Video Game "Look what I found"

[Luigiman]

Got these two at some garage sales

HNI_0026.JPG (72.41 KiB) Viewed 1271 times

Commodore SX-64 (no keyboard cable..) $5

HNI_0027.JPG (43.64 KiB) Viewed 1271 times

Dreamcast with 2 controllers, 3 games, and some random XBOX games thrown in $5

[CRTGAMER]

Got these two at some garage sales

Commodore SX-64 (no keyboard cable..) $5

Dreamcast with 2 controllers, 3 games, and some random XBOX games thrown in $5

Nice finds! The SX64 keyboard cable is an oddball, the end that plugs under the computer has a stepped connector. A very difficult cable to find, not an impossible fix though. You could solder in a cable, just match the pins at each end.

The SX64 rom is slightly different then a regular C64. It has a white background screen instead of blue and defaults to load the disk drive when you press SHIFT RUNSTOP.

[Luigiman]

Nice finds! The SX64 keyboard cable is an oddball, the end that plugs under the computer has a stepped connector. A very difficult cable to find, not an impossible fix though. You could solder in a cable, just match the pins at each end.

The SX64 rom is slightly different then a regular C64. It has a white background screen instead of blue and defaults to load the disk drive when you press SHIFT RUNSTOP.

If i bought a cable with all the pins at Fry's and cut it to fit in the slot, would that work?

ALso, somebody modded my SX-64, and there's a switch on the front which lets me switch between the C64 and Sx-64 rom!

[CRTGAMER]

Nice finds! The SX64 keyboard cable is an oddball, the end that plugs under the computer has a stepped connector. A very difficult cable to find, not an impossible fix though. You could solder in a cable, just match the pins at each end.

The SX64 rom is slightly different then a regular C64. It has a white background screen instead of blue and defaults to load the disk drive when you press SHIFT RUNSTOP.

If i bought a cable with all the pins at Fry's and cut it to fit in the slot, would that work?

ALso, somebody modded my SX-64, and there's a switch on the front which lets me switch between the C64 and Sx-64 rom!

Doubt the cable plug would fit, a very tight 90 degree angle inside the computer housing. Get a cable that plugs into your SX64 keyboard anyways, you can always do the solder mod or trim the metal frame if you can't get the other end to fit at the computer jack.

Never heard of dual roms in the SX-64
That switch is a puzzler, does the screen change colors when you power back on? It might be an 8-9 address switch for the floppy drive.

[Luigiman]

Doubt the cable plug would fit, a very tight 90 degree angle inside the computer housing. Get a cable that plugs into your SX64 keyboard anyways, you can always do the solder mod or trim the metal frame if you can't get the other end to fit at the computer jack.

Never heard of dual roms in the SX-64
That switch is a puzzler, does the screen change colors when you power back on? It might be an 8-9 address switch for the floppy drive.

Hmm that might be it, it changes from the regular SX-64 screen to a screen which looks more like the C64

[CRTGAMER]

Doubt the cable plug would fit, a very tight 90 degree angle inside the computer housing. Get a cable that plugs into your SX64 keyboard anyways, you can always do the solder mod or trim the metal frame if you can't get the other end to fit at the computer jack.

Never heard of dual roms in the SX-64
That switch is a puzzler, does the screen change colors when you power back on? It might be an 8-9 address switch for the floppy drive.

Hmm that might be it, it changes from the regular SX-64 screen to a screen which looks more like the C64

8-9 address is not related, strictly for the floppy drive
The 8-9 switch allows for a second external floppy, the switch would give the internal a different address different from the default of 8. The floppy drives could be set at 8 or 9. Since the screen does change maybe you have Jiffy DOS installed? An internal utility rom with extra Basic commands including a speedup for disk reads.

A VERY LUCKY FIND to have a Jiffy DOS modded SX64! And I thought my SX64 was special!

My SX64 Mods
1. 8-9 Switch
2. Reset Switch
3. Drive Head external indicator scale
4. Aux RCA input Jacks with switch for DVD player


PDF shows screws to take apart SX64
http://www.jbrain.com/pub/cbm/manuals/J ... _Guide.pdf

Jiffy DOS Screen


C64 Screen (SX64 is white background)


Merry Christmas!

http://www.geekvintage.com/commodore-sx ... -cable.php

Commodore SX-64 Replacement Keyboard Cable - SX64-KC

The keyboard cable for the SX-64 was a straight pass through DB25 with a "Z" shaped connecter on one end designed specifically for the awkward location of the port on the underside of the computer. This cable is one of the most lost pieces of the SX64 and are extremely sought after.

The SX64 bag is rare too! I still have mine, it stores the power cord, keyboard cable and miniature Amiga brand joysticks.

My only complaint about the cable is that it is very short and you can't move the keyboard very far away from the SX-64 Portable Color Computer when you are using it.

Be very careful when plugging the cable in, as the plastic shrouds around the cable pins becomes very brittle with age and is easily broken. This will not effect operation of the keyboard but it makes the pins vulnerable to crushing and bending when the cable is not in use.

You can construct a simple replacement cable using a ribbon cable and 2 plastic DB25 connectors. The connector has to be small on the computer end to fit into the awkward keyboard port on the computer itself. It is a straight pass-through cable so nothing fancy has to be done to it.

[Luigiman]

Thank you!

I think I will try to make my own cable like it says there.
And yes, my SX-64 does actually have that JiffyDOS thing on it!
One switch switches it from that to regular SX-64,
And there's another switch that does I don't know what

[Hobie-wan]

The CED disc has two tabs inside the lip at the corners. If you are curious how fine the "LP Record" is inside you can hold them in and slide it out.

Yeah I had a peek. The disc looks really clean inside. Looks like it would probably play ok if I had a player. I just bought it to display though.

[retrosportsgamer]

I am totally saving that C64 screen gif with the blinking cursor CRT. Grew up with only a C64 for gaming until I was able to buy consoles for myself. We're in the minority my friend.

[CRTGAMER]

Thank you!

I think I will try to make my own cable like it says there.
And yes, my SX-64 does actually have that JiffyDOS thing on it!
One switch switches it from that to regular SX-64,
And there's another switch that does I don't know what

Very lucky, I always wanted to try that mod but never did for fear of 100% compatibility of games. I did install a 3rd party memory upgrade in my 128D used in conjunction with a Floppy Copy Program. That other switch is very likely the 8-9 switch mod I mentioned earlier. There is a tiny push button next to the internal floppy, it resets just the drive.

Once you get the keyboard working, flip the switch and then power on.
Type in LOAD"*",9, press RETURN and see if the drive will read the disk.

The CED disc has two tabs inside the lip at the corners. If you are curious how fine the "LP Record" is inside you can hold them in and slide it out.

Yeah I had a peek. The disc looks really clean inside. Looks like it would probably play ok if I had a player. I just bought it to display though.

Video better then VHS almost as good as Laser
In honesty just about all my CEDs skip at times even the few pristine discs I own. I replaced the Stylus years ago when it could still be found at a Magnavox Repair shop. An interesting but failed format, a novelty how the sleeve is used to insert movies and "rewind" the read head back to track zero. First time the wife saw me flip sides of a movie with the sleeve she could only comment "That is Ridiculous."

A horrible thought
Imagine if the CED was as popular as Retro games. Now imagine a store like Gamestop that would buy used CEDs from the same lazy customers who misplace game manuals and cases. Buy a cartoon CED movie for your kids and there would be an adult disk inside the sleeve.

I am totally saving that C64 screen gif with the blinking cursor CRT. Grew up with only a C64 for gaming until I was able to buy consoles for myself. We're in the minority my friend.

My other 1st owner Retro Sytems:
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 01#p284901

Glad you like it, I should do a full blown Guide on the Commodore. I own numerous Commodore and 3rd party peripherals including a Dual MSD Floppy drive, light pen and a four times CPU speedup cart.

Own your own! There is a paper cutout of the SX64 here:
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 64#p235770

Hey its also missing the cable!