Stuff and Things.

[stephen_usher]

I'm not very up on C64 board revisions, but this is the one I have here:


PXL_20230608_104645361.jpg


So not sure how closely it relates to yours. Interesting that it has no box around the VIC II.

That's a later version with most of the video logic and the clocks merged into a single chip.

[rubber_jonnie]

I'm not very up on C64 board revisions, but this is the one I have here:


PXL_20230608_104645361.jpg


So not sure how closely it relates to yours. Interesting that it has no box around the VIC II.

That's a later version with most of the video logic and the clocks merged into a single chip.

Understood.

[PhilC]

@rubber_jonnie yes it looked nice here on VGA. I did send you a pcb for a Lumafix board as well I believe but you might not need it?

Honestly, I don't think the Lumafix will be needed, at least for now. Obviously I'll need to test some more, and I also need to put some heatsinks on the custom IC's I think too.

Yeah the picture does look good on your monitor and those heat sinks are definitely a priority.

[stephen_usher]

Only the VIC-II and SID chips get hot. The others don't so don't need heatsinks really.

[PhilC]

Only the VIC-II and SID chips get hot. The others don't so don't need heatsinks really.

Yes that's the two I was talking about :)

[rubber_jonnie]

Only the VIC-II and SID chips get hot. The others don't so don't need heatsinks really.

Yes that's the two I was talking about :)

I was thinking maybe the PLA as well, but I'll run it up for a bit, see who's a naughty IC :)

[stephen_usher]

The PLA hardly gets warm.

[rubber_jonnie]

I gave the C64 a bath yesterday and left it in the sun for a few hours to dry, and it looks pretty good IMHO.

I'm not really one for retrobrite, so I haven't gone that far, but it looks good :)

PXL_20230611_110549934.jpg

What's interesting is that running up PETSCII robots showed really bad bars:

PXL_20230611_111049934.jpg

PXL_20230611_111016291.jpg

And also the sound was a bit 'muddy' in PETSCII too.

But at the BAISC prompt and in Uridium, and indeed inside the SD2IEC file picker, no bars at all. The sound was also perfect in Uridium too, so a bit odd. It's almost like artifacting.

I am wondering if the bars in PETSCII are to do with the display, and maybe even the fact I'm passing it through my RetroTink, so I will hook it up direct to the TV composite, and I may need to also change the aspect ratio.

I'll post up the results when I have a chance, but overall very pleased that I am now a breadbin owner :)

[stephen_usher]

No need to retrobright that case, it's the original colour.

I would definitely suggest getting an S-Video cable. Makes a lot of difference.

[rubber_jonnie]

No need to retrobright that case, it's the original colour.

I would definitely suggest getting an S-Video cable. Makes a lot of difference.

Yeah, I think you're right regarding the colour and I'm happy with it.

I'll see about an S-Video cable, the TV has S-Video in unused at present and so does the Retrotink, but I definitely want to try a few other things too.