I am, thank you.
Stuff and Things.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.
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...
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...
- stephen_usher
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- Location: Oxford, UK.
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Re: Stuff and Things.
Oh. Get well soon. Didn't know that you were diabetic.rubber_jonnie wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2024 11:13 am Well, it's been a bit of a rubbish week. I've had either a cold/flu/RSV and being diabetic it's knocked me for 6, and I've been off work since Monday afternoon.
When you feel so ill you can't even be bothered to replace a socketed chip in something, it's not good.
Starting to feel better and fingers crossed by this time next week I'll be back to normal as I have to drive to France next weekend.

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.
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.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Stuff and Things.
Thanks. Yeah, I was diagnosed about 13 years ago. I was having issues and my wife suggested I test my blood sugar so I got a tester from the local pharmacy and was about 4 times over the upper limit for 'normal' people.stephen_usher wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2024 1:07 pm
Oh. Get well soon. Didn't know that you were diabetic.![]()
I went to the doc and said 'I'm diabetic, this is why' and he went 'Yep, you are'. It's type 2 so easier to manage with just tablets, but it changes flu, colds etc into something far more serious.
Catching the Flu (I think I have a cold or RSV, it definitely isn't covid) can be fatal, hence why I get my flu vaccine promptly every year.
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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12111
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
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Re: Stuff and Things.
Final 10000uF cap arrived for the Intellivision today, last one for the PSU re-cap, and it looks a lot better now the PSU is all good.
Always shocks me how much smaller modern caps are compared to the old ones
Always shocks me how much smaller modern caps are compared to the old ones

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...
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...
Re: Stuff and Things.
Thinking about buying anything new? I've been watching Atari 8-bits just recently. I have no nostalgia for Atari 8-bits as I never saw one or played one back in the day but I like the XE, it's like a baby Atari ST. But I don't think I can justify eBay prices for one having no nostalgia for it.
I have a working PS4 pro 2TB I could let you have. Boxed, I could let it go for the same price I could get cash from CEX. (£99?)
I have a working PS4 pro 2TB I could let you have. Boxed, I could let it go for the same price I could get cash from CEX. (£99?)
Principal ASIC Engineer - SystemVerilog, VHDL
Thalion Webshrine - http://thalion.atari.org
STf,STfm,STe,MegaST,MegaSTe,Falcon060
A500+,A600,A4000/060,CD32,CDTV
Thalion Webshrine - http://thalion.atari.org
STf,STfm,STe,MegaST,MegaSTe,Falcon060
A500+,A600,A4000/060,CD32,CDTV
- rubber_jonnie
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- Location: Essex
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Re: Stuff and Things.
TBH I have a 65XE I've owned from new, 2x 800XLs and a 600XL. The 65XE and one 800XL have Ultimate 1MB and VBXE installed, plus a SIDE3 cart, so I'm good for 8 bit Atari'salexh wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2025 3:31 pm Thinking about buying anything new? I've been watching Atari 8-bits just recently. I have no nostalgia for Atari 8-bits as I never saw one or played one back in the day but I like the XE, it's like a baby Atari ST. But I don't think I can justify eBay prices for one having no nostalgia for it.
I have a working PS4 pro 2TB I could let you have. Boxed, I could let it go for the same price I could get cash from CEX. (£99?)

I had a 600XL and then 800XL when I was younger and therefore have more affinity for the Atari's than Commodore. They are very good machines.
I have 3 PS4's, 1 dead for spares, 1 to repair and 1 working, so I don't think I need another

I am getting an Amiga 500 from somebody off the forum though

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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
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Re: Stuff and Things.
@alexh
Wow, just looking at Atari 8 bit stuff on eBay and prices are super high at the moment, I'm a bit stunned!!!
Wow, just looking at Atari 8 bit stuff on eBay and prices are super high at the moment, I'm a bit stunned!!!
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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12111
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
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Re: Stuff and Things.
Decided that the variac needed a slightly better outlet socket so installed this:
The original grey one was a bit crap tbh and plugs wouldn't fit all the way in.
I want to make a few other improvements but this'll do for a start.
The original grey one was a bit crap tbh and plugs wouldn't fit all the way in.
I want to make a few other improvements but this'll do for a start.
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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12111
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
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Re: Stuff and Things.
Hmm, got this here cap from a mains to 4x USB adapter that is playing up.
Trying to figure it out, I can't quite tell if the top where it is dinged (It was like this when I opened it up) is split, but it still seems to read the correct capacitance when I test it out of circuit.
However, if I power the adapter on and put a load in the socket, it's behaving like a SMPSU (It is at it's heart) and pulsing on and off. Will swap the cap out in case it is split and dried out and if no change I will see if I can see anything else wonky.
Trying to figure it out, I can't quite tell if the top where it is dinged (It was like this when I opened it up) is split, but it still seems to read the correct capacitance when I test it out of circuit.
However, if I power the adapter on and put a load in the socket, it's behaving like a SMPSU (It is at it's heart) and pulsing on and off. Will swap the cap out in case it is split and dried out and if no change I will see if I can see anything else wonky.
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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12111
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
Turns out the fault was the negative leg of the bulk capacitor, it had a dry joint. Now re-soldered and working just fine 
I did a re-cap while I was in there with higher spec caps of the same capacitance, and I think I'll use a bit of hot glue to hold that bulk cap in place.

I did a re-cap while I was in there with higher spec caps of the same capacitance, and I think I'll use a bit of hot glue to hold that bulk cap in place.
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...
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...