Commodore Remix

Well we can only dream of owning that ourselves. And to think there was a time when people couldn't even give a PET away.



Though there'll always be the 64.



Big: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/ROOTIN-TOOTIN-Ca ... ~60_57.JPG

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROOTIN-TOOTIN ... 5895c79f37





I can still buy stuff I just don't need. But a few glitches in the Super Expander cartridge should be well worth sampling. That is, if the NTSC one even works on my machine:



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0644611352

Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Expander_64






But at least I have enough options, including my own MSSIAH, to not need afford a modded Commie. Looks fantastic though and I wouldn't mind one anyway, having said that.




But by the looks, I don't think you could use it for anything else now.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMMODORE-C64 ... 4611352%26





And only in Adland did middle aged men look so agog at bland text graphics.



Big: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Ski-Writer-II-Ca ... ~60_57.JPG



Though it did claim to be a telecoms program too. Very interesting ideas at the dawn of multimedia.




Big: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Ski-Writer-II-Ca ... ~60_57.JPG

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ski-Writer-II ... 257e158cdf


It's almost like you're living the age again with the depth of stuff sold up there now.

Have to admit I won't miss the old word processors. The beauty of retro is that you can enjoy the old days while taking advantage of the new. Result.

Chris

Can you imagine anyone being nostalgic for WordStar Word processor?

[edit: apparently someone's nostalgic enough to recreate it as "WordTsar"!]

Well not even I can see much point in that. But each to his own.

Though I agree I wouldn't want to go back to the days of only the old computers. I managed well enough before I liked them but you don't want the new stuff taken away again.

Did you see the Electric Dreams documentary? A family lived with only home technology available by the 1970s for ten days, then 1980s stuff for another ten days, etc. The kids found it impossible at times and the adults found life harder. I'm surprised they bitched so much, having lived through the real years before. So it goes to prove that you're used to today's luxuries without realising.

I enjoyed it immensely. It's on Youtube now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricdreams/about.shtml



The Joseph Rowntree Trust says a PC connected to the Web at home is more essential than a car. Do people not go out for their life stuff any more? I know I don't but we're screwed if nobody else does either.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/20 ... ial-survey





So in that spirit, I may or may not get a copy of Rootin' Tootin' just for Retro Wall deco.



Probably not. It's a rotten game.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-C64 ... 27c12d9521





Wouldn't mind a 78 though. From what I know, this looks 1920s. And in good nick you can be surprised at the quality, especially the vinyl ones they used to come out with for the poorer customers. Ironically the quality of the cut-price plastic was far superior than the usual shellac but nobody noticed. So the record companies 'advanced' to the louder shellac only because only the volume counted on pop records.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CASINO-DANCE- ... 20d30ebccc


Now there's a retro inversion for you.

But what about life without retro? Most modern gadgets would obviously let you not notice. But in the world of an inverted Amish, you'd also forget a lot of gems. I know many bits and pieces of software have features and functions that would be lost using only today's stuff.


So now I'm moving onto Uncle Jack's follow up smash.



Big: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/VINTAGE-ATARI-EX ... ~60_57.JPG

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-ATARI ... 23274229ec



One handy disc: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Ultimate- ... 1c325b63e5





Though if I was to try and buy all the studio originals, I'd break myself. But here's some I quite like the look of.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/emagic-notato ... 4ac4e3f98a







http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Atari-520-104 ... 232a5fd2fe





Dunno how I even missed this one:



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Band-in-a-Box ... 1e797caace

I remember some of the BIAB hype. It was hated and anticipated.







http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATARI-ST-STFM ... 20d2abf61e





If I didn't have all I need I'd get this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/atari-st-comp ... 3934437%26



Bloody hell though:



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Atari-St-Nota ... 1c3267870b


The early ones souped up seem to have more magic about them somehow. And two packages I would like to have found were Music Mouse and Instant Music. I have those and they compliment band In A Box just fine, by the looks.










But never mind, Commie User will provide......

Oh yeah: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/michael.br ... Mousey.htm

Baby: http://www.dustybin.org.uk/IM.htm




And it only barely mentions MIDI, by far its most pivotal feature.

I'm rather enjoying this.


Some new Band In A Box stuff is kind of inexpensive, on Ebay. Some people will always download but if it's still going today, then I suspect some killer features are just worth buying to be up to date.

Mac: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PG-Music-Band ... 4d0b8f1b5c

PC: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PG-Music-Band ... 5d390a9597

I'd buy it for the kids!

Kids'd want the Playstation or Xbox drums.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ION-Drum-Rock ... 43bc556c7a

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaming-Ion-Dr ... 1e7b4d76f3

Here are the cheap ones but are also collect only.



I have an older set bought for a tenner, which has MIDI i/o to record with and play Band Hero with a much better set or keyboard. Now it seems superior, lightweight pads are available with specific MIDI utilities. Pretty good for a toy and it reminds me I really must play the video game with my full-fledged studio patched in.



http://sourceforge.net/projects/iondrumtomidi/



A lighter set's good for the neighbours.








And this should be handy for work. A folding one can go on the bus.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26-Folding-Mo ... 460f3fdb8e


Well, why not something vital for once?

And to get brand new stuff at a bargain price, go to your 99p Store as I did in town today.





http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/band-he ... es-1539010


Band Hero on the PS3, plus one or two other karaoke titles for the PS2.

Looks like that's nationwide. Now there's something to use with your new drums.

And I need a fresh Amiga mouse. Looks good.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Retro-Origina ... 3cd213fb2c


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore-Ami ... 43bc55c9df

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Original- ... 4cfa815540

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMMODORE-AMI ... 5af1929c57






And this looks Heath Robinson but could do the job.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amiga-USB-mou ... 20d30dcd8d

And Vosla wouldn't approve but I love these.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-USB-TO-MI ... 2a29073d15


At £3.49 each with free postage you have little to complain about. But for what they are, they're glitch free and I've bought a great many.





But if you want something more substantial, the iconic Sound Blaster Live has a great MIDI.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC-Sound-Card ... 5d3a3a9a80

Again I've had plenty. They have a great selection of unique sounds too, even though they're GM.

I had one of them for a while I kind of miss my AWE32. The sounds were a bit gumby, but they were my first introduction to proper wavetable MIDI sequencing.

The SB Live has a lovely dark piano to it, plus other convincing sounds and effects. I really have enjoyed playing with it and I always like to keep some on standby. And it was truly a revelation back in the day, with Computer Music, as I recall, being impressed that a games card was good enough for recording.

I think with the passage of time it's truly period and retro, not just old. I consider the same of my DJX II and other domestic stuff. The sound quality's dated but they have that something anyway.


And the PC at my grandmother's has an AWE 64 in, which I found an interesting old card. Maybe I should trawl the sounds on that too.

_________

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/78-RPM-BUNDLE ... 53f88d18e0


There's a nice Cole Porter one in there. And I did like this Henry Hall song since I heard it on Dad's Army.






I wonder what could drain my money next time: http://www.78source.co.uk/duke-ellington-78-rpm.html









There's nothing like a good jumble sale. And for players.......



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/His-Masters-V ... 53f92eaa20







Big: http://images.esellerpro.com/2600/I/216 ... S_1000.jpg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ION-AUDIO-QUI ... 51ad8f6e7d

Got this in the end.




I think they sang that on Dad's Army as well: http://www.78source.co.uk/ronald-franka ... 8-rpm.html



And here's a nice label:



http://www.78source.co.uk/eddie-condon- ... rpm-2.html


That's enough of that now.