purchased it to recover two or three components that were needed to fix this one: the Commodore Plus/4. I also made a video of this. I bought it on eBay and it arrived damaged because the seller had packaged it badly. Furthermore, three chips didn't work, which in my opinion doesn't depend on the transport, the fact that three chips didn't work. So I said: I'll buy the three chips, but they cost more than buying a new computer.
So I got this one which, by the way, is in excellent condition. It's not that I stole the three chips, I borrowed them, until I find some more chips at a decent price and can put them on the Plus/4 and then give them back to him. Wait a minute, sooner or later they will come back to you. The CPU, the PLA and the TED.
Very nice calculator, I had to fix this one because a segment was missing and there was also a wire from the battery holder detached. Now it works perfectly. The calculator is from the 1970s, model CBM 776M. However, I can't turn on this calculator here because it is only powered via an external connector. I tried it, it works... it works very well. However, at the moment, I don't have a power supply here with me.
Also on this desk there are some very interesting computers, but I put LCD monitors because, unfortunately, I couldn't find original Commodore CRTs for the Amiga 2000 and for the Commodore 64 that had an affordable price. Here, let's put it this way.
Commodore 710: it is a computer from 1982, it was mainly intended for office use. It's also very beautiful in terms of line, really cute. I bought it broken, though. Whoever sold it to me was very honest, he told me: Look, it doesn't work. Even though I bought it a number of years ago, I haven't had a hand with it yet, but it would be interesting to fix it sooner or later because it's a really nice computer.
Walkman, I think quite recent, I think this is already from the late 90s.
Two versions of the Commodore 64: obviously the most famous computer of all, which everyone knows. The Commodore 64 was produced starting in 1982, obviously it was intended for the home market, with 64 KB of RAM and MOS 6510 processor. Subsequently, after a few years, the case was updated; the interior remained with the same technical characteristics, however the case was updated and the Commodore 64C was released, which has the shape of the Commodore 128, which we saw before, but is smaller: the Commodore 128 continues further.
Amiga 2000, which I stuck on the Super Cars 2 screen by taking out the floppy disk while it loaded. I know, there's no point in doing that. It is a computer that was sold starting in 1987. I bought this example as part of a batch of different computers. I also showed the video of me taking them out of my van, and box by box I showed what was inside.
Sirio SIP phone, which is the one from the 90s.
Always returning to the Amiga 2000: external floppy disk drive and the Gotek. This Gotek allows you to load files from USB pen drives instead of floppy disk.
And do you remember this? The magnificent Nokia 7110, also from the 90s. When the movie The Matrix came out, everyone wanted this cell phone here, because it had the flip opening. And I made no difference compared to the others: I too always wanted this model, then in the end I found a way to buy it. So, I don't know if this one is mine or the one that another friend of mine gave me. Anyway, I have both. The problem is that I forgot my phone's unlock code. When I turn it on, it immediately asks for the unlock code and unfortunately I don't have it, so I'm looking for ways to bypass this problem here. In fact, if any of you know it, please direct me to a web page or something so I can solve the problem quickly.
Side B of the desk: some other interesting little computers. Let's start with the Commodore PC10. I've already made quite a few videos of this one on my channel, both long videos and short videos. So, first of all I updated the RAM memory: before it was 256 KB, now I brought it to 640 KB. Then I did some other experiments: I tried to install the Intel 8087 mathematical coprocessor, since there is a free slot, and we saw this in a short video. I tried replacing the Intel 8088 processor with the NEC V20, and that guarantees a minimum of more performance. Not that there's any need, eh, because it's already an extremely high-performance computer.
Unfortunately this computer does not have a hard disk, in the sense that it was sold to me without it, and therefore I subsequently installed a Compact Flash XT CF reader, and for that too I made a very accurate and detailed video on how to install the hardware and then on how to configure it to have the hard disk. In fact now he started from C:, but since he doesn't have a hard disk he is starting from Compact Flash.
Commodore Plus/4: beautiful! I really like the shape, I really did everything to get it, because I like the aesthetics of this computer. It shares hardware very similar to that of the Commodore 16, but in addition it has the button to activate software that it already has loaded into the ROM memory.
Amiga: here we start from 1987 up to the 90s with the Amiga 500. This was given to me as a gift, it's not the one I had to repair which you saw the videos of. At a certain point the videos stopped because the repair was so long and over time they even gave me this as a gift, and I said: okay, I'll repair it more calmly. Not much missing, that is, the computer that I'm repairing already works. It's just that, having replaced the floppy like this one here with one for PC, I still miss the 3D printed key. Once that's done, I can let's say close the computer.
Amiga 600, this one also has a hard disk inside, but with Compact Flash and an external memory. And the Amiga 1200, of which you saw the video on my channel, which I purchased on eBay and has a mechanical hard disk inside.
So, I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the Amiga yet, because, as I told you before, I went from the Commodore 128 directly to the IBM. So, this is all technology that I didn't get to enjoy at the time. Now I've bought some for the collection, so sooner or later I'll study them and as I study them I won't fail to publish some videos. But I have already published something, both as a video and as an article. For example, the DF0/DF1 switch to start the software by installing an external drive. You could install a drive with the external Gotek and then start the Amiga 500 games and programs without having to modify the computer and install the internal Gotek, if you want to have them on a USB pen drive, but leaving the original computer and using an external drive. Furthermore, the DF0/DF1 modification can be done non-invasively. That is, I didn't make a hole in the box to put the button out: I leave the button underneath, where the door is. Or I know there are some mods that allow you to change the drive by simply pressing keys on the keyboard.
I hope you enjoyed this brief overview of some of the computers I have in my collection. If this is the case and you are not subscribed to the channel, please subscribe and activate the notification bell. I'm not only on YouTube, you can also find me on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, on Threads, and also on my blog www.valoroso.it.
See you in the next video. See you soon! Bye bye!