0102 Faulty DEC VT100 Advanced Video Option board @adriansdigitalbasement2
0102 Faulty DEC VT100 Advanced Video Option board  @adriansdigitalbasement2
Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The original DEC VT100 terminal had an Advanced Video Board that give the terminal more RAM to facilitate additional video modes and text attributes. This board was sent in by a viewer but doesn't seem to work, so let's diagnose and repair it.

-- Links

VT100 Series
Part 1: youtu.be/Hz0kNKTiM-4
Part 2: youtu.be/A3Ug302U5uc

-- Video Links

Modem I was using in this video:
tempestfpga.com

My profile on Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/adriansdigitalbasement.com

Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com

Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement

Adrian's Digital Basement (Main Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCE5dIscvDxrb7CD5uiJJOiw

My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories

-- Tools

Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html

TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672

Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184

Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino
0102 Faulty DEC VT100 Advanced Video Option boardLets recap a Macintosh Classic II motherboardPlexus P/20: One more thingLets test some scrap Nintendo Entertainment System motherboardsPart 1: Why did someone add these jacks to this old TV? (Magnavox 13MT143S) #repairTinning corroded pins on the trash-picked CGA card0062 A Pentium Overdrive exposed issues with my 486 motherboard0094 Lets talk about game consoles and basement organizationTest and try: Whats inside this dusty old PC?Amiga floppy drive resurrection (Chinon FB-354)0082 We have a ton of Amstrad computer goodness!Lets figure out how this ISA card works (DTC 1181)
Adrians Digital Basement ][ |

0102 Faulty DEC VT100 "Advanced Video Option" board

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