collect old home computers

I think I’ve modified my goal slightly after starting and finding out what it’s like… I have no need to collect one of each type of each model of each variation of each machine. I’ve found since collecting, that certain machines are far better supported than others, and it’s those that I’m going to concentrate on.

The Commodore 64 world is still very active and it’s good to be a part of that scene. The VIC-20 likewise.

The Amstrad/Spectrum scenes seem to be much smaller, so I’ll keep one tape machine and one disk machine, and maybe one for spares but probably not. I’d still like to get hold of an old 48k Spectrum.

I wouldn’t have known any of this without actually starting the collection, so it’s been a great learning experience, but I know I don’t want to end up with too much “stuff”. Everything I get hold of must have regular use, otherwise there’s no point, in my mind.

I spent an amount of Sunday taking stock of my collection, and cleaning machines. The C64 I picked up last weekend was filthy, but after a clean it’s in far better condition than the other one. It was boxed, too, so that’s now my good condition machine and the other one is for daily use.

I’ve sorted through the Amstrads and have one monitor and two machines spare. The Acorn BBC Master has to go, too. It’s too large and I think it’s a “school computer” not a “home computer” really.

The Spectrum +2 is broken irrepairably, so I’ll probably keep it for spares. The collection now stands at:

Amstrad

Amstrad CPC464 (normal – old style)
Amstrad CPC464 (normal – new style)
Amstrad CPC464 (rare)
Amstrad CPC6128
Amstrad Colour Monitor
Amstrad Colour Monitor
Amstrad Green Monitor
Amstrad TV Tuner

Commodore

Commodore VIC-20 (old style)
Commodore VIC-20 (new style)
Commodore 64 (new shape)
Commodore 64 (new shape) – boxed
Commodore 128
Commodore Plus/4
Commodore Datasette

That means I have spares of:

2 Amstrad CPC464s (normal)
1 Amstrad Colour Monitor
1 Commodore 128
1 ZX Spectrum +2 (broken)
1 Acorn BBC Master
1 BBC Monitor

So the resulting spoils of the weekend are:

2 Commodore 128s
1 Commodore 64
2 Commodore VIC-20s (different ages)
1 Commodore Plus/4
1 Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2
1 Acorn BBC Master
3 Commodore Disk Drives

Plus I’ve started sorting everything and already have a box of over 100 games to freecycle back out.

The picture only shows Saturday’s collection.

It makes me think I shouldn’t have paid anything for my first few acquisitions now. I saw a note from someone who wants to clear out their attic. I replied and I’m now picking up the following on Saturday (free of charge)...

VIC-20, C64, C128, Plus/4, Amiga, CDTV

This will add more duplicates, but I’m planning to keep some for spares and freecycle others.

I really need to sort out my storage/presentation system now!

Another thing I need to do is work out the limits of my collection. 8-bit only? (The Amiga and CDTV break this rule) 8/16-bit only? Certain dates? I’m not sure yet.

Wow! Who would have thought there was so much stuff going begging if you put the right feelers out? I’ve been offered a ZX Spectrum, Commodore VIC-20, Acorn BBC Model B and BBC Master.

I won’t count my chickens though… I should be collecting them on the 18th.

I really must sort out how I’m going to store/present this collection. I have ideas, but nothing concrete yet.

Well, I repaired the rare 464. I’m still not quite sure what it is, it has bilingual labelling on the back (in English and Spanish) and grey keys where they should be coloured (like the German Schneider versions).

I have powered up the 6128, but haven’t determined yet whether the disc drive works (I have no disks to test it). A new drive belt is £2.49 from eBay if I need one, so it’s not a problem.

So the collection now stands at:

Amstrad

Amstrad CPC464 (normal – old style)
Amstrad CPC464 (normal – new style)
Amstrad CPC464 (rare)
Amstrad CPC6128
Amstrad Colour Monitor
Amstrad Green Monitor
Amstrad TV Tuner

Commodore

Commodore 64 (new shape)
Commodore Datasette

That means I have spares of:

2 Amstrad CPC464s (normal)
2 Amstrad Colour Monitors

I put a request out on freecycle in case people had old computers gathering dust. Someone replied and said they had ‘a bit of CPC stuff I could have’. I went along today to collect it. It was more than ‘a bit’ of stuff :)

There’s a moderately rare one in there, but it requires repairing, so I’ll probably have to use some parts from others. If I end up with more than a whole computer left at the end of it, I’ll probably freecycle it onwards.

My first, ever. Bought for a few shiny gold coins.

Strangely awful in some ways – absolutely fantastic in others. It’s easy to see why it was the most popular home computer in the world(?) in its day. It’s also easy to see why the ZX Spectrum owners thought their machine was much better.

We already had an Amstrad Colour Monitor we were using as a TV set for several years. We got a new TV from Freecycle and so when I bought an Amstrad CPC 464 for £2 at the car boot sale, I just plugged it into the monitor and it worked straight away!

I’ve been getting more and more into old home computers, but am currently running on emulators. Unfortunately, I think I missed the boat a little, and the prices are now getting into ‘collector’ territory :(

My initial acquisitions should be:

Commodore 64
Atari ST
Amstrad CPC
ZX Spectrum

I might actually have a ZX Spectrum or two, but they seem to have vanished last time we moved house along with my wife’s Palm III and various other items.