Commodore VC 20/VIC 20 eBay Score

[@electronictreasure4191]

The vic-20 was my first computer. I purchased it myself for $69 after saving all summer. I finished basic programming class that summer and was super excited when I finally got my vic-20. Later I also got a 64, an Amiga, and managed make a career of programming for the next 30+ years without ever finishing college. I thank Commodore for that early education.

[@mr.e1944]

My first computer was the commodore Vic-20. My dad bought it on sale in 1984 at Canadian Tire for 119.99 Canadian plus 6% sale tax. I was able to get two cartridge games and the cassette player and an after market joystick. I had to type my own programs from books and save them to the cassette player. What a lot of work!

[@ColinJonesPonder]

My first computer. My biggest achievement on it was porting the Spectrum game Cruising on Broadway. I used BASIC for the intros, instructions and setup and machine code for the actual gameplay... not using an assembler but coded and converted to decimal DATA statements on paper, and before I understood the purpose of the carry flag! Thinking back, I'm amazed it worked at all but it was great! It did need the 16K RAM expansion. No way would it run unexpanded ;)

[@DOSBoxMom]

I never had a VIC-20 myself (our first computer was a C64), but my mom had a VIC-20 at her house for a while. The kids & I got to play a few games on it when we visited on vacation. I don't think Mom did too much with it herself, though; it had been gifted to her by another relative, and was still in its original box when we visited.

[@JanBeta]

Nice memories. :) The VIC20 is a great machine for simple fun games in my opinion. My first computer was a C64, too. The first one I ever did anything on was my father's TI99/4a.

[@Redstone-1963]

I bought it (1983) in a kit with the VC20, Datasette, Video adapter all in a Commodore bag. I payed 795 DM (Deutsch Marks) which was a lot of money at that time. A few month later I bought the 3.5 kB RAM upgrade cadridge for another 395 DM 8-| But this computer was the first step into my later IT career...

[@KentuckyRanger]

My very first computer was a Vic-20! This really brings back ALOT of memories!!!

[@JanBeta]

Nice! :)

[@00Skyfox]

I'm surprised the word "Vic" is thought to be similar to the German word for "fuck" considering it's so unlike the phrase "verpiss dich". Anyway, it's always great to see any vintage Commodore hardware alive and well! It looks like you got one in great condition. The VIC20 was my first computer ever, that we got used from a friend of the family. It lasted a couple years before burning out, at which time we went out and bought a brand new Commodore 64.

[@JanBeta]

Oh, "verpiss dich" is more like "f**k off". The word is "fick", which is pretty close. ;)

[@blenderbuch]

My first! Then I got a super expander and did all that graphical stuff with lines and circles... Then I got a datasette. Before I left the vc 20 on whole nights...

[@VectrexForever]

I had the super expander as a kid, really cool for creating graphics and music. I bought one again a few years ago, as well as the relay cartridge that I also used to have as a kid. My VIC didn't have storage either at first, my dad made a jackpot game over a few days and left the computer on. Then my brother wanted to use it (the monitor was off), he turned it off, said 'huh?', then turned it on and my dad said 'you didn't just turn that computer off!'. He never programmed anything again. Then he made me a cassette interface on breadboard. But it failed to load and save often. So I got a datasette for my next birthday, still love the design of it.

[@MS-ho9wq]

Nice find! That game is boss. Wow. Didn't know the VIC-20 had big colourful, dynamic games like that.

[@aphexteknol]

I'd love to have a "F-word" 20 computer for my collection! :) Thats a very nice cost-reduced VIC-20 though for only 13 euro.

[@JanBeta]

Yeah, nice price. ;) I was really lucky to find this auction and win it. Rare thing to find bargains like this these days on eBay.

[@aphexteknol]

Jan Beta Yes it is. 2 years ago I was finding broken C64 and VIC-20 for $20-30US very regularly. I've more or less given up now on finding deals. Even broken machines are selling for $100+ on occasion.

[@JanBeta]

+aphexteknol Yeah, it's a shame really. And eBay prices influence the prices everywhere even flea markets and goodwill are becoming more pricy every day. :/

[@douro20]

Yeah, when I saw a Tomy Tutor with no games for nearly US$300 in a CHARITY SHOP...

[@be236]

Yeah, VIC-20 was one of my first computers too. I still have it in my garage...

[@JanBeta]

Lovely machines. I recommend getting yours out of the garage and trying to resurrect it. ;)

[@be236]

Yeah, I know... I've not tested for several years and it worked back then. Just need to find a good video cable for it (and not use the RF adapter, since the TV signal is pretty bad with it)... hopefully all is good when I find some time to take it out and re-test it again...

[@AxelWerner]

my 1st Computer when I was little

[@JanBeta]

I started with a C64 but the VC20 is a lovely machine, too. I'm looking forward to learning more about it in the future (already got some books and the original manual which is brilliant).

[@peterlamont647]

Ah the VIC-20...welcome to our world. Spend $20 on the machine...then $1000 on cartridges. At least that is what happened to me. Lol... I am still collecting the cartridges. So much fun.

[@JanBeta]

Haha, yes. It's a lovely little machine. It amazes me how many fun games there are to discover.

[@peterlamont647]

Jan Beta. It is deceptively "cheap" in the world of computer collecting. To those of you who think this is the first & last step in computer collecting...beware. It is the absolute most expensive computer lol. If you find a means of making tapes, then it can be fine...but beware, collecting carts for this computer is uniquely addictive, and very expensive. I as a computer collector am fine with this, however. :)

[@peterlamont647]

In fact, when I want to "convert" someone to computer collecting, the vic 20 is the machine I recommend on purpose. Its just so limited, while capable, that it tricks people into the hobby. Its just so perfect for creative people. What can you do with 3,5k of ram? Its the ultimate challenge.

[@peterlamont647]

Jan Beta I can barely contain my excitement! Yay! Jan, you crossed over into a different world of computer history!

[@vic20kid8]

I love my Vic 20 :) my very first computer

[@JanBeta]

+vic20kid It's a lovely machine! I have yet a lot to discover. It's my first one. :)

[@douro20]

The VIC-20 was called the VIC-1001 in Japan. Why didn't they just call it the VIC-10100?

[@JanBeta]

Haha, that would have been more accurate indeed. I think they named it after the PET 2001. 1001 was supposed to be the little brother. The 20 legendarily came from a marketing person who just thought it would be a friendly sounding number. ;)

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

My uncle was the first in the family ABLE to afford a computer - when it first came out - the humble VIC-20 it was very Amazing... The cartridges just Worked, so Fast - A wonder at the time...

[@SianaGearz]

I have a VIC-20 in storage, but if memory serves, keyboard does not work. Dead 6522 IC? I just looked on eBay, there's new-old-stock Rockwell 6522 from China really cheap, maybe i should try it? Is it a suitable replacement? It also came with no power supply, but i have a power supply from C64-C in good condition.

[@JanBeta]

The C64 power supply should work just fine (if your VIC 20 has the round DIN connector--otherwise the plug won't fit anyway). Never tried the Chinese replacement ICs myself but I heard from people that there are very good ones and also some fake ones that don't work at all. It's a matter of luck, it seems.

[@choppergirl]

A Vic-20 is the ideal computer for a kid to learn programming on. As long as they are technically curious and inclined, and you give them some programming manuals with it. As a beginner you can get your head around Commodore Basic and even 6502 later... that you just can't do on a modern PC. Go even further, and give it to a techie little girl to write programs with.

[@fiber0ptichell452]

If you would like to upgrade your vic 20 here is what you do... 1. open up the vic20 and remove the motherboard 2. look on ebay or craigslist for a c64 motherboard. 3. you know where im going with this... put c64 mb in vic 20 case. it would be white... plus you can make a video on it.

[@JanBeta]

I would have to cut out the back to make room for the differently shaped connectors on the C64 boards. I won't do that (at least not to my pristine VC20 case)...

[@VectrexForever]

The VIC-20 with the grey function keys (C64 keyboard) and C64 style power supply is the later Mark II version of the VIC-20. It is the one I used to have as a kid. I have one of those again now as well as an older model with the brown function keys and old style power supply. The casing tends to get really yellow over time, so you are lucky to find one that still looks this white. One neat trick you can to with a VIC-20 memory expansion is to add switches to switch the memory into cartridge space, then you can load cartridge images from floppy into it, then use a reset button to reset the VIC and boot your fake cartridge. Add a write protect switch, because some games try to write to the cartridge to test if it's not a memory expansion.

[@JanBeta]

Oh, didn't know about that memory expansion trick. Interesting. :D

[@AlexanderKurtz]

Ich habe seit ca 1996 einen ungetesttet VIC 20 in meinem Besitz (habe den zusammen mit einem C64) in einem An/verkauf für DM 7,50 gekauft... leider gabs kein Netzteil zum VIC 20 dabei. Der VIC hat den Rechteckigen PowerConnector. Welche Spannung gehört an welchen pin? ich möchte den Rechner nicht gleich beim ersten versuch ihm ein lebenszeichen zu entlocken grillen...

[@JanBeta]

Hallo, der alte VIC-20 nimmt 9V Wechselspannung und baut daraus intern seine Versorgungsspannungen.

[@AlexanderKurtz]

Jan Beta danke für deine antwort. Das habe ich mittlerweile auch rausgefunden. 9v bei min 3A. Muss mal gucken wo ich so eines herbekomme. Ohne dafür ein Vermögen zu zahlen.

[@JanBeta]

Im Grunde brauchst du nur einen 230V zu 9V Trafo mit ausreichender Ausgangsleistung (ein Gehäuse ist auch empfehlenswert). Ist vermutlich deutlich günstiger, als nach einem speziellen AC Netzteil zu suchen (da ist auch nur ein Trafo drin und vielleicht eine Sicherung).

[@Urko2005]

Blitz was an ace game for the Vic

[@bwack]

It's a steal at the price :D Great find! :)

[@JanBeta]

Thanks! I'm very happy that I got it for that price. :)

[@mr.e1944]

Jan, what is the s2ic with the directory and games? And where do you get one?

[@mr.e1944]

I found it. sD2iec drive emulator. Which uses sad cards to store games.

[@GadgetUK164]

Great pickup =D

[@JanBeta]

+GadgetUK164 Thanks! Been looking for one for quite some time but they are far too expensive usually.

[@TheHighlander71]

Never been a great fan of the VIC20. I think my friend had one, but I was already used to the C64 by the time I got to know the VIC20. It made no sense to me. Still, at 13 euro it's a right steal and it seems to be in good shape as well. I would do something about that cardboard heat sink though. Not sure how hot the VIC20's chips get, but some heat sinks may do it a favour.

[@JanBeta]

+The Highlander Some of the ICs get quite hot indeed. I'll apply some heatsinks similar to how I did with my C64. I'm fascinated by the simplicity of the games on the VIC. It has a totally different "feel" to it than the later systems that I like very much. Haven't played around much with it yet though.

[@TheHighlander71]

You must know of TheShadowsNose? He plays VIC20 games regularly. He has the most obscure titles and I like very few of them. But they're not all bad.

[@JanBeta]

Yes, I know TheShadowsNose and some of his obscure games. ;) I like the limitations in the games much like I adore Atari VCS stuff, I think.

[@TheHighlander71]

Ha! Yes, I remember playing Superman on the 2600 quite often, despite the fact that it was limited in almost every conceivable way.

[@JanBeta]

That's exactly what I meant. These games are highly playable and fun despite all the limitations. That's the fascinating point for me.

[@officermeowmeowfuzzyface4408]

label came from a machine language cartridge..? VIC-1213...?

[@elektro-peter1954]

The circuitboard might not belong to the case - it says 9V AC 25W On the bottom, but the board uses the newer C64-Style Powersupply with 5V DC and 9V AC......

[@JanBeta]

That seemed odd to me, too. I had a look around for some pictures and all VC 20 models I found (new style and old style power supply) only had the 9V mentioned on the label. Commodore might have been too lazy to change it for the later revisions. I don't know for sure, of course.

[@elektro-peter1954]

Oh, okay. I don't have any VC20, only C64s, and I knew they have both voltages on the Label, so I thought it was the same for the newer VC20s...

[@povvercrazy]

My vic 20 needs 9v ac and 5v dc though still says 9v on the label I believe all the ones with din plugs are that way? might be wrong often am :)

[@infinitecanadian]

Not only that, it's made in Hong Kong, whilst the label on the bottom says that the unit is made in West Germany.

[@bloodmapedit]

Ah the Vic, Llamasoft games come to mind.

[@JanBeta]

+blood mapedit Yes! Jeff Minter is a genius. :)

[@fiber0ptichell452]

White case is cool.... I never seen that model in white, only c64c and c128s You paid #13.00 .. what is it worth? I have many c64's in my storage. I remember some models with low serial numbers carry more value. Are c64;s / all the hardware going up or down in value, I'm not going to sell mine but would like to know the current price trends. FIBER0PTIC

[@JanBeta]

I think the VIC20s usually go for around 70€ in working condition. If the case is clean and in good shape they go much higher even so this was a real bargain. Prices are a lot higher today than some years ago.

[@GeoNeilUK]

Yeah, Commodore had to rename the Vic 20 for the same reason that Namco remaned Puckman to Pacman! Why was the Maschinesprache sticker attached? Did Commodore not make VC20 decals? Or is it because there's no BASIC interpreter on there? So you have an NOS VC20... with a QWERTY keyboard instead of a QWERTZ one... well, I thought it was NOS, maybe the keyboard's NOS. Weren't the older Vic 20s more similar to the PETs than the C64 and the newer Vic 20s made C64 compatible because way more C64s were being made than PETs? Wot no Shift+Run/Stop for LOAD? Does Shift+C= not work on the Vic 20?

[@JanBeta]

The Maschinensprache sticker came from a cartridge originally. I have no idea why the previous owner stuck it on the computer. There were no QWERTZ keyboard versions of the VC-20 or the C64 made (at least i never saw one). Might be the keyboard has been replaced on my unit but I saw other VC20s with the grey keys like mine after some more research. The VIC-20 is not compatible with either the PET nor the C64. The only thing the C64 and the VIC share really is the BASIC V2. The PETs had the more advanced (and expensive) BASIC 4. Shift+RUN/STOP only works for loading and starting games from tape, afaik. Shift/C= works on the VIC, too. I didn't think of using it. ;)

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Oh yeah....... there’s also a nice Emu - VICE.

[@tahustvedt]

I've never seen a Vic 20 in real life. The earliest Commodore I saw was C64.

[@pr0wl3r666]

What was on that toothbrush you used to clean the board with?

[@sarreqteryx]

wow, look at all that stress paper… that's gotta be like an hour's worth…

[@JanBeta]

Very thoroughly done indeed. :)

[@naytch2003]

Nice score Jan;)

[@JanBeta]

I'm very happy with it. Thought I'd never be able to afford one as they usually go for way over the top prices.

[@MeineVideokasetten]

Guter Fang! Ich suche nun nach Commodore Maschinensprache Geräten. 😹

[@JanBeta]

Haha, wer weiß, vielleicht gibt es ja nochmal so eine Verwechslung. Viel Glück. ;)

[@MeineVideokasetten]

Jan Beta Dankeee. Werde ich haben. :D

[@josephnealescratchcards]

Nice score

[@JanBeta]

+Joseph Neale Thanks. These eBay finds are getting quite rare recently.

[@johandenhertog6878]

Got a VIC 20 label sticker from Germany 1981 KU-141T94HB board.

[@DiePixelspieler]

Netter Schnapper für 13€, Der Zustand ist ja auch gut. =)

[@JanBeta]

Ja! Ich war schon eine Weile auf der Suche, aber selbst kaputte VC 20 gehen meistens unglaublich teuer weg. Hatte beinahe gehofft, dieser wäre zumindest leicht kaputt, damit es ein Repairvideo gibt, aber ich werd' mich mal nicht beschweren... ;)

[@randysmith7094]

I like the grey F keys.

[@SkuldChan42]

Nice find - Made in West Germany :).

[@JanBeta]

Those were the days. ;)

[@joshuascholar3220]

I remember the vic

[@Daemonarch2k6]

I don't belive that you can just find a modern computer or smartphone of today in 30 years or more, and just turn it on, and it works... My cousin had an Wiko-Smartphone that was 2 years old, put it in the drawer, and wanted to give it away half a year later, and the emmc was broken...

[@JanBeta]

Yeah, it's the same with most modern electronics. They are not build to last.

[@peterlamont647]

I am still using a gen 2 smart phone. I use it to make a living. There are good and bad ideas. Only the good ones will stand time.

[@DappieKS80]

First vic I've seen with out the orange function keys?!?

[@JanBeta]

+DappieKS80 I think they made some with the C64 keyboard while both computers were in production. Not sure though. Might as well have been replaced at some point.

[@franksaibert9731]

"maschinensprache" is not assembly. "Maschinensprache" is machine language (the bytecode actually feed to the cpu). In contrast, assembly is machine language in human-readable form.

[@dominikschutz6300]

Penultimate card? :)

[@JanBeta]

+Dominik Schütz Definitely need one soon. ;)

[@geoffhalsey2184]

This was my first computer and formed the basis of my future career, as a programmer.

[@JanBeta]

Nice! It's such a lovely computer. I got my hands on a manual for it some days ago (a donation from a Twitter contact) and the BASIC course in there is great. Even better than the C64 equivalent. I bet there are quite some people who started their hobby and future career like this. :)

[@geoffhalsey2184]

If it's the same manual that I had, there is a game program in Basic called Tank vs UFO, at the back. I had no idea at the time how it worked, so I took it to bits, line by line. Within a month I was writing my own games.

[@JanBeta]

Yes, that's the one I have. :) I learned to code in much the same way typing in pages and pages of programs from magazines and trying to understand how they worked. I'm going to type in the example programs from the VIC-20 manual soon.

[@andrewdupuis1151]

this was my very first computer i had

[@DappieKS80]

I'm in Vancouver B.C., I have a dozen C-64's one of them has orange function keys. I have 5 Vic's all with orange keys. Some say made in Canada others USA. About half of my machines work properly. I just bought the Bare Bonz cart for my Vic, works great!

[@DappieKS80]

Oops Behr Bonz

[@JanBeta]

+DappieKS80 Nice collection! I've seen some VC-20s (the ones without the "I") with the grey keys. But I'm not sure at all if it's not just people putting the orange keys on C64s to sell them for more on eBay or stuff like that. :P

[@JanBeta]

+DappieKS80 Will check that out. ;)

[@infinitecanadian]

Are you serious?! I didn't know Commodore had a factory up here!

[@jksquadallday3723]

It's My Favorite Computer

[@schutz85]

This was my first computer, at age 5. Wish I had the "fick" (VC) 20 though instead of the North American version.

[@Potatoman-bh7vy]

But, can it run crysis?

[@JanBeta]

No, but I think there's a DOOM port at least. ;)

[@herbmyers805]

Wow nice cpu

[@JanBeta]

+Herb Myers Definitely! ;)

[@peterlamont647]

Fick zwanzig damen... Dass ist ein gluck! Kauf dich dies computer und fulen die akten! Super cool!

[@polluks2]

S/N?

[@JanBeta]

4:03 WG A161197. :)

[@polluks2]

Jan Beta WGA103574 + Strikelink WiFi Modem

[@infinitecanadian]

It actually might have been a better idea to leave the sticker on there as part of the computer's history.

[@104d_3rr0r_vince]

what a bargain

[@51vvince]

anyone notice the vic 20 in the john wick 2 film

[@JanBeta]

+51vvince Didn't see the film yet but I saw pictures of it on Twitter. They didn't plug the power supply in. ;)

[@joergip31]

Warum zum Teufel sprichst du nicht in diesem Video deutsch was soll diese Englisch kacke

[@SantosPerezAttorney]

Thoir teen euros. Or Vee Cee twenthieth. Sunds a lot like the F word.

[@SantosPerezAttorney]

I'd like to see poosy here.