How Many Boxed Systems do you have?

[billdeg]

Topic Starter

[Anonymous Freak]

It depends, do you mean "still sealed in the box", or "complete including all packaging"?

I have none that are still sealed in their box, and one 'older' (but not quite old enough to be 'Vintage',) one complete with all original packaging. It's a PowerBook Duo 2300c. (The only PowerPC in the Duo line.)

My dad has at his work a PC XT complete with original packaging, (although not sealed,) and a Macintosh Plus in similar state.

[tezza]

Not many. I have the box and packaging for the Vic 20, ZX-Spectrum, C64, Spectravideo and two of my EACA System 80 machines.

Oh, and my Exatron Stringy Floppy drive Bill.

[Erik]

Lessee. . .
Atari 400
Kaypro 10
Eagle PC
Amiga 500
TI 99/4a
ADAM
Ace 1000
Laser 500
Sharp PC-1500
Grid (later tablet)
Commodore 128
A couple of Apple Powebooks
ZX81
Probably a few others I can't remember off the top of my head.

[Yzzerdd]

Due to my high standards, I do have a few with original packaging. I don't think it is the packaging that truly matters, but how complete the system is. None the less, I will list the PCs I have in their original box.

Hmm...
Come to think of it, I only have 2 AT&T 6300s with their original box! All my other complete systems don't have the original box. Well, I guess my Apple IIc came with it's original packing material in a similar sized box, but not the original flashy box.

--Ryan

[Unknown_K]

The only boxed computer I have is my Timex 2068 purchased new in 1983 (my 1st computer). I generally don't bother trying to get boxed systems, just boxed cards of which I have a few (easier to store cables, manuals, etc). Computer boxes are too bulky for machines.

[billdeg]

I have a number of boxed (in the original box, not necessarily perfect) systems, but my 5 favorites are:

Commodore P500
Osborne 1b
Commodore SuperPET
Xerox 820-II
Synertec VIM-1

BD

I would like to see the Eagle PC box.

[atari2600a]

All my modern game systems are boxed, but of course they don't count :P

I has a Commodore Plus/4 boxed, has the brochures but not the manual...

[Zeela]

billdeg: You have a SuperPET and a P500 boxed? Wow... Got any pictures?

Well, I made a deal with my wife a couple of years ago, that I only should buy boxed stuff. So I have 50+ computers in their original boxes. Some of them are missing some of the stuff that goes in the box (like brochures or manuals) , but I like them anyway ;)

Acorn Electron
Amstrad PDA-600 PenPad
Atari 260 ST
Atari 65 XE
Atari 800 XE
Atari 800 XL
CGL M5
2x Commodore Amiga 500
Commodore Amiga 600HD
Commodore 116
2x Commodore 128
Commodore 128 DCR
Commodore 16
Commodore 16 with starter pack
Commodore 64
Commodore 64c
Commodore Max Machine
3x Commodore Plus/4 (one NTSC, two PAL)
Commodore VIC-1001
3x Commodore VIC-20
2x ComX 35
2x Dragon 32 (differrent editions of the box)
2x Enterprise 128
Goldstar FC-200 (MSX)
Luxor ABC 80
Matra Hachette Alice 4k
Matsushita National JR 100
Mattel Aquarius
Multitech Micro Professor MPF-III/312 (still sealed)
NINTENDO Family Computer Keyboard
Psion HC-100
Sinclair QL
Sinclair ZX81
Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Sord M5
Spectravideo Compumate
Spectravideo SVI-318 mk II
Spectravideo SVI-728
Tandy Color Computer
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A
Thomson MO 5
Toshiba HX-10 (MSX)
Video Technology Laser 200
Video Technology VZ 200
Yeno SC-3000
Yeno SC-3000H (unopened)

// Z

[billdeg]

billdeg: You have a SuperPET and a P500 boxed? Wow... Got any pictures?// Z

This picture was taken a few years ago... under the boxed "VIC 21" is the SuperPet box from the factory.
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/pictures/P1010004.JPG

The p500 is from "Vulcan Electronics" in England, there's probably a pic in the "pictures" directory someplace. When my web site was under constriction I put up that one batch of pics, since then I have separated everything into their manufacturer. If you type "dir" at the C prompt on my web site, you'll get a directory, and you can scan for more.


Acorn Electron
<snip>
Yeno SC-3000H (unopened)

// Z

Nice collection, boxed systems is a smart way to collect, I agree. Keeps things orderly if you can get them.

bd

[DoctorPepper]

Just one: Epson PX-8

Although I consider it "cheating", because I bought it brand-new, never opened, and 20 years old!

I do have the box and documentation for my Tandy 1400 LT. Unfortunately, the box suffered some pretty severe storm damage a couple of years ago. Fortunately, the 1400 LT and manuals were not in the box! :-)

[Zeela]

This picture was taken a few years ago... under the boxed "VIC 21" is the SuperPet box from the factory.
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/pictures/P1010004.JPG
Ah, nothing fancy box-wise then... Just a brown box.
I browsed your pictures-directory. Nice collection you got there.

I wish I had as much space you have for storing these old gems.

// Z

[billdeg]

Anyone have boxes *without* the systems to put in them? For example I have 2 empty Commodore 64 boxes and no systems to put in them. Because these are pretty common computers, my logic is that I will come across a 64 system that needs a box eventually.

Am I crazy? :-)

I can see from the responses here that many people here also value the boxes, I guess that's obvious, but it's a subject that does not always come up.

I am like "Zeela", I opt for boxed systems, especially if they're newer computers.

[carlsson]

Although boxes are easier to pile, I buy vintage computers to use them once in a while. Thus most of my collection is stored out of their respective boxes, and I only buy a boxed computer whenever it is cheap.

At the moment, I only have seven machines complete with their box: VIC-20 (2-prong version), C64C, C128 (missing polys), Amiga 1200 (tatty box), Laser 2001 (tatty box), Sord M5 and COMX-35 (new in box).

Compare to the following ten loose computers: another VIC-20, one each of C128D, CBM 610, Atari 800XL, 130XE, Acorn Electron, BBC B, BBC Master, BBC Master Compact and ZX Spectrum.

Well, I guess I have a couple of unboxed (he he) PETs too, but I'm not sure if I should consider them mine or for sale just yet.

By the way, I do have one empty box for the C64 breadbox. Actually the computer is inside, but missing its motherboard!

[tezza]

Although boxes are easier to pile, I buy vintage computers to use them once in a while. Thus most of my collection is stored out of their respective boxes, and I only buy a boxed computer whenever it is cheap.

Me too. The computers I have boxes for don't live in them. Primarily because I use them now and again and they are a pain in the arse to unpack and repack. Hence they live a free and loose life in large carboard boxes with the original packaging stored elsewhere.

[frozenfire75i]

I got an IBM 5150 system with boxes but lives setup on a desk! I also have a C64 and floppy drive in its box!

[andyt31]

I have 3...

Atari ST 520STe
Tatung Einstein.
Commodore +4 (With tapes, datacorder and joystick. Even in their original plastic bags!)

All are complete with all manuals, cables and even warranty certificates!

[carlsson]

I just remembered my Acorn Electron has the original polystyrene, but no outer box. Does it count as a boxed, half-boxed or unboxed computer in that case? What if I have the box, but lack the polys? In both cases, I could pile it quite reasonably, so maybe we should divide it into pileable and non-pileable computers. On the other hand, any square box like a tower PC, Amiga 2000+ and so on would categorize as pileable even without their shipping box.

[tezza]

I just remembered my Acorn Electron has the original polystyrene, but no outer box. Does it count as a boxed, half-boxed or unboxed computer in that case? What if I have the box, but lack the polys? In both cases, I could pile it quite reasonably, so maybe we should divide it into pileable and non-pileable computers. On the other hand, any square box like a tower PC, Amiga 2000+ and so on would categorize as pileable even without their shipping box.

Same with my EACA Colour Genie. A couple of battered polystyrene moulds but no outer box. And my generic 386 is a square tower. It doesn't live in a box cause it's kind of stackable anyway :)

[carlsson]

To bring this discussion further off-topic, I've seen at least one (non-vintage) Mini-ITX project where the computer was built inside the cardboard box to Windows XP. Theoretically it should be possible to mod any computer to be self-contained in its own wrapping box. A metal case padded with thick foam on the inside to prevent dents and so on. It could be a sales argument: the computer that doesn't need a protective box.

[barythrin]

I'd venture to think that it is but do you all think that a system is worth more with a box even if the box is not in good shape? I have 2 Vic-20's in original boxes (mostly because the boxes are different) but one is failry torn for the graphics and in not very good shape. I thought about tossing the box but like I said it was different than the other boxed one I have and it has a different power and serial port I think which I never adventured far enough to see why.

So I know a good boxed system is probably worth more just because of the packing material or to an extreme collector which I honestly don't care as much anymore since it's hard to find some of the nicer units in a box, but if the box is in crappy shape would it be just as good to have the system working with no messed up box?

- John

[carlsson]

I'm quite certain a loose computer in very nice working condition is worth more than an ugly computer (still working) in a tatty box.