New video! Trying to repair a 250469 Revision B Commodore 64 board with some interesting faults.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/IOSVJkbqrQs
PeerTube: https://makertube.net/w/eR3kRmCsDn4x8z53xtMZiU
My horribly old #desktop #PC is finally starting to die. Currently running a backup (using #zfs send/recv) to my server of one important local dataset.
Now I started looking for new hardware and to my surprise found a "modern" mainboard with a "real" parallel port (internal header, certainly good enough). This really helps with my retro hobby (#C64), years ago I soldered a simple interface cable that allows using a 1541 floppy on the PC, I even ported the #opencbm driver for that from #Linux to #FreeBSD. Without a parallel port, you'd need some complex USB interface instead including a microcontroller and "tons of shit", while the cable for the parallel port basically consists of a few diodes.
Now I wonder one thing: I'd also love to have a #FDC (#floppy drive controller) again. Is there any modern board coming with THAT as well or should I just forget about it?
Beauty Contest, new #Atari8bit computers game for Basic 10Liner Contest 2025. Available for other platforms too. https://spotlessmind1975.itch.io/bc-10-liner #atari #c64 #zxspectrum #msx #retrogames #retrogaming
The #C64 which I recently repaired is revision 250425, designed in 1984.
The first thing I notice is that the SID and the PLA switched places on this newer board. This revision also consolidates all clock generation logic down to a single IC: the MOS 8701 right next to the VIC-II.
Oh, wow! It's one of those older #C64 boards made in 1983, assy no. 250407!
The SID and PLA are socketed and might have been replaced. Other than this, the PCB looks pristine.
How do I open the RF shield of the VIC-II without wrecking it?
Now I have two #C64 wedge PSUs, both perfectly working.
The one on the right might be a slightly older model, but the specs are the same: 9V AC 1A and 5V DC 1.5A.