Anyone here got an XL psu spare..

Blimey, that is a lot of retro, my wardrobe is mostly leads, hard drives etc etc. What I did have retro I passed on or did swaps with, down to a few joysticks, 2 disk drives, an A500, a manky 130XE and a C64.

I obviously still have my 800XL with U1mb in and my C64 with their respective cart / loading devices...Those will stay..

Console wise I'm undecided, things like the Xbox are not worth a lot and giving them away to Ebay just seems daft, I'll hold on to most of it I guess.

OT: Still stunned that Top Hop etc and Debenhams are bust, in the 90s me and Cindy would be down in Oxford street on a Thurs having a look around, not so much from Debenhams as they were just snobbish. When I last drove through Camberwell to drop my daughter off it just looked like the apocalypse had just happened, shop after shop boarded up or just left to rot...No just bouncing back from this and worse still, 'this' isn't finished getting worse...

I just hope I'm wrong..

 

You've still got some classy retro items left so as long as you have something to whet your whistle and tickle your fancy, then all is not lost, mate.

I'm afraid, like you, I think the game is up and all is lost for the big stores/names on our high streets now and god only knows what will be left... pizza/kebab and charity shops at best at this rate.

Seems like our governments and COVID are doing a better demolition job than even bombs and grenades, guys...

 

Does seem that was baz, the first second I see a set of zombies then I'm necking my tramadol collection

Feeling half dead is one thing but becoming the undead just isn't on my agenda

Seriously, the day of the high street shop is nearing its end, such a shame, if I wanted a new sofa I want to see the blooming thing first hand, not some pimped up picture. The way its going the only shops doing a roaring trade will be the offies as people get more distraught.

Now Harrods going bust, that I can live with

Oddly, some of Serena's flat mates fresh over from China, South Korea and India will only shop at two places, Waitrose and Harrods...Seriously, even their take away is top dollar...

Poor Serena is watering down her shampoo to make it last...(don't worry, we will look after her)

As for the bits I have left, the Amiga is next and when checked the two drives..Don't expect the expanded A500 to do that well, its got a sheen of Donald Trump orange on the keys but its fully working, never been opened, will be adding a 2nd drive with one of those digital displays and an Action replay to try and entice the punters...Oh, a joystick from the pile..

Blooming post to Italy taking ages, won't release the funds till its arrived..Since its 75 smackers I need that bugger to land..

Anyway, hope there's some movement at Castle Barr, keep working that moggy, treat you and Bev to a fish supper, it may be the only shop open

 

Hehe, the cat's currently painting the kitchen door - I knew that tail would come in handy.

Hope Serena's shampoo lasts out and that we do have some stores that survive into New Year but I won't hold my breath - they're just about all knackered these days and we'll only see them in musuems at this rate (together with Orics and pubs).

Good luck with your further retro sales - Amigas always seem to have a ready market so even if it is a little discoloured, hopefully you'll still get a decent price for your A500 - especially when it gets bundled with all those extra add-on goodies you mention.

I think I'll always keep my A500... together with the 800XL and Oric Atmos, they'd be my personal fave top 3 micros of all time as they're all so rich in great times memories for me (the Beeb just gets squeezed out and the ZX81, as Matt's mentioned, comes in a late fourth with its lack of anything to get excited about!).

LOL!

What are you PERSONAL TOP THREE FAVE MICROS, folks?? And why???

 

My three are easy choices

Atari 800 / XL
Commodore 64 Breadbin
Amiga A1200

All have been epic fun, all still are, all of them and myself have huge backstories on both sides of the border. And with all of them I've made great friends back in the day and now.

Can't say better than that...

 

An A500 even with a Judith Charmers permatan will still sell but hopefully to a Amiga fan and not a reseller. I did have a Amiga A1200 back in the 90's but the A500 bypassed me as I had a 1040ST and didn't feel the need to change.
If I had to pick 3 computers over the years it would be a tricky one but at a push..

ZX Spectrum 48K - it was the first one I saw running and was given as a birthday present.

Commodore 128 - Probably, for me, the best 8-Bit computer produced - very expandable - C128,CPM & C64 Modes - fantastic BASIC and built in Sprite editor and Machine Code monitor. Plus you can play most C64 software as well.

Amiga A1200 - My favourite 16 Bit computer and the AGA chipset and built in IDE interface were real added bonuses.

Probably not the most popular picks ... I would have liked to have my 800XL and Sam Coupe but I picked three.

 

With me all the expanding wasn't a thing I was in to unless it helped me tinker with the code or make the games better, as you can imagine that meant Action Replays for all (well OmnimonXL for the Atari). I only added a HD to the 1200 to store games on. Had a C128 but found it clunky compared to others computers, plus the CPM etc again were of no interest, as long as there were games for 128 mode I was in but utils apart from copiers were wasted on me..

But there's the joy of computers, they fit the persons wants, if you want to expand and add stuff on then it can be done, if you just want to game then it can be done, if you want to run a business only then it can be done.

Good times those days, seeing home computing from the birth and evolve..Good good times..

 

So right, fellas.

I mean, we've all begged to differ but that was the beauty of back then... so much choice it was truly the golden generation of the home micro and like Paul said, they helped us make so many friendships and so many memories.

We loved playing the games, hacking the code, swapping the tapes and disks and meeting up and just doing what teenagers and guys in their early 20s do - taking life like it's one happy, carefree adventure and/or the adrenaline rush of an arcade blast, getting drunk with mates and chasing the girls and hoping for an "Outrun" happy ending...



Mind, if you were an Oric outcast like yours truly, then Morrissey and Leonard Cohen were your best mates in your back street bedsit in the seaside town they forgot to close down, cos none of the Commode and Speccy owners would be seen even pixellated with you!

Talk about awful attribute clashes!

LOL.

Great micros mentioned, lads.

Keep em coming.

 

I've just been on an 'Out Run' down to the covid test site, both of us just done, Cindy feeling unwell, no taste or smell and awkward tum plus a swelling around the eye's. I'm better with a loss of taste to a degree and flu symptoms but I feel ok. Hoping its just a bad case of the flu hitting us and not that bloody thing..

Could not be at a worse time as we were preparing for Serena to return for Xmas on the 18th..

On a brighter note, loving the chat re the old machines, nice to see how much pleasure they give.

 

Fingers (and joystick leads) crossed that it's just a dose of common cold, Paul.

As you say, it's the very last thing you guys need with Serena due home for Christmas shortly.

Yeah, the memories keep flooding back.

Here are my fave games on my fave micros and why...

Amiga A500 and Kick Off 2 -



The beautiful game made beautiful on your micro - passing & shooting & tackling controls, graphics, atmosphere, playability, competitiveness with mates round and you shouting and bawling at both the screen and each other - Italia 90 and this game will always live on in my memory, fellas.

Atari 800XL and Bounty Bob Strikes Back -



So, so, so many happy nights playing this either round at Ady and Pob's (me 1st girlfriend) or at ours with Kiddy, Westy and Phil round. All taking turns, all trying to past the fiendish levels and platform problems and get your name on the amazing high score table with those amazing birds picking up the letters/digits - one word: BRILLIANT!

Oric Atmos and Spooky Mansion



Me, Scuff and Johnny H used to play this for hours and hours and were finally convinced that the game and cassette inlay had been written by Hans Christian Anderson. The reason? It was impossible to get past the 1st screen so all the others were simply fairy tales and didn't exist! It didn't stop us trying though...time and time again. If you compare though this game with the two above, hell, it's shabby but it was still so funny trying to crack it and then being killed over and over and over again but larking it round at Scuff and Johnny's was just a wheeze as we'd all hang out and do a bit of mischief on an evening as teenagers kicking around town with nowt better to do than... try and get through to the mythical screens 2/3/4 of Spooky Mansion!

Keep coming with your very fave top 3 micros and games that will always live with you on that platform, because...

 

I was a SWOS man, Sensible just felt perfectly fun, ok there was an arcade element but I found that just right. I did try kick Off a few times but I always struggled with the controls and holding on to the ball.

Its all personal...

The second choice could not be more perfect, I loved Miner 2049'er so to see a super charged version was just AMAZING. Went to play it the other day to find its not compatible with the Ultimate 1MB, the player can't move..THANFULLY there's a fixed one , phew..

Can't comment on the Oric stuff but looks nice..

One Amiga game I played a lot was Hostages, bit of an odd one but great fun..Loved the music as well.

 

Hi fellas

Late to the party, but my favourite 3 retro computers

ATARI 800XL - my first ever computer and still the closest to my heart. Favourite games are Arkanoid, Pole Position, Bosconian. So many great titles but those are my goto titles.

AMIGA 600 - perhaps a controversial Commodore choice but I just prefer the neat form factor to either the A500 or A1200. Funny thing was I was always an ST guy first growing up but if I had to choose only one 16 bit machine now it would probably be the 600... Games I love to play are Arcade Pool, Sensible Soccer and Kick Off 2. I'm a sucker for sports games!

AMSTRAD CPC - my best mate got his 464 the same Christmas I got my 800XL so we where always playing on one or the other. I like the all-in-one solution and it's got a charm of it's own. Like a Spectrum without colour clash I could play 3D Deathchase, 180 Darts or Oh Mummy for hours. Now looking forward to getting hooked again when I receive a 6128 from our very own Richie.

Talking of high street stores I really miss Lasky's, Comet, Dixons and anywhere that had a line up of computers to get your hands on. Not to mention all the independent computer shops. Sigh. I have a mate who has just opened a retro based store near Glasgow. He has old arcade machines, thousands of import games and consoles and is now building up a sizeable PAL collection as well. He even has some 8bit tapes and big box 16bit games. Totally awesome, it's like a mini Play Expo all on its own.

Anyway, hope you and Cindy test negative Paul.

I'm also up for a Christmas get together round a tinsel framed monitor. We can talk old machines while eating mince pies and and a glass of mulled wine or two

 

Al,

Spot on - top marks there, mate - you echo all our sentiments and the golden glow from the picture you paint of those once glorious 80s UK high street computer stores and your mate's new exciting venture - plus the other treat for our senses: your mince pies (and generous measures of Glenfiddich, I'll be bound), I can taste from here!

Great choices and once more another different platform - the A600 used to remind me of a sawn-off A500/1200 but by god it was damn neat and still packed a punch and of course the 800XL and Ammy CPC are also wonderful weapons of choice...

Guys, I'm getting all nostalgic again considering Paul's SWOS (not my cuppa tea but a great footie game all the same), 3D Death Chase (I'm sure that got a mention in dispatches on the old Atari Sector - did Matt find an Atari conversion or was it you, Rich?), 180 - a great darts sim and other fab titles too (ie. Bosconian, Pole Position, plus I'm recalling Ballblazer, The Eidolon and even Baja Buggies on the A8 Classic) that are all just making my family of chins shudder in appreciation and contemplation of recreating all those golden memories once more by having another retro blast and good old chinwag on the webcam this Christmas with you purveyors of video game flashbacks once more.

So, put another RAM pack on the fire, tune in and let the good times roll again.

Let's get as many "old heads" together as we can for a damn good yarn, yeah, reet soon.



Classic arcade action...

 

I'm with you Al, I also miss laskeys etc I used to walk up and down Kingsland Road in Dalston (East london) and we had all the good old shops like Budgen, The Green Shield stamp place, Laskeys as said, and a shop my mum worked in, Wavy Line. The good old sports / fishing tackle shop where you could buy a gat gun or an air rifle. All gone, replaced with silly vape shops etc. Back then those wonderful shops were the texture of the high street, I'd always get a big smile from the lady in Rumbellows although we never rented a TV from them but they were more friendly times for the most part.

Now it looks like most shops will be a thing of the past, such a shame but online is swift, lower overheads for the business and great selection for the punters but the magic of browsing through the records in Virgin was just great, now we click a picture and sit and wait, not quite as comforting but it will have to do.

The only thing that became old for me was that I'd so much software choice, software just became these plastic squares I had in loads of boxes, took the fun out of it and the bit I regret.

Enough of my retro rose tinted nonsense...

Back to awaiting a text message with dread...

 

Mate,
We've got everything crossed (including the cats' eyes) that you get a big fat negative when those test results come through.
We've just opened yours and Richie's cards and they're both gReat so thanks very much for those - our 1st cards of the year and we've a fire going (another Sinclair C5 sat on the top) to keep that winter drizzle and chill out of our bones.
Oh, don't we miss our yesteryears and yesterdays but as you say, there are some amazing improvements in the way that stuff does sometimes match our expectations and online orders arrive bloody swiftly from the comfort of our own armchairs but you can't beat a good shufty through stuff like records, tapes, games, mags and books etc.
Yep, we miss those halcyon high street 80s days, shopping and checking out the new tech etc, like this:



and just hope that next year, some stores will bounce back so we don't lose these pleasures forever.

 

Re the shops, I'm not religious but I give a BIG Amen to that..

I'm sat here feeling fine, cindy not so, Serena has flu (we hope) that I may have passed on..

The phones made me laugh, I remember the first time I saw / head a trim phone, twas like sommit of U.F.O in Ed Strakers office..

Us poor as church mice people didn't have a phone, far too fancy for the likes of us but I did get a phone installed when I left home for my mum.

All electrickery....

At least we had running water and toilets, unlike Scotland

 

Well I've been classed as positive yet I feel totally fine, this is a joke, I can only class it as a knock on from Cindy who has yet to be classed.

I'm genuinely sat here feeling 100% ok, no symptoms at all I'd happily admit if there was and issue..Honestly, I feel ok I look ok and I feel like a normal person.

If its Cindy I'll make sure she's 1000000000% better and keep away from people but I've sprayed parcels I've send t out with anti bac spray..

Sorry folks, please spray anything sent, I did it already but I want you to be sure...

My xmas looks in tatters...Fuck...

And just in time for my idiots upstairs to start banging the floors...Bad times...

 

Oh balls.... terribly sorry to hear, Paul.

Look after you and yours, get some food deliveries booked-in and dig-in for 14 days, pal.

Hopefully, you'll be reet again before the 25th, mate.

 

Apart from a flu like feeling I'm fine, getting an irritation in the throat but just like when I get flu. Cindy has a cough now which is making her feel miserable..

 

We're sorry to hear, Paul, and just hope you both continue to stay relatively well and so avoid any of the more severe symptoms, mate.

When did you get tested, a few days ago? AFAIK, the 14days starts from then/when Track & Trace notified you to go and get tested so just dig in and try and keep as positive as you can, folks.

We've been subject to it as you know just a few weeks back - it's the old gritted teeth and we'll get through it and blow a few raspberries Boris' way etc.

Dig in, buddy. Stick some retro on.

 

One down side of it, the amount of bloody texts and emails and online form filling to do...Thankfully we lead a sedate life with no real outside contact that isn't shielded by perspex so our contacts were Tesco who are enclosed..

Oh well, back to looking after Cindy..

 

Hey!!

Sorry to hear you tested positive mate. As Andy says, hopefully won't lead to any worsening of symptoms. Just take it easy and if upstairs start to annoy you just go up and offer to shake them by the hand.....

 

By the throat would be more fun Al...

 

If you need an online natter sooner, rather than later, Paul - just holler.

I'm sure 2-3 of us could get a video meet arranged and chew the fat with you, fella, to show a bit of moral and retro support.

Keep smiling through - we will beat this fekker.

 

Very kind offer but I've a little of a sore throat which I've had for a couple of weeks, don't want to inflame it..Just in case...

Hoping for an Xmas one tho..

Thank you all...