General Stuff(tm)

[stephen_usher]

I've tried to find the correct paint for the CUB flap but failed totally... Oh well. I think that I need a RAL colour match book rather than spending lots of money on random cans of paint. Never mind. It'll have to do.

IMG_5131.jpeg

Anyway, progress with getting games for Retrofest onto floppy has been going well. So I thought I'd see if I could tweak the CUB to allow it to display the full width of the QL display. So I opened her up...

IMG_5134.jpeg

Apparently the width is controlled by the variable inductor L202.. Unfortunately this is right next to the high tension stuff, so not only will I have to use insulated tools but I'll have to wear long rubber gloves as extra protection. Well, I would if the ferrite core in the inductor hadn't become a shattered remnant. When I opened the monitor a shard was hanging on the top by a thread. Touching the gently core caused not only that shard to detach but most of the rest of the core outside of the coils too!

IMG_5135.jpeg

So, I left that alone and used a testcard program I'd written on the QL to adjust the height and the red gun, toning it down a little so the whites weren't a slightly pink.


At least I now know the age of the monitor.

IMG_5136.jpeg

[rubber_jonnie]

That Cub looks suspiciously like the OPD colour display I have, I know both were Microvitec devices.

[stephen_usher]

That Cub looks suspiciously like the OPD colour display I have, I know both were Microvitec devices.

The ICL display was a D-series CUB with the invert RGB jumper set and an Astec power supply added to power the OPD. The BT Merlin monitor is a T-Series CUB with the same modification. The internals are exactly the same, just the case is different.

[rubber_jonnie]

That Cub looks suspiciously like the OPD colour display I have, I know both were Microvitec devices.

The ICL display was a D-series CUB with the invert RGB jumper set and an Astec power supply added to power the OPD. The BT Merlin monitor is a T-Series CUB with the same modification. The internals are exactly the same, just the case is different.

That would explain the similarity then :)

[stephen_usher]

Yay! Car troubles....

For the last few months every now and again my Skoda would pop up an error whilst I was driving telling me of a parking brake error. Seeing as it started to become more frequent a couple of weeks ago i popped into the Skoda dealership I bought the car from...

Me: Car has issue...
Service manager: Is it a hybrid.
Me: Yes.
Service manager: Sorry, our hybrid qualified technician left so you will have to find a different dealer, may be in Banbury (30 miles), Swindon (30 miles) or Reading (30 miles).
Me: Can you at least plug in and do a diagnostic.
Service manager: Sorry, or hybrid technician was also our diagnostics technician. I can give you the phone number of "Skoda Assist". They'll probably be able to get you booked into another dealer with a higher priority.
Me: Thank-you. Good-bye.

So, I got home and called "Skoda Assist", which is operated by the AA. The person on the phone said that it was probably a sensor and put a priority call in at the Banbury dealership and siad that they'd call... Which they didn't... And that I could keep an eye on the call via the "MySkoda" app... Which I couldn't as it doesn't have that functionality.

I've been busy since last week so haven't had a chance to follow up...

Today the car has started giving an "Airbag: error" constantly.

So, maybe it's not a single sensor problem but maybe a communications one or even the main computer.

I'm going to call "Skoda Assist" again first thing in the morning.

The problem is that I'm going on holiday on Monday and will need to drive down to the South West for a couple of weeks. If the "hand brake" is unreliable then this is going to be dangerous on Devonian/Cornish roads with hill starts. Also, the air bag issue could be dangerous too.

Thankfully, I have the SAAB back, at a pinch I could use that, but I'd prefer not to.

Humph!

[rubber_jonnie]

Oh boy, what a complete pain in the rear!!!

I don't see why they couldn't have plugged in diags and said 'the code is this'.

Bloody useless!

[HigashiJun]

Yay! Car troubles....
.....
Humph!

I guess yoy know that Skoda (Škoda) means "Too bad !" in Czech ?

[stephen_usher]

Yay! Car troubles....
.....
Humph!

I guess yoy know that Skoda (Škoda) means "Too bad !" in Czech ?

:lol:

[stephen_usher]

I called Skoda Assist (which is contracted out to the AA).

After saying about the airbag error the operative ordered a van to visit with a time given of 11:05am. At 11:02am I get a phone call saying that instead I should drive 30 miles to Banbury and hand the car into the dealer there and get a temporary replacement car.

So, I drive there and talk to the person on service reception. She was of the opinion that as I actually drove there I wouldn't get a courtesy vehicle!

Anyway, after she phoned up several people finally the details from Skoda Assist came up and showed that I'd been promised a temporary replacement. I asked about how long I could keep the car, especially due to RetroFest and my fornight's holiday starting on Monday. She said, well, until you can pick up the car as I couldn't exactly do that when on holiday.

Of course, the dealership didn't have one, so more phoning around and Skoda Assist ordered one from the local Enterprise hire. The service person tried calling them up... This was now around 12:15pm. The phone rang for about 15 minutes before it was picked up and she was told they they'd phone me within 15 minutes.

About 10 minutes later they called. I was told that they were very busy and it would be highly likely that after 5:30pm they would know IF they could get me a car or not. However, they'd call me if they found one available before then.

So, off I walk into Banbury, using the phone navigation 'cos I don't know the town, in the searing heat.

Get into the town and the only pub open in a Weatherspoons... no thanks!

Finally found a small cafe selling rolls so bought lunch and eat it on one of their tables outside.

Went for a walk and found the town museum so went in. Of course, it was only 10 minutes later that I got a call from Enterprise saying that they'd had a cancellation and to come in at 2:30pm. It was 2:15.

Picked up a Ford Kuga hybrid and again asked how long I could have the car for. The bloke said that the AA had initially booked it until Monday. I wonder what will happen then?!

Anyway, I've decided that for the holiday I'll take the SAAB. It has a larger boot, which will be useful on the return journey as on the last day it will be piled up with retro-goodies/old junk after visiting some old friends in Cornwall. Probably lots of 386/486 motherboard, cards, memory and maybe a Kaypro or two. The Kuga's boot is too small.

[HigashiJun]

Kinds of stories that only seem to happen in present-day Europe...

:(