PhilCs blog / the latest things hes broken(fixed)

[JezC]

@JezC bring it, put a price on it and see I guess?

@PhilC Possibly, depends on what I have time to sort out before the big day. Other than the coming weekend I'm now busy all the other weekends up until the event itself (which is partly why it's been such a mammoth task to be able to fit it in).

Could we maybe ask people who are coming if there is any interest in bringing original ST boards in various states to sell? I do have rather a lot of STF/STFM boards so even some idea of how many might be a hint...

[PhilC]

@JezC its not something I’d buy as I have too many ST bits already but I’m sure someone might. It really depends on how much you want for it as well.

[exxos]

I'd buy a truck load of STs :P

[JezC]

@JezC its not something I’d buy as I have too many ST bits already but I’m sure someone might. It really depends on how much you want for it as well.

I know - and many potential attendees might be in the same boat as you, so it would probably make most sense for someone wanting to build an H5 or for their existing ST(s). That's also why I can't really tell whether to bring a full cased example (possibly minus floppy drive) or just some of the bare motherboards...

Pricing - definitely less that the exorbitant prices you see on some auction sites, so possibly quite/very attractive compared to having to buy all the custom chips (but at the risk of them not being fully tested as I just don't have time - or they'd have been fixed already :) )

[JezC]

I'd buy a truck load of STs :P

Ah, but where would you store them all @exxos ? :)

Plus I think you'd said you weren't able to make it?
Though it'd be great if you were able to attend (whether or not you were there to buy any old ST boards/systems)...

[exxos]

Ah, but where would you store them all @exxos ? :)

I've had mother clearing out the garage for the past couple of weeks ;) I'm going to start shifting stuff out of my workshop into the garage because it is a total dump. I could probably store like 50 complete STS even after the move.

Plus I think you'd said you weren't able to make it?
Though it'd be great if you were able to attend (whether or not you were there to buy any old ST boards/systems)...

I am going to try to attend yes, but I really cannot guarantee it at this point. Every single time I make arrangements I end up having to do something else or some chaos happens :roll:

Guarantee that if I said I was going for definite, I'd get in my van in the morning and it would not start or something to that effect. Or there be some crash on the M1 where I would be stuck for endless hours. Allways bloody something.

[JezC]

I've had mother clearing out the garage for the past couple of weeks ;) I'm going to start shifting stuff out of my workshop into the garage because it is a total dump. I could probably store like 50 complete STS even after the move.

Nice move!

Plus I think you'd said you weren't able to make it?
Though it'd be great if you were able to attend (whether or not you were there to buy any old ST boards/systems)...

I am going to try to attend yes, but I really cannot guarantee it at this point. Every single time I make arrangements I end up having to do something else or some chaos happens :roll:

Guarantee that if I said I was going for definite, I'd get in my van in the morning and it would not start or something to that effect. Or there be some crash on the M1 where I would be stuck for endless hours. Allways bloody something.

Ah yep, well aware of that sort of luck!
If there's a chance you are coming along then I will try to remember to bring those Microchip parts (PLDs, EEPROMs) I mentioned a while back to pass over.

Plus, it might encourage me to bring a few more partially working boards on the off chance (and reducing the number of boards even a bit might just earn me a few brownie points). It might help me find a way to afford that Falcon booster before the end of this decade! :)

[exxos]

Ah yep, well aware of that sort of luck!
If there's a chance you are coming along then I will try to remember to bring those Microchip parts (PLDs, EEPROMs) I mentioned a while back to pass over.

Plus, it might encourage me to bring a few more partially working boards on the off chance (and reducing the number of boards even a bit might just earn me a few brownie points). It might help me find a way to afford that Falcon booster before the end of this decade! :)

I guess it's 99% sure that I will try and go, and 99% sure I'll not actually end up getting there. :lol:
Some people are conspiring behind closed doors to kidnap me, so might not have much of a choice anyway :lol:

Maybe I should figure out how to live stream the journey because that must be worth the attempt if anything.

Ah yep forgot about those parts again.

Yeah I don't mind doing swaps or part exchanges for store stock. Just as long as it's not those motherboards I dumped on you a few years back :lol:

Most machines I've purchased are ones which have been smashed to bits from evil bay anyway.

[JezC]

@exxos Sounds like a good plot for a TV series!

No, these are fully populated motherboards.

I'll try to PM you later rather than take over @PhilC 's blog...
:threadjacked:

[PhilC]

So yesterday I’d built up the stereo SID adaptor for my C128D, took my time, cut the RF shield to accommodate the SID board. Plugged the Pi1541 into the computer and turned the power on and sizzle pssssst bang and off went the power to the house.

The IEC filter socket had gone pop, fearing the worst I did a bit of Googling, found out this was a common occurrence and fitted a new socket but one without the filter. Tried all the voltages and it all seemed okay.

I could not get the Pi1541 to work, it kept freezing up and after a couple of power downs of the C128D and the screen went black and then no more desktop.

I’ve done a bit of Googling again and have ordered another Vic chip for it in the hope that that’s what the issue is as the C128D is quite a complex computer for an 8 bit. For those that don’t know they have both a 6502 and Z80 CPU as well as being C64 and CPM compatible.

With the scope out things like the ram and cpu seem to be working which is why I ordered the VIC chip. You can apparently switch to 80 column mode and use the other VDC chip but need a proper keyboard for this which I don’t have unfortunately.

Will post more when the VIC arrives.