The Cannibalization of Commodore Computers

[airship]

I find this eBay auction description very sad (320173951723):

You are bidding on The Incredible Musical Keyboard for the Commodore 64 computer. It was tested (see screen shots) using two old C64 computers which I will be selling the SID chips out of at a later date.

I understand why the guy is doing it - SID chips regularly sell on eBay for MORE than a working Commodore 64.

But it's still sad.

[airship]

This site: http://www.arcadecomponents.com/index.html sells all the major components necessary to breadboard up a Commodore 64 computer. It seems to me that his prices are pretty reasonable, too, considering how old these parts are.

According to his price list, here's what it would cost you to put one together yourself:

6510A CPU                     $5.99
C64 Kernal ROM              $1.99
C64 BASIC ROM              $1.99
C64 Character ROM         $1.99
6526-R4 CIA $4.49 x 2 = $8.98
C64 PLA                          $8.99
6581 SID                       $19.99
6567-R9 VIC II                $6.99
4464-10 RAM $1.49 x 2 = $2.98

Total:                            $57.90
Plus various passive components, connectors, glue logic, RF modulator, power supply,  PC board, keyboard, case, etc.

Suddenly those $30 + $15 shipping C64's on eBay don't look like such a bad deal.

[RobertB]

This site: http://www.arcadecomponents.com/index.html sells all the major components necessary...

Ooo, chips for Vectrex and Colecovision, too!  Nice.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/