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VIC-20 Docking Station

With the VIC-20, quite often. The memory map is a little different with the 3K expansion than larger ones, and there were numerous 8k and 16k expansions. With an extender, you could glue them all together into a 32K-expanded system, or combine extra RAM and an extended BASIC
 
*nod* I used to run with 1 16k expansion, 1 8k expansion, and the 3k Super Expander (which used the 8k ROM space for the extended stuff) and was able to do an amazing amount of "stuff".

Only question: Why would it need that little side plug to power the VIC-20? Would it not be possible to just back-feed the +5 through the cartridge/tape/serial ports? Or was true AC needed for the jiffy clock?
 
If it has a 78xx style power supply, you do not want to back-feed it. Higher output than input voltage will fry those regulators. Apparently you can put a diode between the input and output terminals, but you have to actually install that first, and almost no 78xx power supplies will already have one.
 
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The VIC-1020 is an AWFUL thing to use. It looks cool, very PET-like, but it is highly impractical as a VIC expansion in my opinion.
20230903_203619.jpg
You get 5 internal cartridge slots, plus a 6th rear-facing one (usually intended for the VIC-1112 IEEE-488 interface, as it's too tall to fit inside with the lid closed). The cartridge slots feature no ability to be disabled, or changed within the memory map -- common features on 3rd party expansion boards. There is a little internal clip for mounting an RF modulator, and space for a cassette unit, or other expansions internally.

But hey, you can be silly with it, and put the monitor on top to keep anyone from poking around with the expansions, and it ends up really looking like a color PET that never was...
color pet.jpg
 
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