Greetings, fellow Vic fans

[PaulQ]

Allow me to introduce myself. My first computer was a Commodore Vic 20 in 1983. Up until then, at computer camps, computer shows, and at retail displays, people would all crowd around the new Commodore 64, leaving the Vic 20 all to me. I was only interested in learning about computers; I didn't care to fight the crowds to get my hands on the "Latest and greatest." The Vic 20 was to be my very own computer; so it was, in 1983, that the price had dropped enough that my parents bought it for me as an Xmas gift, along with the Datasette.

All my friends and the school used the Commodore 64, and a year later, the prices of C-64's dropped; caving in to the peer pressure, I got a C-64 the following year. Sadly, my Vic-20 never reached the potential it could've.

I recently acquired a Vic 20 at a flea market, complete with power supply and cables, but with a few keys busted off the keyboard (still have the keys). Today, I picked up eight cartridges for it; Cosmic Cruncher, Garden Wars, Visible Solar System, Jupiter Lander, Radar Ratrace, Vic Music Composer, Jawbreaker II, and Threshold. $5 for the Vic, $15 for the carts. I'd sure like to get my hands on a Datasette.



My plans are to build up a Vic 20 workstation, complete with an inexpensive, smallish modern TV for its monitor. I'd like to get one with composite inputs, and convert the Vic 20 cable box to that which has composite outputs. I'd also like to explore the Vic 20 to its full potential, with RAM expanders, display enhancers, and possibly even a genuine Vic 1541 disk drive.

I have always felt that the Vic 20 got shortchanged and never got to its potential because of the Commdore 64. I suppose the 64 was actually an enhanced Vic all along, but the Vic, to me, was the very first home computer for the masses, not the classes; as such, it is deserving of a place of high regard in my collection.

[vic user]

hi!

you are going to love it here!

[ral-clan]

Great story....where are you living?

If you want to have a VIC-20 programming "work station", then you might want to consider acquiring the following:

- switchable RAM expander
- PROGRAMMER's AID Cartridge
- Super Expander
- Machine Language Monitor cartridge (HESMON/VICMON)
- a multi-slot expander so you can use all of these simultaneously.

Or you can probaly make things easier on your self, and just buy Eslapion's ultimate 32K RAM expander, with the Programmer's AID, etc. burned onto an EPROM on board. He is a member of this forum and makes these.

On the other hand, you could always take the approach that Jeff-20, the founder of this forum, does and intentionally work with a minimal 3K VIC setup....he turns out some nice stuff.

[PaulQ]

I am currently residing in Oshawa, Ontario. My plans are to first get the Vic back to what I originally had, with a C2N datasette drive and keyboard with no busted keys. My next step then would be to give it a dedicated "Monitor" (probably just a 12" TV) and "Desktop." After that, who knows where this hobby will take me? I think I might lean towards maxing it out to its full potential. Right now, we're having fun with the old cartridges; especially that Pac-Man clone, Cosmic Chomper.

[6502dude]

Welcome!!!

Since you are in Oshawa and if you have a chance, consider attending a TPUG (Toronto Pet User Group) meeting.

http://www.tpug.ca/

This month's meeting is this week on the 18th.

Generally, there is a mix of C64 / Vic-20 interest among attendees.

The meetings provide a great chance to catch up with other Commodore enthusiasts.

[PaulQ]

6502dude, you're the second person to invite me to a meeting. I'm definitely going to try to make an effort to attend one this year. The last time I went to a computer club meeting, it was an Amiga club here in Oshawa. Back in '91, if memory serves me correctly.

[Alan]

I am currently residing in Oshawa, Ontario. My plans are to first get the Vic back to what I originally had, with a C2N datasette drive and keyboard with no busted keys. My next step then would be to give it a dedicated "Monitor" (probably just a 12" TV) and "Desktop." After that, who knows where this hobby will take me? I think I might lean towards maxing it out to its full potential. Right now, we're having fun with the old cartridges; especially that Pac-Man clone, Cosmic Chomper.

I just bought a 20" Emerson flat tube TV at Walmart for $79 and it makes for a spectacular VIC monitor.

If you want to "max out" your VIC, Eslapion's Ultimate Expander cartridge is the way to go. You can get a Programmer's Aid, Super Expander, 32K RAM, and so on all on one cartridge.

If you have an old PC lying around you might want to consider 64HDD (http://www.64hdd.com) for storage.

My setup can be seen at http://www.eskimo.com/~areed/vic/cs.htm

More info about Eslapion's cartridge is at http://www.eskimo.com/~areed/vic/supervic_cartridge.htm

[6502dude]

6502dude, you're the second person to invite me to a meeting. I'm definitely going to try to make an effort to attend one this year. The last time I went to a computer club meeting, it was an Amiga club here in Oshawa. Back in '91, if memory serves me correctly.

Cool!

Send me a PM sometime and we can coordinate attendance.

I'll bring a good Vic-20 keyboard to swap for your's with missing keys (I'll bring a screwdriver )

Meetings are third thursday of each month.

Amiga folks are in attendance as well, but across the hall.

I have no idea what they do in there.

[PaulQ]

Drat. According to my schedule, I'm going to be working nights on the third Thursday of every month until April, unless I can make some other arrangements.

I'd definitely like that keyboard...I tried glue, that didn't work out so well.

[Jeff-20]

Welcome!

[gklinger]

6502dude, you're the second person to invite me to a meeting

I think I might have been the first person. I'm sorry to hear about a conflict with your work schedule. Hopefully you'll be able to attend at some point and if not, there's always Schema's summer BBQ which, along with the World of Commodore, is a must-attend event.

[eslapion]

I have a couple of replacement VIC keyboards here.

If you want, of course, I make the VIC-20 ultimate expander. See : http://www.eskimo.com/~areed/vic/supervic_cartridge.htm

I have a couple of 1541 drives for 12$ each.

And the most interesting companion for the VIC lately is the 1581 sold by Joe Palumbo of TPUG.

[ral-clan]

Amiga folks are in attendance as well, but across the hall.

I have no idea what they do in there.

So what do people like me do, who are just as nuts about Amigas as they are about VICs? Do they jump back and forth between rooms?

[Schema]

So what do people like me do, who are just as nuts about Amigas as they are about VICs? Do they jump back and forth between rooms?

Pretty much

There seems to be some long-standing friendly rivalry between the two groups - I'm a relatively new member and haven't quite figured out why though. Many members are interested in both, but tend to one room or the other. For what it's worth, the "8-bit" room is usually fuller.

(Disclaimer, I've never used an Amiga)

[PaulQ]

6502dude, you're the second person to invite me to a meeting

I think I might have been the first person. I'm sorry to hear about a conflict with your work schedule. Hopefully you'll be able to attend at some point and if not, there's always Schema's summer BBQ which, along with the World of Commodore, is a must-attend event.

Yes, you did. I think I will check out both rooms as well, but I have to admit, I think my heart is more in the 8 bit Commodore stuff. Reading through that Vic 20 manual and old Compute and Creative Computing magazines, combined with this forum, makes me realize that the Vic 20 was and still is an excellent hobbyist machine, and very capable at that. To me, it was the first computer for the masses, not the classes.

I have my calendar marked. In the meantime, I'll keep in touch in these forums. I think this one is my favourite.