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Scored an SX-64 on eBay, yesterday... Noticed sudden craze on remaining ones...

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EddieDX4

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Joined
Aug 15, 2006
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542
Location
Puget Sound region, WA, USA
I decided to search for SX-64's on eBay yesterday and noticed a few available. At the time, the 2 "top contenders" were going for over $100 for one, and the other was at around $56 or so... (plus shipping on both).

Then I noticed one that had just been listed, with a BIN of $50. It was a bit of a gamble, because the description does not really say if the machine works or not, but the pictures look decent and it includes the keyboard cable. The keyboard also looks nice (I've seen some with very yellowed keys, especially the spacebar). The seller was including a few disks (look like copies, but still) with a few games/apps.

Anyway, after looking at historical completed auctions I noticed that some in rough shape, and even with non-working status had gone for $30 ~ $50... So, that made my decision an easy one. I bought it immediately.

Today, I noticed that the $56 dollar one is now up to $102.50, same as the other. One of them doesn't even include the keyboard cable!

So, mine's sort of a fortune cookie of sorts, but I'm being hopeful. If it turns out to be a working unit, I'll be very happy. i've been wanting an SX-64 for sometime now.

:cool:

Here it is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Commodore-64-SX...uter-lots-/120612364608?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0
 
Tell you what, I'm about as ignorant as they come regarding Commodore stuff, but I know what I like and that's pretty cool! I hope it works our well for you.
 
Thanks! This is one of those "fingers crossed" eBay buys... I guess we'll find out when I get it if I really did score, or if I've got myself a parts machine.

I may finally get to hear Flimbo's Quest in all of its SID glory, without the assistance of YouTube.
 
Looks nice to me, hope it works. Even if it doesn't you can probably part it out and get your money back.
 
Unknown_K said:
Looks nice to me, hope it works. Even if it doesn't you can probably part it out and get your money back.
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IMO, even if it's broken, it's worth trying to fix at that price. A breadbox C-64 shares a lot of the same parts and aren't near as rare. About the only things that are unreplaceable on one are the PSU and the monitor.
 
Heh. I like the seller's reference to VIP-64. As far as I know, this was a name only used in Sweden or at least Scandinavia, and only present in advertisments and price lists. That means no SX-64 computer itself that I've seen or heard about had its label replaced with VIP-64. Indeed the keyboards were customized to Swedish standard, but not beyond that. On the other hand I am unsure if I've ever seen a C64 labeled "VIC-64" either, although that was a far more common name for the machine during the first 4-5 years.
 
I think the most I've seen an SX go for, in recent years, is $150. Typically, for that much the unit has to be complete and pristine--a Commodore-branded keyboard cable (I'm pretty sure a straight-through DB25 cable will work if the original is missing), all the clips on the keyboard intact, and, of course, everything in working order.

$50-$100 is more typical. The more problems it has, the lower the price goes. About a year ago I passed on an SX-64, locally, for $50. The price was fine--the unit worked well, and no shipping of course. But there was someone else there who very clearly wanted it more than I did. Letting him have it was the right thing to do.
 
Again the huge difference between the USA and Europe shows through. An NTSC SX-64 för $150 would be a nice price over here, if it was a PAL model it would be an utter bargain. Somewhere around $200 + shipping is usually the least you have to pay for one. A PAL SX-64 in good condition with some peripherals could run $350 or even $400 plus shipping! Those $50 for an untested unit is so cheap that most European collectors can't even begin to imagine it is possible.
 
Not many SX-64's made it to Europe? You guys have super cheap Amiga and Atari ST's so don't complain too much.
 
I think considerably more SXs sold here than in Europe, due at least in part to the included disk drive. I understand disk drives were a lot less common in Europe than in the States. Even here the SX wasn't exactly cheap--it retailed for $995, which was a premium of about $250 over the cost of a regular 64, 1541, and 1702 monitor in 1984.
 
I don't think that many SX-64s were sold all over, but they were on display at the local K-mart back then (where I messed around with one) so there were in major department stores like the original C64. Most people used a C64 + 1541 with a TV in the US so the SX-64 would have been far more expensive then just the C64 + drive (and prices for those dropped quite a bit over the years). It seems a few traders would buy the SX-64 and show up at game swap meetings and copy hacked games to spread among their friends. I liked the packaging and removable keyboard, but the small screen kept me from even thinking of buying one.
 
I can't say for sure, but I believe only certified Commodore retailers may have sold the SX-64 over here, mostly because it was very expensive at its launch.

But yeah, we have "super cheap" Amiga 500's and Atari ST's so in the long end I suppose it evens out. :) Sometimes we also have super cheap ZX Spectrums, Amstrad CPC's and a number of other brands of mostly small and inexpensive home computers, while you seem to have e.g. Apple II's in quantities big enough to throw at people.
 
carlsson said:
Heh. I like the seller's reference to VIP-64. As far as I know, this was a name only used in Sweden or at least Scandinavia, and only present in advertisments and price lists. That means no SX-64 computer itself that I've seen or heard about had its label replaced with VIP-64. Indeed the keyboards were customized to Swedish standard, but not beyond that. On the other hand I am unsure if I've ever seen a C64 labeled "VIC-64" either, although that was a far more common name for the machine during the first 4-5 years.
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It's copypasta from Wikipedia. I doubt the seller knows much about the computer besides what he read there.
 
carlsson said:
But yeah, we have "super cheap" Amiga 500's and Atari ST's so in the long end I suppose it evens out. :) Sometimes we also have super cheap ZX Spectrums, Amstrad CPC's and a number of other brands of mostly small and inexpensive home computers, while you seem to have e.g. Apple II's in quantities big enough to throw at people.
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I was never aware of the Speccy until I saw it in issues of Retro Gamer, which I subscribe to from the UK (awesome games magazine, btw). Ever since seeing the system there, I've been on a lookout for one - but am unwilling to pay the price of what they usually go for when I have seen them here!

Of course, the same goes for the Atari ST. It's probably just as well... my usable computer room is about full :)
 
Maverick1978 said:
I was never aware of the Speccy until I saw it in issues of Retro Gamer, which I subscribe to from the UK (awesome games magazine, btw). Ever since seeing the system there, I've been on a lookout for one - but am unwilling to pay the price of what they usually go for when I have seen them here!

Of course, the same goes for the Atari ST. It's probably just as well... my usable computer room is about full :)
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Just as well, I suppose. Unless you have a PAL compatible TV to play it, or modify the output to do component/RGB (if that's possible) you're probably better off using an emulator since everything will be black and white.
 
Although we're getting off-topic now, the ZX Spectrum indeed has RGB TTL on its expansion port. Later models - the ZX Spectrum 128, +2, +3 etc even has a RGB connector (7-pin DIN IIRC) which simplifies conversion a lot.

Then again if you pair up a Timex Sinclair 2068 with the ZX Spectrum compatibility/emulation ROM, I think at least a big share of the Speccy software would load and run.

The big (!) difference here is that most of those systems - including the Amiga 500 - are fairly light compared to what an SX-64 weighs. As you know, shipping companies charge by weight and volume. It means if the computer itself is rare and expensive, it gets twice as expensive if you add what it costs to send it to you. At one point in time, I considered importing a SX-64 from the USA but realized even if they sell for less over there, the total including overseas shipping would barely be worth it.
 
carlsson said:
Although we're getting off-topic now, the ZX Spectrum indeed has RGB TTL on its expansion port. Later models - the ZX Spectrum 128, +2, +3 etc even has a RGB connector (7-pin DIN IIRC) which simplifies conversion a lot.

Then again if you pair up a Timex Sinclair 2068 with the ZX Spectrum compatibility/emulation ROM, I think at least a big share of the Speccy software would load and run.

The big (!) difference here is that most of those systems - including the Amiga 500 - are fairly light compared to what an SX-64 weighs. As you know, shipping companies charge by weight and volume. It means if the computer itself is rare and expensive, it gets twice as expensive if you add what it costs to send it to you. At one point in time, I considered importing a SX-64 from the USA but realized even if they sell for less over there, the total including overseas shipping would barely be worth it.
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I suppose the 2068 route would work... the problem we have over here oftentimes the game software relies on the vblank timing being set at a constant 50Hz, so unless the system is operating at the lower refresh rate of PAL the games don't play at the right speed.

As far as shipping stuff goes, it seems like shipping anything, even domestically has gotten fairly pricey. I've shied away from buying several things that interest me on eBay due to the high shipping costs. I wish I could find the stuff locally. :(
 
carlsson if I ever get back to Europe I'll have to put you on speed dial to ask you where are the best hot spots to score soome cheap Atari ST's! One of these days I am visiting Germany again, wanted to go back ever since I lived there in 97-99.
 
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