Commodore SX-64 With Satellite Modem

[@michaelcarey]

Very cool! I spent almost 30 years in the marine electronics industry and one of the first things I did back in 1990 was help install a JRC JEU-45A Inmarsat A terminal on a fishing boat. The first thing that happened was to move the terminal, phone and fax into the skippers cabin as the crew were calling home just like it was a regular phone. A $14000 Inmarsat bill prompted the move. It's amazing how far satellite communications has come! Even now Inmarsat data connections are very expensive and if your laptop decided to perform an update while connected it can get VERY expensive, I hope you don't get a bill for your excess data use! I've connected my SX-64 to a Christie cinema projector for some BIG SCREEN gaming, but connecting one to the internet via satellite is amazing.

[@FrancescoSblendorio]

Hi! Greetings from Retrocampus BBS's sysop and coder. Nice to see it in your video!

[@saveitforparts]

Awesome! Thanks for putting that together, it's a really cool resource for old tech like this!

[@comicaltester]

4:45 squirrel

[@saveitforparts]

🐿️

[@daveminion6209]

dude, your daily videos are like a glimpse into my nerdy imagination and dreams, but IRL. lol.

[@KD2HJP]

I'm a 50+ year old disabled/ retired dude who's life has been full of bizarre & really amazing experiences From having represented the USA during the summer of 1989 throughout Europe and the former USSR To urethane foam & fire proofing application, Radio Shack sales & management, Home Depot, Lowes And finally a career in federal law enforcement that unfortunately ended early due to health. You could say I have seen & done things. I love YT, but its frustrating finding people, like Gabe, who have very similar interests and who seems to be the kind of person who I would enjoy hanging around with and going full tilt geek, only to find out that they liive in the land of lakes and cheese and I live on a neurotic island of 8,000,000 other stressed out folks who prefer Starlink than Imarsat. Hell my town alone has 785,000 residents. So, Gabe needs to host an AB&B or hostel for those of us who long for geeks in situ

[@saveitforparts]

Ha! People keep asking when I'm going to rent out the monorail as an AirB&B 😂

[@jerryaaronson7061]

I remember my first space packet was using a Commodore 64 and TNC, a long time ago, I connected to the Russian space station MIR, it was a short contact but I was jumping up and down and ran in to tell the wife, only to receive "oh that's nice honey", only we understand the level of nerdocity and thrill that comes with having achieved such a thing, thank you Gabe for always helping to rekindle excitement in my old age with your videos and positive attitude.

[@kurtkuechenberg1684]

I want to be on your team when the zombie apocalypse hits.

[@vincemajestic2650]

😆 yes

[@c1ph3rpunk]

I’ve developed a score for old tech, the ZAV, or Zombie Apocalypse Value, score. It’s a 0-10 where 10 are the electronics you REALLY want to have around but anything above a 6 is worth investing in. Emphasis paid on easy powering, common component usage, easy to repair and uses as many standards as possible.

[@radio77748]

I totally want to be on his team as well.

[@ristopoho824]

Heck yea me too. Would be awesome to be in his team even if the zombies don't happen.

[@asou679]

We could still watch satellite TV and battle gangs from the monorail.

[@xFR34KEEx]

I used Inmarsat for years to get with sat controllers to bring my remote terminals online. All your videos really take me back.

[@Vtarngpb]

That would still be one hell of a distracted driving traffic stop though… I can only imagine it as a Reno 911 scene 😂👮🏼‍♂️

[@KD2HJP]

It's Hamsexy

[@ace_life7079]

That was an outstanding video filled to the brim with interesting content.Thank you for educating us on how the satellite systems and modem will communicate with your peripherals on the Commodore 64.Looking forward to more new and interesting content in the future.I love this channel!

[@ace_life7079]

I'm just back to watch the video again.Gotta watch it twice man

[@Sir......]

golly. that MRSAT data pricing is robbery. thanks for your videos. happy early Christmas.

[@qwertylaservisionguy]

It’s INMARSAT. Originally standing for International Marine Satellite. Not meaning to be a dick! Just passing on knowledge!

[@MrFatalZero]

Yes! I absolutely love it! Now I have to drag out my trusty Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k and play with it.

[@Scout_Wireless]

awesome work! that cold weather sure is a hassle though, it would sure be nice to have some sort of portable-ish shelter that you could build then heat the inside of, that would still allow sat signals to pass through with good sky view, like some kind of salvage geodesic dome? might be worth looking into? 😂😂

[@Drone0]

retro webpage should be continued for low data transmission situation such as like that space communication or emergency situation. this video is so good for retro tech.

[@AnthonyChopra]

1:46 🤣 can happen when franticly busy. the car is officially Herby and it will drive on its own to the shops using satellite

[@bioboi4438]

This is a good use of salvaged parts!

[@sgt.zombie]

I rarely understand the tech stuff but always find these vids fascinating.

[@nrdgrrrl]

I enjoy watching your videos so much. Thank you😊

[@saveitforparts]

Thanks for the support!

[@johnblanchard8601]

If you got your DNA analyzed I think you would find The Professor, MacGyver, and Scotty chromosomes present....

[@utp216]

I absolutely love what you do and how you do it! Keep at it and don’t stop. I feel like I had the zest you have thirty or so years ago but I socked it away for corporate life. I wish I could get that back. 🙏

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

Gabe, this is amazing. Some old school with modern. Excellent, and thank you.

[@Deja117]

I swear I saw the SX-64 in an old (1.5 - 2 decades) movie on a boat once... You have all the cool stuff.

[@saveitforparts]

I like to scrounge around estate sales and auctions and surplus stores, lots of neat old junk if you're willing to buy the beat up ones and try to fix them!

[@FRBRN-tx3zc]

Probably one of the coolest things I've seen done this year!

[@pd4dd71]

this is such a epic trip to memory lane... i love it.. just love it!!

[@RodCornholio]

1 million views I hope. Totally cool, retrotacular video.

[@alzeNL]

Absolutely brilliant work ! I admire that you stuck with it !

[@House0fwax]

Awesome behaviour sir. I too love hacking bits of retro stuff together. Very much respect. :)

[@EminemLovesGrapes]

7:00 i have an app on my phone that is able to use old "teletext" which allowed you to browse the news/weather just like that on TV. Don't even know whether the US had this as well but now it's one of the few ways to get the news without ads/trackers and whatnot.

[@amartini51]

What's the name of the app? That sounds handy!

[@EminemLovesGrapes]

@amartini51 It's not a US/International app sadly which I why I mentioned I'm not sure if the US has it too. It's called Teletekst. But again, Dutch specic.

[@JonnyWaldes]

Gabe don't trust that thing on the Skynet! This is how Terminator happens!

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

I have absolutely not a single clue what on earth you're talking about or actually doing and lost in nerocity terminology but still watched to the end because it was fun. 😀 The algorithm path sure does lead to some interesting places.

[@AjinkyaMahajan]

wow, love the see that satmodem in working ✔

[@porkchoppoo]

If you keep doing stuff like this in your car it will eventually become the Ecto 1 and you'll inevitably become a Ghostbuster!!

[@Ziraya0]

An ethernet hub seems like the kind of thing you would own. I have the enclosure from a Netgear DS104 10/100 hub, but I gutted it, just saved the enclosure because it's a real nice steel box. Netgear's blue box series devices make such great future project boxes

[@mael6548]

Omg. Made my day that Nerdstuff. Thanks for that. Greetz from Germany. 73

[@kd5inm]

Cool, more SX-64 video. I got my SX-64 out of mothballs because of your last video.

[@TSGEnt]

Just went to retrocampus. what a trip. reminds me of 1985!

[@houge77]

LOL locked out of the car, love those funny bits too :-)

[@brooksmatthewjohn]

Your car is looking like something Buckaroo Banzai might be driving

[@Obsidian762]

This is incredibly amusing stuff!

[@moormoor4281]

Just fantastic stuff

[@B.M.0.]

The newest Network Switch Game: Archaic Future of Distant Past II - Link of the Compatable Adapters

[@-Mike]

Awesome vid, enjoyed that!

[@michaellichter4091]

I trust old technology more than modern technology. The zombie apocalypse can come; you are perfectly prepared for it. Your car is the real Cyber Truck. 👍

[@mediocreman2]

This guy has spare satellite internet dishes, but not spare keys. 😅

[@illa-noisemusic1081]

On the plus side as soon as the Subaru hits 88mph it goes back to 1984.

[@saveitforparts]

The Commodore would fit right in!

[@huf67]

4:18 ... "Well I grabbed a bunch of parts from before time began and tried to do something with them that they weren't exactly supposed to do to begin with, and now they aren't doing what my imagination thinks they should do while sitting in a car, in a driveway, in the winter, in Minnesota and they aren't working....I don't get it 🤔" I think that about sums it up.....🤣😂

[@TSGEnt]

i love the Isuzu mobile remote radioshack. As for efficient, the 90's was the day of efficiency. Today it's all about bloat.

[@TravsterOR]

Excellent work, love to see my invention used in creative ways like this. Thank you for supporting the TeensyROM, enjoy! 💜

[@saveitforparts]

Thanks for developing it! Fantastic product and probably the best accessory I've bought for the Commodore :-)

[@TravsterOR]

@@saveitforparts Thanks for the kind feedback, have fun and keep up the great work! :)

[@wallydisc]

Sometimes. Complication is beauty.

[@ProjectGeek1]

This hits the spot.

[@MagicGumable]

13:19 Oh no I can already imagine the Invoice charging for any additional kilobyte used :O

[@1208bug]

Scenenario... Gabe is involved in a crash and three letter agencies are called in to to investigate due to stuff in car.😊👍

[@ostrov11]

... с подключением, Товарищ !!!

[@JohnVance]

I’ve still got my SX-64 that was my first computer, this is fun as hell man

[@kd5inm]

I got my SX-64 out of mothballs and spent last night cleaning the keyboard to get it working good. I had to use electronic spray to clean contacts on the card slot and keyboard as well as other parts and its working pretty good so far. I have one of the Teensey Rom boards on its way so hopefully I will have it capable of going online soon. The floppy drive works and was able to get software to load from it as well.

[@JohnVance]

@ Hell yeah man! I need to do the same, I don’t think I’ve had it on for five years, but last time it fired right up with Family Feud! 😄 One of the latches on the keyboard is busted and the keyboard connector itself is also damaged so I have to hold it just so, but it lives!

[@saveitforparts]

The TeensyROM is great! Super useful cartridge and not too expensive!

[@kd5inm]

@@saveitforparts @JohnVance I added an internal fan to my SX-64. It's not particularly noisey but helps circulate air out of the computer through vents and prevents the PLA and other chips from getting as hot. It comes on when the machine is turned on but like I said it's sound is barely noticeable. I did a lot of hacking on Commodore equipment. I took a 256 REU and made it 512 by piggy backing chips on the old ones and the wiring in an address line to bank switch in the extra memory and I added another card slot to it through the case, so when you plugged it into a C64 or 128 , the additional card slot stood vertically to allow another cartridge to be plugged in. I also built a 8bit hard drive controller with a MFM Western digital controller card that controlled an old 10meg hard disk. It was really simple. It could read, write and format the disk.

[@kd5inm]

@@JohnVance You should get it out and see about firing it up. If it has trouble reach out to me, I used to work on Commodores doing repair. I've had many of them, pets, vics, sx-64, 128's, c64's of all kinds. I had a bbs up that ran on a 128 with PET dual drives and IEEE-488 parallel bus. I had some dual drives you could put into a mode to make copies of disks one after another..... I taught my computer math teacher in high school how to use the computer (Pet) and he then taught the class. I brought software to school on disk in 1982 for the new computers. Everyone in our computer class wanted a copy of things I brought. I had a modem in 1982 and downloaded software from bbs's in chicago and elsewhere. I had a subscription to Q-link and on occasion got on compuserve as well. I even worked at Chuck E Cheese pizza later as a technician repairing the games and the animatronic show. The show back then was run on a 6502 cpu, basically it was a PET or VIC. It used a vhs tape with sound/music on one channel and data on the other to control the animatronics. It was alot of fun.

[@Thom101]

It's frikkin' freezing I was out in Blaine at the Harley shop helping my wife getting a sales booth set up

[@MarkoCloud]

You have just replicated the setup that runs the Southwest airlines booking system. 😆

[@Machineius]

Yeah, that was pretty damn cool.

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

If this setup wasn't wild enough you do it in a car! 😆🏆

[@craigpalmer9196]

Got a car Desk on ebay, great show

[@1208bug]

Oh what fun!

[@dinghy4344]

Nice saw the post from a modded xbox 360!

[@saveitforparts]

Awesome! I saw you on the chat :-)

[@dinghy4344]

That was not me, I just thought it was cool someone was accessing an old bbs from a 360

[@RinoaL]

This is so cool hahaha

[@kilofoxfive]

I wish I lived next door to Gabe.

[@dagmarsuarez3033]

Gotta admit, did not watch this all the way through. Just not my flavor of nerdy. But I did enjoy the visuals at the beginning. Vehicle filled with assorted electronics. My immediate thought was that it should be a black van parked outside some kinda warehouse owned by the Gambino family. Cameo by the black helicopter was nice. There may be a spy sat directly overhead and dedicated to just monitoring the things you power up.....

[@moormoor4281]

Thanking you most kindly from English England and we are Cold ❄️ as we'll

[@jameso9221]

"what do you mean officer, i cant have a laptop on my steering wheel"

[@rkirke1]

Might be worth looking inside that sat modem - there's probably a leaky NiCad memory battery that could be corroding things around it.. Lots of stuff from that era had battery backed volatile memory.

[@brianbarker2551]

That's just wacky, online with a sat modem on a C64. Niiiiice.

[@philoffhistree]

so now your options are, either build it into a delorean or a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance

[@thegamersneighbor8979]

LETS GOOO, more videos

[@fiendlybrds]

I seriously thought that monorail map was a map of Maui!

[@craftsman123456]

Thank goodness the satellite cost so much or I would have another project for my 128 I already have it doing packet radio over the ham frequencies and this would be pretty cool

[@mattparker9726]

DAMN, CAN you get ANY COOLER???? sat stuff cool retro computers and kitties! 😍

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Put a mitm router, Pi based, between them so you can capture all the traffic at layer 3.

[@fotografm]

Fantastic !!!!

[@BlaMM74]

You should've put up a tv in the windshield with a car chase on it

[@FarrellMcGovern]

Fun stuff!

[@RyanMercer]

I've always wanted to try working satelites or trying on some ISS passes but who has the time 🤣

[@saveitforparts]

It does take a lot of time for some of these, that's why I don't do a lot of normal ham radio stuff, I'm too busy with satellites!

[@galeng73]

Also, as I mentioned before, Slashdot works fairly well in text browsers - or did the last time I checked.

[@localixdots9698]

Я смотрю вы преданы делу) это прекрасно

[@АндрейВикторич-я6р]

good afternoon, this looks like teletext from a satellite tuner broadcasting news

[@HectorRoldan]

Awe yeeeeaaaaah!!!!!

[@RobsNeighbor]

Awesome!

[@HansWayne]

squirrel at 4:48

[@PCMcGee1]

Most expensive cat gifs evah!!

[@kd7alt]

Keep up the good work. Reminds me of my tinkering days. Do you need the factory power supply for your traveler satellite?. I install these all the time?.

[@saveitforparts]

That might be useful! Send me an email, YT messages just get lost. gabe at saveitforparts dotcom

[@mrw1160]

Wizarding!

[@pbbbht]

Ah ha ha yellow fellow Farker 🎉

[@charlesvrogers]

you might try keeping a spare car key in your wallet

[@rkn3045]

hey, there's bird shit on your window.

[@jmd1743]

Next step, make a custom expansion card.

[@ltpinecone]

Is that a Linux Distro I see on that laptop? Very based Mr. SaveItForParts! I use arch btw.

[@saveitforparts]

I have Mint on a lot of my older 2nd-hand laptops. And Ubuntu on my video editing desktop.

[@theodricaethelfrith]

$160 for 5MB, and meanwhile I watched this 321MB video over satellite (Starlink) for €50/unlimited consumption/month 😂

[@saveitforparts]

And that's why Inmarsat and Iridium equipment is basically free now on auction sites and surplus sales! Everyone is switching to Starlink.

[@Steve-iy5eq]

But can you receive any data from Voyager 1?

[@saveitforparts]

We're going to need a bigger dish!

[@jayprojects9693]

AMSAT has a deep space RX livestream. Voyager 1 would be quite an effort, though!

[@lemagreengreen]

Very cool! but wow how do Inmarsat justify those prices?

[@saveitforparts]

Most of their customers are oil companies and governments who like to throw money away

[@BlueEyedColonizer]

I noticed your Russian contact was in the chat😂😂😂

[@moormoor4281]

💕 it

[@adamboggs4745]

It would have been interesting to see some latency numbers. If I recall, inmarsat is geosynchronous which is pretty far out there. Then if you were able to get an iridium connection up you could compare the LEO latencies to geosync.

[@saveitforparts]

I'm sure there are delays in all the intermediate steps like the Commodore to ethernet, modem to antenna, ground station to internet, etc. We did a really rough count of 5seconds from me to the sat to the BBS to another user. Not very scientific, but fun :-)

[@erikwigelandiestad2270]

Another real world OUTRUN mod ?

[@imsalmanqazi]

I love the stuff you do but it would be great if you could teach us about these things too

[@saveitforparts]

I'm usually learning right as I do the videos, if I get experienced enough with a topic sometimes I try to do a how-to