Stuff and Things.

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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Sometimes you have to think that Occam's Razor is the best path to a solution.

Last night I popped the VIC-20 on the bench to run it up and check which ICs got the hottest and needed heatsinks. Of course they all seem to need one, but whilst doing this, the video on the VIC kept disappearing, which was quite annoying.

The VIC connects to a Retrotink, through to an HDMI switch and then to the TV.

My point? Well, I did a bunch of things that ultimately were unnecessary because I thought the problem lay with the VIC.

I should have gone with the simplest solution and checked all the cables first, because it turned out to be a bad HDMI output cable from the switch to the TV!!!

There's an hour I'll never get back!!!

D 'oh!!

:blonde: :headbang:
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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mrbombermillzy
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by mrbombermillzy »

Aww, mate; I had the same thing with the twin shifter board colour output having red instead of white on the desktop.

Had to recheck all the pins and contacts weren't bent.

Turned out it was just the monitor lead not fully inserted.

Didn't spend an hour on it though. Thats rough. :(
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

mrbombermillzy wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:47 am Aww, mate; I had the same thing with the twin shifter board colour output having red instead of white on the desktop.

Had to recheck all the pins and contacts weren't bent.

Turned out it was just the monitor lead not fully inserted.

Didn't spend an hour on it though. Thats rough. :(
Well part of that hour was replacing the VIC IC socket, which was the dreaded single wipe type, and I was going to replace it anyway when the replacement VIC arrives so it got done earlier than planned, but still, went to bed feeling a bit foolish!!

Luckily I had a spare HDMI cable in my big box o' cables :)

We've all done this sort of stuff, and will probably do it again!!! :dizzy:
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by stephen_usher »

That’s a bit annoying.

All these high tech monitor connections are a disaster waiting to happen… we should all go back to RF and an old telly. :lol:
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:26 am That’s a bit annoying.

All these high tech monitor connections are a disaster waiting to happen… we should all go back to RF and an old telly. :lol:
I haven't yet fixed the modulator for the VIC-20 yet, but once I do, I have an old 14" colour TV that would solve a lot of these problems!!
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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derkom
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by derkom »

rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:07 am We've all done this sort of stuff, and will probably do it again!!! :dizzy:
You are very charitable with your use of "probably" there. :lol:

I suppose I might get hit by a bus this afternoon...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

derkom wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 12:25 pm
rubber_jonnie wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:07 am We've all done this sort of stuff, and will probably do it again!!! :dizzy:
You are very charitable with your use of "probably" there. :lol:

I suppose I might get hit by a bus this afternoon...
I'm hoping you don't!!
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Quick comp mod this evening on my 2600, it's been sitting idly since I moved house:

PXL_20220512_151554526~3.jpg
PXL_20220512_151554526~3.jpg (204.53 KiB) Viewed 1707 times

You can also see the exxos 2600 button replacement prototype PCB installed, they work very well. Buttons are out for cleaning.

Also of interest, the top has a different print layout to my other two which look like this:

PXL_20220512_163337908.jpg
PXL_20220512_163337908.jpg (303.17 KiB) Viewed 1707 times

Comp mod output looks really nice, it's the kit from tfw8b.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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Location: Oxford, UK.
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by stephen_usher »

:D
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
User avatar
rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.

Post by rubber_jonnie »

Well, it looks like I have a shopping list for later this year:
  1. Concerto cartridge - SD card cartridge for the Atari 7800
  2. FinalGROM99 - SD card adapter cartridge for the TI99/4A
  3. MegaFlashROM - SD card adapter cartridge for the MSX
  4. CoCoSDC - SD card adapter cartridge for the Dragon 32/64 and CoCo 1,2 &3
The Concerto is particularly appealing as it has a slot for a POKEY as used on some extended Atari 7800 carts, plus it also allows the use of Atari 2600 ROM images since the 7800 is backwardly compatible with the 2600 :)

I have 2 spare POKEYs so one will definitely being fitted when it arrives.

Annoyingly, and probably due to the chip shortage, the MegaFlashROM is currently out of stock, and the Concerto and FinalGROM99 I can only find in the US, which whilst workable does add to the cost. More research to see if I can find a seller in the UK or EU.

Give me something to look forward to, and will let me get some more machines running some software.

On a side note, I have this due in the next day or so:

Screenshot 2022-05-13 at 11.15.18.png
Screenshot 2022-05-13 at 11.15.18.png (3.34 MiB) Viewed 1673 times

Quite a good deal for £16.95, I've seen just the touch controller going for more than £20.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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