Pausing at 3:07. One of my very first experiences with computers was at a friends house with his then brand new PCjr with the later, infrared keyboard. He loaded up King's Quest (the original, PCjr version) and I was amazed! It had 16 colours and 3 voice sound! I remember sitting in awe just watching the animated flags waving on the opening screen with the crocodiles swimming in the moat. This version also had the birds chirping sounds on the scenes outside the castle. The display was so clean & vibrant. Just with that experience, young me knew instantly that I wanted a career in computers... In my later teens, I would get my own PCjr just to relive that moment of playing King's Quest for the first time. And for a brief time my friend and I both owned one and I remember bringing my keyboard to his house and we would both try to type on the screen wirelessly at the same time. The IR controller on the PCjr quickly got confused and it would lock up, but it would work if we took turns. It was on that computer that I first logged into a local BBS too. I'll always love the PCjr.
Wow that's so cool! I never would have even thought about trying to use two IR keyboards at one time...did it lock up the machine indefinitely or just at that moment? We actually have two in our inventory so if I can get the PCJr to operate, we'll have to repeat that test!
@@vintagegeek that would be fun to see! It was a very long time ago, but I think it locked up briefly or only while we were both typing. Or perhaps depending on which app was running?
I had a PCjr (went through 2 of them). First one had a Racore 2nd Floppy Drive/RAM expansion. The side car had a parallel port (with PC/PCjr toggle switch). I didn't know what that switch even did. I had a partially populated memory board. I think I had about 384kB ram at one point. Having 2 floppies was quite nice. I had WordStar and Electric Desk (from Alphaworks). Electric Desk was a decent office-type package (came on 2-3 360k floppies). I actually wrote my high school term paper on my PCjr. I used a 24-pin Panasonic KX-P1123 printer (not too shabby) with it. That 3-voice sound chip and 16-color graphics were quite nice. The lack of DMA (and PC incompatibility) was annoying. IBM came close to dropping out of the PC market after the PCjr fiasco.
My first computer was an IBM PCjr, but it was a slightly different configuration. You mentioned the older chiclet keyboard, but my keyboard basically identical to this one but it was wired and connected to the back. My case was thicker than this one and had a secondary floppy drive as well as the two cartridge drives. My configuration also included a wired laser mouse. The "mouse pad" was mirror-like and had a grid to it. I also believe I remember my dad saying he paid extra to double the RAM at the factory to 256kb instead of the standard 128kb RAM. I was 6 when I got the computer. My parents never touched it. I don't think they even knew how to turn it on. I read through the manuals and followed the book on learning basic and learned over a few years (with the help of a neighbor kid) how to write some basic programs. One of my favorite games I played was a cartridge based game called 'Demon Attack'. That game was addictive. Later I got into King's Quest I and II. That was a great little computer to me. Eventually when I upgraded to the Epson Equity 1+, we donated the PCjr to my classroom at my school and I got to teach my entire class how to use a computer and write basic programs and play games. Thanks for this unboxing, my brain was freaking out a little seeing the covers to the literature and the Mobo 🤤
Kinda makes you wonder what the oldest "new in box" gadget is. Somewhere out there is a brand new antikythera mechanism still packed in its original polystyrene packaging.
Recently stumbled across this channel & loving the content so far! Unboxing machines of this age is an experience few and far between these days, I really appreciated the opportunity to be a part of it. Keep up the good work, looking forward to future content
I visited your museum the other day and it was really cool! The guide's name was Justin and he even let me run a program I had written on this exact machine. Thanks for keeping all this stuff running so people can see it!
Such nostalgia, thank you! My first computer was a PCjr. My dad's work gave it to him, along with a copy of AutoCAD. I have fond memories of changing the colors of the text and background, sometimes to truly horrible combinations, just to annoy my younger brothers. My experiments with CAD were frustrating, but good learning experiences. We had the original chiclet keyboard with an overlay, for what I don't remember. We had BASIC on tape, so I learned both that and DOS in order to "talk" to the computer. I was so mad when Windows took over. It took that away from us. I think people wouldn't be so frightened of AI if Windows never happened
I’m always hoping to locate an old new stock monitor from the mid-90s at a yard sale, but this bundle from the mid-80s is just too much… Wow! Thanks for choosing to open these for us all.
See if you can find Designed in or Made in on it. IBM Had a HUGE engineering and manufacturing facility in Endicott/Binghamton, NY when IBM was really growing in the 50s through the 80s.
This brings back some memories. My first IBM compatible was a PCjr, but it wasn't pristine like this one (though it did at least work 😜). My parents bought it in 1989 from a PC consignment shop because it was cheap and it was good *enough* for me to learn DOS and BASIC on. I remember it had a distinctive hum when it powered on, which I think came from the tiny fan on the floppy drive, since it was otherwise fanless. And mine came with both the chiclet and regular keyboards--and yes, the chiclet was AWFUL by comparison. In hindsight, I realize it wasn't a great computer even in its day, but it certainly got me hooked. If you have one that works, I'd love to see one in action again!
I remember my old coworker sold me her PC Jr. Even though it was kind of outdated at the time (probably around 1990), it was my first home computer. She told me I should hold onto it because one day it would probably be a collector's item and worth a lot. I figured she could probably be right but I didn't hold onto it. I just looked them up on Ebay. They're selling for around $500. LOL. Guess we were wrong about their high value years later.
With this level of production, this channel is going to grow fast, keep up the good work. One thing you may want to consider is adding a few more seconds of outro at the end, because UA-cam likes to mess the last seconds of the video with recommendations and stuff which gets in the way otherwise.
I still have my PCjr. Haven't turned it on in many years. I wonder if the disks are still good. It came with both the chicklet and the newer keyboard. I have the sidecar RAM and the sidecar printer adapter. Kings Quest was a lot of fun but I was never able to guess the old man's name.
Have you heard the song on one of those two floppy disks named “Tears for my IBM”? I’ve been searching the net for so long trying to find a recording of it. I was 8 years old when my family got this computer. I remember the song note for note. I’d love to hear it if you could please make a short video of it.
The IBM PCjr isn't really a computer because it had NO hard drive and once you turned it off it lost the copy of DOS you had to load into ram every time. I hated my IBM PC jr as a kid and it just turned me off on computing at a very early age. What a shame... Wish I had gotten a IBM PC XT. If it can't hold its operating system once you turn it off I don't consider it a real computer.
This behaviour was true for most floppy-only personal computers, because the operating system was supposed to be on the floppy from the outset. It works similarly in all modern computers: if a hard disk or SSD is ever removed, any operating system and other software would have to run from external media (a USB stick, SD or microSD card nowadays). There were home computers with built-in BASIC, and those would start only with that. Early Macs had the built-in system software in ROM.
We had this computer. King's Quest was the hit of many parties.
My 1984 Christmas present and even though I really wanted an Apple IIc, I loved it and completely wore it out all through HS and college.
Pausing at 3:07. One of my very first experiences with computers was at a friends house with his then brand new PCjr with the later, infrared keyboard. He loaded up King's Quest (the original, PCjr version) and I was amazed! It had 16 colours and 3 voice sound! I remember sitting in awe just watching the animated flags waving on the opening screen with the crocodiles swimming in the moat. This version also had the birds chirping sounds on the scenes outside the castle. The display was so clean & vibrant. Just with that experience, young me knew instantly that I wanted a career in computers...
In my later teens, I would get my own PCjr just to relive that moment of playing King's Quest for the first time. And for a brief time my friend and I both owned one and I remember bringing my keyboard to his house and we would both try to type on the screen wirelessly at the same time. The IR controller on the PCjr quickly got confused and it would lock up, but it would work if we took turns. It was on that computer that I first logged into a local BBS too. I'll always love the PCjr.
Wow that's so cool! I never would have even thought about trying to use two IR keyboards at one time...did it lock up the machine indefinitely or just at that moment? We actually have two in our inventory so if I can get the PCJr to operate, we'll have to repeat that test!
@@vintagegeek that would be fun to see! It was a very long time ago, but I think it locked up briefly or only while we were both typing. Or perhaps depending on which app was running?
I had a PCjr (went through 2 of them).
First one had a Racore 2nd Floppy Drive/RAM expansion. The side car had a parallel port (with PC/PCjr toggle switch). I didn't know what that switch even did. I had a partially populated memory board. I think I had about 384kB ram at one point.
Having 2 floppies was quite nice. I had WordStar and Electric Desk (from Alphaworks).
Electric Desk was a decent office-type package (came on 2-3 360k floppies). I actually wrote my high school term paper on my PCjr. I used a 24-pin Panasonic KX-P1123 printer (not too shabby) with it.
That 3-voice sound chip and 16-color graphics were quite nice. The lack of DMA (and PC incompatibility) was annoying. IBM came close to dropping out of the PC market after the PCjr fiasco.
I actually got to do this on Christmas morning 1985.
My first computer was an IBM PCjr, but it was a slightly different configuration. You mentioned the older chiclet keyboard, but my keyboard basically identical to this one but it was wired and connected to the back. My case was thicker than this one and had a secondary floppy drive as well as the two cartridge drives.
My configuration also included a wired laser mouse. The "mouse pad" was mirror-like and had a grid to it.
I also believe I remember my dad saying he paid extra to double the RAM at the factory to 256kb instead of the standard 128kb RAM.
I was 6 when I got the computer. My parents never touched it. I don't think they even knew how to turn it on. I read through the manuals and followed the book on learning basic and learned over a few years (with the help of a neighbor kid) how to write some basic programs.
One of my favorite games I played was a cartridge based game called 'Demon Attack'. That game was addictive. Later I got into King's Quest I and II. That was a great little computer to me.
Eventually when I upgraded to the Epson Equity 1+, we donated the PCjr to my classroom at my school and I got to teach my entire class how to use a computer and write basic programs and play games.
Thanks for this unboxing, my brain was freaking out a little seeing the covers to the literature and the Mobo 🤤
Kinda makes you wonder what the oldest "new in box" gadget is. Somewhere out there is a brand new antikythera mechanism still packed in its original polystyrene packaging.
Recently stumbled across this channel & loving the content so far! Unboxing machines of this age is an experience few and far between these days, I really appreciated the opportunity to be a part of it. Keep up the good work, looking forward to future content
we had one of those when I was a kid
Other than the double beep, this is exactly what I remember from Christmas 1984. Thanks for the memories! BTW I still have mine. A fun little machine!
I visited your museum the other day and it was really cool! The guide's name was Justin and he even let me run a program I had written on this exact machine. Thanks for keeping all this stuff running so people can see it!
Such nostalgia, thank you! My first computer was a PCjr. My dad's work gave it to him, along with a copy of AutoCAD. I have fond memories of changing the colors of the text and background, sometimes to truly horrible combinations, just to annoy my younger brothers. My experiments with CAD were frustrating, but good learning experiences. We had the original chiclet keyboard with an overlay, for what I don't remember. We had BASIC on tape, so I learned both that and DOS in order to "talk" to the computer. I was so mad when Windows took over. It took that away from us. I think people wouldn't be so frightened of AI if Windows never happened
Wow.. thats quite a find. It really does look great. Loved the video.
I’m always hoping to locate an old new stock monitor from the mid-90s at a yard sale, but this bundle from the mid-80s is just too much… Wow! Thanks for choosing to open these for us all.
Woke up in a bad mood them boom new vintage geek thank you Aaron keep up this amazing content
See if you can find Designed in or Made in on it. IBM Had a HUGE engineering and manufacturing facility in Endicott/Binghamton, NY when IBM was really growing in the 50s through the 80s.
This brings back some memories. My first IBM compatible was a PCjr, but it wasn't pristine like this one (though it did at least work 😜). My parents bought it in 1989 from a PC consignment shop because it was cheap and it was good *enough* for me to learn DOS and BASIC on. I remember it had a distinctive hum when it powered on, which I think came from the tiny fan on the floppy drive, since it was otherwise fanless. And mine came with both the chiclet and regular keyboards--and yes, the chiclet was AWFUL by comparison. In hindsight, I realize it wasn't a great computer even in its day, but it certainly got me hooked. If you have one that works, I'd love to see one in action again!
I remember my old coworker sold me her PC Jr. Even though it was kind of outdated at the time (probably around 1990), it was my first home computer. She told me I should hold onto it because one day it would probably be a collector's item and worth a lot. I figured she could probably be right but I didn't hold onto it. I just looked them up on Ebay. They're selling for around $500. LOL. Guess we were wrong about their high value years later.
With this level of production, this channel is going to grow fast, keep up the good work. One thing you may want to consider is adding a few more seconds of outro at the end, because UA-cam likes to mess the last seconds of the video with recommendations and stuff which gets in the way otherwise.
Great suggestion and thanks so much for the kind words and for watching!
@@vintagegeek The channel owner can turn off recommendations, but I don't know if it's for each video, or for all of them.
I still have my PCjr. Haven't turned it on in many years. I wonder if the disks are still good. It came with both the chicklet and the newer keyboard. I have the sidecar RAM and the sidecar printer adapter. Kings Quest was a lot of fun but I was never able to guess the old man's name.
What was the purpose of the IR receiver? I can understand the keyboard transmitting but what would it need to receive?
I'm sorry that your "new" computer is giving you headaches! Hope you can document the fix on UA-cam for us. Good luck.
Wow, this must be a very special feeling :) Great video!
excelente canal, y toda una epoca del inicio de las pc, gracias buen trabajo
If it beeps you can fix it.
Have you heard the song on one of those two floppy disks named “Tears for my IBM”? I’ve been searching the net for so long trying to find a recording of it. I was 8 years old when my family got this computer. I remember the song note for note. I’d love to hear it if you could please make a short video of it.
you made my day!!! (terrific video!!!)... i wait for you to test this little monster!!!
I just found a Vintage IBM PC Jr Hard side Case. The foam inside is in poor shape. Any Interest?
Rippin Garden
Thank for sharing the experence, you have one more follower
I am dying to know what it all smells like!!! Does it still have the new in box smell or has it acquired the old technology smell yet?
Well it definitely doesn't smell old or have any of that 'old component electronics' smell...it still has that faint aroma of new plastic!
🔥🔥🔥
OMG, we used this in high school! Next to the TRASH 80s!
Thank.. Yeser 💪😎
Jackeline Turnpike
Stephon Lights
Walsh Circles
McLaughlin Rapids
O'Keefe Ramp
Ferry Mountain
Phyllis Inlet
Adams Garden
Adriel Forge
Hayes Trail
Leannon Views
Dessie Wall
Hills Inlet
Hamill Orchard
Yolanda Forest
Terry Plains
Jasper Spur
Brisa Wall
Kerluke Courts
Marquardt Mews
Mikel Cape
Rosenbaum Vista
Mante Springs
Hunter Branch
Alfredo Burg
Ciara Mill
Botsford Ferry
Gerlach Plains
Stamm Glen
Mayert Mall
Thomas Parks
Boris Glen
Abner Track
Kris Knolls
Reymundo Rue
Madonna Highway
Huels Isle
Paula Pine
Ryley Parkways
Ottis Lane
O'Hara Club
Jerde Track
Mraz Brook
Quigley Stream
Gusikowski Common
Cremin Rapids
Dach Views
Kuhic Drive
Mann Lakes
Rowe Flat
Wiegand Spring
Rae Loaf
Moises View
Gaylord Cliff
The IBM PCjr isn't really a computer because it had NO hard drive and once you turned it off it lost the copy of DOS you had to load into ram every time. I hated my IBM PC jr as a kid and it just turned me off on computing at a very early age. What a shame... Wish I had gotten a IBM PC XT.
If it can't hold its operating system once you turn it off I don't consider it a real computer.
This behaviour was true for most floppy-only personal computers, because the operating system was supposed to be on the floppy from the outset.
It works similarly in all modern computers: if a hard disk or SSD is ever removed, any operating system and other software would have to run from external media (a USB stick, SD or microSD card nowadays).
There were home computers with built-in BASIC, and those would start only with that.
Early Macs had the built-in system software in ROM.
Kunze Ville
Pouros Forges
Marlen Terrace
Bridgette Ramp
Scottie Key