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1540 valuable?

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:42 pm
by Jeff-20
I'm sure others have noticed but there's a 1540 on ebay for $230.00 US. I'm just wondering houw much it is sought by Denial members.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Commodore-Vic-20-VI ... 240%3A1318

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:05 am
by Zeela
I'd really like one of those! But not at that price.

I know they are quite uncommon, especially boxed, but... On the other hand, if this were the only thing missing in my collection then I might even consider this one, highly priced and all.

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:38 am
by Luzur
i think i got one of those, have to check.

EDIT: yep i had one, and its been modded with TurboDOS v 2.0
cant remember where i got it from, probably rescued it from the dump.
i also have a 1540 manual and a printed manual for the TurboDOS from Delikatess-Data in Angered, explaining what has been done and how to use it.

Image

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:52 am
by ral-clan
The 1540 is cool, but since it really is not different than a white 1541 with a slightly different ROM, I'd just buy a white 1541 if I wanted a drive to match my VIC.

I am not the type of person that would pay $250 for something that is not significantly different than the more common and cheap VIC-1541.

As it is though, I have a 1540 which I got for $5 from a computer recycling store, and two white 1541s (they all need alignment adjustments).

The bad thing about the 1541 is that it runs really hot.

Neat to see the white power socket on the back of the 1540 like that. Mine had that originally, but it caught on fire (well, it was exuding thick white smoke) when I plugged it in to test it for the first time - so now it has a black one salvaged from a 1541.

Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:10 am
by smj
I did a comparison of a 1540 and a 1541 (tan) and found there are
significant differences between the units. I was given a white 1541
last year and after reading this, I thought I'd add that one in as well:

http://sdf.lonestar.org/curiosity/154x/

Basically it looks like the white and tan are essentially the same (rev C).
Has anyone seen a rev B?

Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 5:14 am
by ral-clan
smj wrote:I did a comparison of a 1540 and a 1541 (tan) and found there are
significant differences between the units. I was given a white 1541
last year and after reading this, I thought I'd add that one in as well:

http://sdf.lonestar.org/curiosity/154x/

Basically it looks like the white and tan are essentially the same (rev C).
Has anyone seen a rev B?
I can't remember if you've taken a look at the Denial Wiki article that notes the differences between the white VIC-1540 and white VIC-1541.

http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... disk_drive

Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 10:40 am
by smj
Thanks for pointing that out. I'd be happy to add to that article. It'd be cool
to see a rev B pop up somewhere. Its hard to say how rare these things are
and how many are lying in wait in someone's closet or garage, but there
were tens of thousands made for sure.

Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 10:48 am
by ral-clan
Please, go ahead and add to the article if you'd like.

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:47 am
by SkydivinGirl
I've got one of these in my collection but I still don't see why they fetch such a hefty price. :?

I'll have to open it up to see what rev board is in it. :)
smj wrote: Its hard to say how rare these things are
and how many are lying in wait in someone's closet or garage, but there
were tens of thousands made for sure.
Unfortunately, it's more likely many of them were thrown away. I know I threw away some items before I started on my retro hobby. :(

Heather

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:19 am
by pitcalco
Quite frankly, I was thinking of bidding on that (or it may have been another listing for the 1540), but it is not worth the shipping from America only then to need to get yet another power converter for it.

The price of $230, while a lot of money, is one I would be willing to pay.
I would like a white 1541 just to match the VIC better than the 1541-II I use now.

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:46 am
by English Invader
The 1541C goes quite well with the VIC. This is the drive I use most of the time.

1540

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:15 am
by bokvamme
oh yes, I want one boxed, but not at that price...

Well, here's your chance

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:04 pm
by dabone
I'm starting mine at 150.00

It's boxed, but no manual.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :MESELX:IT

Original roms, and working.

later,
dabone

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:02 pm
by PaulQ
Personally, I'd just get a VIC-1541. Apparently, they're as common as borsch, even though I've eaten many more bowls of borsch than I have seen VIC 1541's. I digress. Visually, the Vic 1541 goes just as well with a Vic 20, works with a Vic 20 just as well, and is a genuine Commodore product. The only reason why Vic 1540's fetch more money appears to be the fact that there were fewer of them made, which isn't sufficient enough to make up the huge price difference in my books. Besides, how anal do you want to get for a computer that was made for the masses, not the classes?

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:49 pm
by dabone
Besides, how anal do you want to get for a computer that was made for the masses, not the classes?
I'm hoping there are a few.

I already have 2 vic-1541's, 3 regular 1541's, a 1571 and never use any of them. I have uiecs mounted internally in my 128 and 64c.

And my final expansion 3 cart is on order to have one for my vic.


Later,
dabone