Tims Retro CornerYou can get the PCB used in this video for just $5 from our sponsor PCBWay. Check them out - pcbway.com There's a User Port on the back of the C64 that's got to be useful for something, right? Right! So with a few components and a little bit of programming, let's turn our C64 into a thermometer! This video was inspired by the following video on Josip's Retro Bits: youtube.com/watch?v=bwWxnF6vDwE Please check it out, and while you're there, subscribe to his channel. It's good stuff.
Commodore 64 as a Thermometer!Tims Retro Corner2023-08-31 | You can get the PCB used in this video for just $5 from our sponsor PCBWay. Check them out - pcbway.com There's a User Port on the back of the C64 that's got to be useful for something, right? Right! So with a few components and a little bit of programming, let's turn our C64 into a thermometer! This video was inspired by the following video on Josip's Retro Bits: youtube.com/watch?v=bwWxnF6vDwE Please check it out, and while you're there, subscribe to his channel. It's good stuff.
Mastodon: https://retrorewind.social/@trc Patreon: patreon.com/timsretrocorner Donate: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=DC2YUGZDYKHRNA Pair of Plus/4s Pose Problems, Will I get them to work, or even make one working machine?Tims Retro Corner2024-10-10 | Thanks to PCBWay pcbway.com/g/3DeAat for great PCBs from $5! I got a pair of Commodore Plus/4 machines that were described as "not working". Let's see is we can figure out what's wrong with them, and maybe get them working.
00:00 - Introduction 01:02 - Power On Test - Machine 1 01:38 - Power On Test - Machine 2 02:15 - Sponsor Ad 02:53 - Disassemble Number 2 04:35 - Check Voltages 07:04 - Removing the Power Switch 10:09 - Chip Testing in the C16 16:19 - Disassemble Number 1 19:39 - Let’s Use Our Known Working TED… 21:31 - Diag264: You’re Up! 28:08 - RAM Tests 32:10 - Diag Test with New RAMRelatively Universal Eprom Programmer for ArduinoTims Retro Corner2024-09-29 | The Relatively Universal EPROM Programmer is an open source Arduino shield by Anders Nielsen. It comes with the SMD components already fitted, and just the through-hole stuff to do. So I'm going to build one up and use it to program some Commodore ROMs...
00:00 - Introduction 01:02 - Components 01:51 - Soldering the Connectors 02:55 - Top Side Connectors 05:04 - ZIF Socket 06:18 - Setting the Pin Headers 07:23 - Put Tape On The USB Socket 13:26 - A New Arduino 15:28 - Connecting to the Computer 17:56 - Introducing the Software 19:21 - Installing Homebrew 20:54 - Installing AVRDUDE 21:35 - Installing FireStarter 22:12 - Running Firestarter 22:46 - Checking Voltages 24:09 - Configuration 25:36 - Reading an EPROM 30:29 - Blank Check 31:47 - Writing an EPROM 33:18 - EPROM ID List 38:09 - Wrap upI Bought A Microscope From China. PLUS: Lets Build A BlinkenBus!Tims Retro Corner2024-09-06 | One thing the past few videos has taught me is that there's scope for a little breakout board with some buffered LEDs, that you can plug into, say, a CIA or VIA. So I made one! Meet the BlinkenBus.
Oh, and I got a microscope so I can see what I'm doing. It's not one of those cutesy all-in-one jobs, but rather it's an Ali Express special, where the parts are separate...
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Join the Discord: discord.gg/q37TbgRW
If you'd like to help support this channel, please check out my Patreon. You can also make a one-off donation or use the channel Super Thanks. Patreon: patreon.com/timsretrocorner Donate: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=DC2YUGZDYKHRN Follow me on Mastodon: https://retrorewind.social/@trcI Broke my Commodore 64C, but can I fix it?Tims Retro Corner2024-08-22 | So I managed to "k word" my 64C during the making of my last video. Either I plugged in/unplugged the cartridge I was working on without checking the 64 was switched off, or I got it at a bad angle, or something. I'll be honest, I don't exactly know what. But regardless, it ended up totally inoperative with just a black screen.
So now I have to figure out exactly what got fried, and fix it. And hope it costs less in replacement chips than I paid for the machine in the first place (spoiler: it's a close-run thing...)
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement
If you'd like to help support this channel, please check out my Patreon. You can also make a one-off donation or use the channel Super Thanks. Patreon: patreon.com/timsretrocorner Donate: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=DC2YUGZDYKHRN Follow me on Mastodon: https://retrorewind.social/@trcLets Turn a Commodore 64 Into a Retro Chip TesterTims Retro Corner2024-07-24 | All the PCBs used in this video came from pcbway.com Thanks to them for sponsoring this video. The Commodore 64 is so much more than a games machine. I recently bought a batch of 6532 RIOT chips to use in another project. (RIOT - RAM I/O Timer. Think of it as similar to the C64's 6526 CIA, but with added RAM), and needed a way to test them. Not being able to afford the likes of the Retro Chip Tester Pro. Surely I could design a cartridge to take a 6532, and then write a program to test it? In BASIC even?
Watch and find out!
Big shout of thanks to André Fachat, John Riney, and other on Big Herd's Discord, for help with this project. Check out André's you tube channel: @8bittimes
00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - What Is a 6532? 03:15 - Using A Cartridge 06:27 - 6532 Description 18:29 - FIRST POWER-ON TEST 22:21 - Put a Chip In It 29:36 - PCBs 32:30 - Yellow PCB Test 35:51 - It’s Dead, Jim! 39:26 - TIMER 51:07 - Scoping the R/W Line 52:27 - Read/Write Buffer 54:46 - Re-Checking the Flip-Flop 57:30 - One Last ThingCommodore 64 Breadbin CheckoutTims Retro Corner2024-07-11 | Thanks to BCBWay pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. Check out their 10 year anniversary deals. I finally got a 'Breadbin' Commodore 64, and I got it from fellow YouTuber, Glen at @CRG Let's check it out, make sure it works, and maybe do a few mods...
00:00 - Introduction 01:15 - Disassembly Inspection 04:34 - Switching It On 05:56 - Ad 06:48 - Diagnostic Cart 16:48 - The Infamous Desoldering Montage 20:37 - Modulator Replacement 32:33 - Final Thoughts and OuttakesCommodore 16 64K Upgrade by Tynemouth SoftwareTims Retro Corner2024-06-27 | Dave from Tynemouth Software (makers of the MiniPET, Minstrel 4D, and many of the gadgets from TFW8b) asked me if I'd be interested in checking out his new 64K RAM card for the Commodore 16. Having just acquired a C16, of course I jumped at the chance.
The C16 was a cut down version of Commodore's Plus/4 TED 'business' computer. It didn't have the (admittedly not very good) business software suite that came in an internal ROM, it only had 16K of RAM, not 64 (only 12K usable) , and it had a rebadged Commodore 64 case instead of the more sci-fi looks of the Plus/4. But it was cheap, and that made it a big hit for sure in parts of Europe.
The lack of a Function ROM can be argued as no big loss. But the memory... let's just say there's no such thing as 'too much memory'.
Thanks to Tynemouth for providing the expansion free of charge. Now, while I am a Patron, this is still my unbiased commentary, and Tynemouth have had no say in the content, nor have they seen or approved this video in advance.
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdept
00:00 - Introduction 00:29 - Unboxing 02:39 - C16 - A Look Inside 03:36 - Figuring Out the Board 05:23 - Desoldering Montage 06:55 - Put Sockets In 08:13 - Fly Leads 09:08 - Soldering Montage 09:57 - Let’s Fit It 11:08 - Hook Up the Wires 12:01 - Testing 13:22 - App Time 15:54 - Put the Machine Back Together 16:57 - Jumper SettingsCommodore 1551 Disk Drive Part 2: The Final PCBTims Retro Corner2024-06-13 | Kindly sponsored by my favourite PCB fab, PCBWay pcbway.com I finish up the replacement adapter for my Commodore 1551 drive, and (eventually!) get it working...
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdeptCan you test a CPU with a handful of spare parts?Tims Retro Corner2024-05-31 | Big thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. I bought a batch of 6507 microprocessors from China for another project. But do they work? How can I test them? The 6507 is well known for being used in the Atari 2600, but I don't have one, so I need to think of another way to test them. A technique I've used before on the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 is the 'NOP Tester'. Essentially this is a ROM replacement that hardwires the data bus to 'NOP', which moves the CPU to the next address. This will cycle through every address, which can be measured. Sure it's a quick and dirty test, and in no way comprehensive. But can I build a NOP tester and test this batch of 6507s? Let's find out...
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdeptAmstrads ALT-286 Laptop - Gem or Junk?Tims Retro Corner2024-05-16 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring. PCBs starting at $5. And now with full colour UV printing. Amstrad's second generation "laptop" was basically a full blown 286 PC in a luggable laptop body. It had a 20MB hard drive, 3.5" floppy, 1MB memory (expandable to 4), an internal VGA card, 800 x 600 x 16 shades monochrome LCD panel, and even an ISA expansion slot. Oh, and it doubles as a 7Kg dumbbell for weight training.
So, I thought where better to start my MS-DOS adventure? But is this not so little machine a gem, or a pile of junk?
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdeptParallel Zip drive on the Amiga 1200Tims Retro Corner2024-05-02 | Thanks to pcbway.com for generously supplying the PCBs used in this project. The Iomega Zip drive was released a year after Commodore went bust, and for a brief few years it was the best, cheapest way to access large amounts of removable storage. Despite the Amiga's parallel port being incompatible with the drive, we're gonna hook one up and get it working!
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdept
00:00 - Introduction 04:31 - Building the Adapter 10:46 - Downloading the Drivers 14:10 - Installing the Drivers 19:26 - Running The Zip Drive 23:31 - Next Steps 24:41 - Reading the Zip Disc on a modern Mac 26:14 - Summing UpAmiga A1200 RefurbTims Retro Corner2024-04-18 | Kindly sponsored by pcbway.com - PCBs and more from just $5. An "untested" Amiga 1200 (rev 1B). Let's get it cleaned up, recapped, and working. And then... is it a keeper? and if so, what to do with it?
Check out these channels: 8-Bit Retro Refix: / @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: / @CaptainCommodore Retro4u: / @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: / @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: / @RetroKrazy 8bitsinthebasement: / @8bitsinthebasement Jess B's Tech Department / @techdept
00:00 - Start 01:11 - Teardown 04:52 - Trying It Out 06:25 - PCBWay 07:13 - Cleaning 10:20 - VapourBrighting 11:54 - Recapping 16:36 - Fitting the new capacitors 20:41 - Trying the Recapped Board 22:59 - Retrobright Results 26:48 - Does It Still Work? 29:39 - Refit the Hard Drive 31:30 - Installing Workbench… Take 1 38:02 - … Take 359 … 41:00 - So Here’s What I Did1581 Followup: Lets get this thing working! (and figure out why it isnt)Tims Retro Corner2024-04-04 | Thanks to pcbway.com for kindly sponsoring this video. So in this part 2 video we are going to get to the bottom of what's wrong with my 1581 builds, figure out what doesn't work, and what does, and why, and how to fix it.
We're gonna start with a big stack of drive mechanisms....
00:00:00 - Introduction 00:03:40 - Baseline Tests 00:05:52 - Drive 1 - SFD321B 00:08:14 - Drive 2 - Techmedia TFD310 00:10:18 - Drive 3 - NEC FD1321T 00:11:44 - Drive 4 - SONY MPF920 00:13:05 - Drive 5 - SAMSUNG SFD-321B #2 00:15:07 - Drive 6 - CHINON FB-354 00:16:35 - Drive 7 - TEAC 00:18:01 - Drive 8 - CHINON 00:19:32 - Drive 9 - SAMSUNG SFD-321B #3 00:20:54 - Baseline Test Results 00:25:03 - Building a Different Adaptor Board - PCBWay 00:35:10 - Comparing Adapter Schematics 00:38:33 - Scoping Pin 34 - Tom’s Hardware Adapter 00:42:01 - Pin 34 On the Yellow Board 00:44:41 - Interface wired up correctly this time… 00:48:25 - Presentation of initial results 00:52:57 - C5 Cap Fix 01:02:39 - Testing Amiga Converted Drives 01:04:19 - Drive #5 as an Amiga Drive 01:06:46 - The Infamous Drive 9, modified 01:09:54 - If converting an SFD-321B works, why doesn’t the adapter? 01:13:34 - Testing the Modded Adapter 01:20:28 - Badges 01:21:54 - Coda: another SFD-321B 01:26:58 - SummaryAtari 65XE Restoration...ishTims Retro Corner2024-03-15 | Thanks to pcbway.com Great PCBs from $5. Sometimes a restoration goes really well. Other times, not so much. Now, although I'd seen Ataris in the shops ever since the 400 and 800 came out, I didn't know much about them and I'd certainly never used or owned one. Enter the 65XE, This is Tramiel-era Atari. A cost-reduced version of the already cost-reduced 800XL, in a move I guess designed to out-Commodore Commodore. So when I got hold of one, I decided to check it over, clean it, retrobright it, and so on. What could possibly go wrong? Well actually it turns out, quite a lot...Commodore1551 Floppy Repair: I built a whole new interface!Tims Retro Corner2024-02-15 | Thanks to pcbway.com for supplying the pcbs used in this video. The 1551 was Commodore's attempt at making a parallel disk drive for the TED series computers. Unfortunately it was tied to the TED machines by specific hardware, so it never got wide adoption. I got this example "untested" (ie broken) in a job lot, and in this video I'm going to try and get it working. But what do you do when the only dead IC is one that is completely unavailable? Watch to find out...
00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:23 - Teardown 00:04:09 - Fixing the Door Latch 00:08:22 - Inside the Paddle 00:09:47 - Power itUp 00:13:50 - A Test Program Off the Internet 00:19:36 - EEPROM Programming 00:22:20 - Dismantling the Paddle 00:25:45 - EEPROM Adapter 00:32:36 - Testing the EEPROM PLA 00:34:43 - Interlude: Case Repair 00:40:33 - NEW PLA Test 00:41:50 - Let’s Just Try The Drive On Its Own 00:43:11 - Scope Tests 00:46:38 - Enter PCBWay… 00:47:24 - And A 6525 From Poland 00:53:23 - Test with New Cartridge 00:55:35 - A New Test Program 00:59:29 - New Test with Old Paddle 01:01:08 - Transferring the Cable to the New paddle 01:05:57 - Test: Drive + New Paddle 01:09:23 - Retest the Original PLA 01:11:22 - Performance Test and BenchmarksCommodore 1581 Replica BuildTims Retro Corner2024-01-26 | Thanks to PCBWay for supplying the boards for this build: pcbway.com With original 1581 drives becoming increasingly rare and correspondingly expensive, building a replica may be the only way to get your hands on Commodore's 8-bit wonder drive at a reasonable price. And it turns out that while some components are not particularly cheap, it isn't a difficult build to complete.
But getting it to work reliably might be a lot harder than you think...
00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:27 - Parts Overview 00:01:15 - Checking the PCBs 00:02:24 - Soldering the Small Parts 00:06:46 - Soldering the Sockets 00:08:44 - Crystal Oscillator Confusion 00:14:19 - Putting In The ICs 00:19:41 - The Final IC 00:23:44 - First Power-On Test 00:28:31 - Power up with drive attached 00:31:10 - Plug it in to the Plus/4 00:44:18 - And then it all went wrong 01:00:12 - Recapping the drive 01:04:55 - Trying the Recapped Drive 01:06:53 - Boxes and Screws 01:14:27 - ConclusionsAmiga CD32 Restoration Part 2: Replace and calibrate the laser. Rectifying Mistakes.Tims Retro Corner2024-01-12 | Thanks to pcbway.com Great PCBs from $5. In part 2 of my CD32 restoration, I fit and calibrate a new laser assembly, replace the two bulging capacitors that I fitted backwards last time, and investigate the left audio channel producing no sound.
Instructions for calibrating the laser came from Mike's Vintage Tech, check out his video here: youtube.com/watch?v=chIF8JrIFS4 and from the TSB blog, check that out here: https://www.tsb.space/knowledge-base/amiga-cd32-laser-calibration-replace-laser-pickup-procedure/
00:00 - Introduction 00:21 - Disassembling the Laser Assembly 04:27 - PCB WAY 05:00 - Fitting the new Laser Assembly 07:55 - Trying the new Laser 09:44 - Next Steps 10:21 - Remember those Caps? 12:37 - Another Problem - No Left Audio 14:47 - Removing the two Backwards Caps 18:19 - Getting it to Read a CD 20:18 - Calibrating the Laser 23:15 - Adjusting the TEB Pot 24:35 - Adjusting the FEB Pot 27:54 - Adjusting the laser Output - First Try 28:46 - OK, let’s have another go 30:04 - The ‘Eye Diagram’ 30:59 - First Pot (again) 32:13 - Second Pot (again) 34:37 - Fourth Pot - Focus Error Gain 35:43 - Summing UpMerry Christmas 2023 - A little PC Build... with bricks!Tims Retro Corner2023-12-24 | Happy Christmas everyone! Today we're in a light hearted mood and we turn to our Chrismas Computer build... but with a difference. This PC is made of bricks! Ok, so it's not actual LEGO (TM etc), but it's "compatible", made by Pantasy in China, and distributed in the UK by Brikk
Affiliate Amazon links if you want to build your own UK: amzn.to/3TCOCfT US: amzn.to/3NEBbIE (if you use the link even to buy something different, it will help the channel)
Other ways to help support my channel: Patreon: patreon.com/timsretrocorner Donate: paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=DC2YUGZDYKHRN Follow me on Mastodon: https://retrorewind.social/@trc You can also make a one-off donation or use the channel Super Thanks.Restoring My CD32 - Part 1. Mistakes Were Made.Tims Retro Corner2023-12-20 | PCBWay Christmas Sale is now on! - Up to 50% off: pcbway.com My Amiga CD32 has been in the attic for most of its 30 year life. But does it still work? Has it leaked cap juice all over its motherboard? It's time to find out...
Channels mentioned in this video & worth checking: 8BitRetroRefix: @8BitRetroReFix Josip Retro Bits: @JosipRetroBits Retro4u: @Retro4u Captain Commodore: @CaptainCommodoreCommodore Plus/4 Black Screen of DEATHTims Retro Corner2023-12-07 | Kindly sponsored by https://www.PCBWay.com $5 for 10PCBs. Just a week after building a new power supply for it, my Plus/4 decided it was no longer for this world, and produced the dreaded Black Screen Of Death.
Channels mentioned in this video: 8BitRetroRefix: @8BitRetroReFix Retro Krazy: @RetroKrazy
00:00 - Introduction 00:35 - Initial examination 02:46 - PCB Way 03:16 - Checking the TED 05:06 - Trying a replacement TED 08:17 - 8501 and PLA 09:42 - Try a GAL PLA 10:41 - Another Plus/4! 11:13 - Send the Chips to Steve! 11:41 - Steve’s Report 17:28 - What to Do For a CPU? 18:20 - 6510 CPU Adapter 20:31 - Refitting the working chips 21:58 - Building and fitting the Adapters 29:04 - First Test 30:40 - Diagnostics Test 33:02 - Further TestingPowerbook Duo 230 - Gem or Junk?Tims Retro Corner2023-11-24 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. $5 of 10 PCBs, and much more. Sometimes you see a real bargain on eBay that's just too good to be true... And so, the PowerBook Duo 230 - Gem or Junk. The Duo was my first encounter with the Apple Macintosh, way back in 1994. I jumped at this incredibly cheap example. Was it a good buy? Is it a gem, or is it junk...?
Some other channels you should check out: 8BitRetroRefix: @8BitRetroReFix Captain Commodore: @CaptainCommodore Jess B's Tech Dept @techdept Josip Retro Bits: @JosipRetroBits Retro Krazy: @RetroKrazy Retro4u: @Retro4u
00:00 - Introduction 01:21 - PCBWay 02:44 - First Look 09:54 - Taking it Apart 29:56 - Oh No! He’s Twisting It!! 31:28 - The Keyboard 36:27 - New Capacitors 40:24 - Reassembly 43:31 - Trying it Out 45:42 - Conclusions and SummaryBuilding a Modern Power Supply for the Commodore Plus/4Tims Retro Corner2023-11-10 | Check out our sponsor pcbway.com for all your PCB needs, starting at $5. The foot-warmer brick-of-death power supply that came with this Plus/4 needs to be replaced. Urgently. Before it destroys the computer. These power supplies are notorious for failing, and when they do, the voltage regulator shorts its output to its input, sending lethal voltages to all the chips in the computer. But we can make a brand new one that's safe and reliable. And all it takes is a 9 volt transformer, a small 5 volt Mean Well, a bit of soldering, and some 3D printing. Oh, and an LED. Because you've got to have LEDs. BTW this build will work equally well with a C64 or C128, all you need is the appropriate plug for the computer.
Obligatory warning: mains voltages can be lethal. Do not attempt this project unless you are comfortable working with mains voltage and know what you're doing. The mains here is 240V, yours may be different.
Some other channels you should check out: 8BitRetroRefix: @8BitRetroReFix Retro4u: @Retro4u Josip Retro Bits: @JosipRetroBits Captain Commodore: @CaptainCommodore Retro Krazy: @RetroKrazy
00:00 - Introduction 01:48 - PCBWay 02:25 - The PSU Connector 03:10 - Plus/4, C64, or C128? 06:16 - What we’re gonna do 10:23 - Take the Cables Off the Old One 12:33 - Breaking and Entering 17:09 - Wiring up the Transformer 21:45 - Fitting the Mean Well 22:16 - Wiring up the Connectors 23:42 - Wiring the output of the transformer 26:20 - Swap Over the Fuse 26:55 - Add an LED 27:38 - First Test 29:12 - Hooking Up the LED 29:27 - LED 34:10 - Moment of TruthHappy Halloween! #retro #commodore #printingTims Retro Corner2023-10-29 | #shorts Happy Halloween folks! Here's a little message printed from a Commodore 64 onto an Epson FX80 Dot Matrix Printer. As 1980s as it gets! Oh, and BOO!
The full width version is available exclusive to patrons. Check it out - patreon.com/timsretrocornerCommodore 64 KeyBright turns into a RepairTims Retro Corner2023-10-27 | Thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring this video. Top quality PCBs from just $5 pcbway.com I thought it would be a simple job: just retrobright the keycaps. But then . . . Disaster!!! Now it won't even power up! What could have gone wrong? Check this out!
00:00 - Introduction 00:35 - De-Keying the Keyboard 02:45 - PCBWay 03:19 - Wash - Rinse - Repeat 05:27 - Give it some Blue 08:04 - Re-Keying the Keyboard 10:22 - The “Oh No!” moment 10:56 - Overcurrent Protection 12:25 - A Brief Digression About Screws 13:11 - De-Capping the Cap 15:00 - Try it Again 16:00 - Fixing the Broken Plastic Bits 17:56 - Summing UpPrint to an Epson FX-80 from a Commodore 64Tims Retro Corner2023-10-13 | Thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring this video. $5 gets you 10 boards with fast turnaround. pcbway.com The FX-80 is a great retro printer for 16-bit machines with a parallel port - Amigas, Atari STs, DOS PCs etc. But what about the humble Commodore 64? Well, there were two solutions: one is to fit an interface card to the printer itself. These are rare and hard to find (and were, even back in the day). The second is to use a serial to centronics converter. And that's just what we're going to do...
00:00 - Introduction 02:17 - PCBWay 02:59 - Disassembly 04:37 - Cleaning 05:49 - 5V Connection 07:04 - Printing! 12:52 - PrintMaster Plus 15:17 - Wrap UpCommodore Plus/4 RestorationTims Retro Corner2023-09-29 | Sponsored by pcbway.com - great PCBs from just $5 The Plus/4 was Commodore's much underappreciated successor to the C64. I found one online "untested" for a great price. It looks pretty grubby. Does it work? Let's find out...
00:00 - Introduction 02:20 - PCBWay 03:06 - PSU Test 04:59 - Initial Disassembly 12:28 - Pulling Keycaps 13:25 - In the Sink 22:54 - C2N Datasette 25:02 - Let’s try a tape 30:41 - Re-Capping 33:56 - Put it back togetherMore C64 SensorsTims Retro Corner2023-09-18 | The prototype boards used in this video came from our sponsor, PCBWay. Check them out at https:www.pcbway.com Continuing our exploration of probes and sensors on the Commodore 64. We look into uses for the data, and also explore analogue probes, and I2C Bus devices such as the Pimoroni BME280 to measure pressure and humidity, as well as temperature.
00:00 - Introduction 01:03 - Program Changes 05:10 - PCB Way 12:04 - Run the Program 14:04 - Adafruit TMP36 Sensor 16:06 - TMP36 - Analogue Temperature Probe 20:58 - Testing the Joystick Port with a Pot 22:53 - I-squared-C You 23:29 - I2C Primer 26:24 - Connecting up the I2C sensors 29:09 - I2C Data 40:08 - ENV-III 50:23 - Analogue Thermistor 54:27 - Round Up 54:50 - One Last ThingEpson FX80 Dot Matrix Printer RefurbTims Retro Corner2023-08-01 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. Top quality PCBs and more from just $5 for 10 boards. The Epson FX 80 was the workhorse printer in my old 8-bit days. It wasn't my first - that was the Commodore MPS801 (spoiler: it was bloody awful). Very quickly I replaced that with an FX 80, and this printer served me well through C64, C128, Amiga and even my first PC. So imagine my delight when I found one for sale at an incredibly cheap price. I grabbed it straight away, and now let's see if we can get it going...
00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - The Epson FX80 03:38 - Sponsor Segment 04:23 - Disassembly 07:34 - Further Disassembly and Cleaning 09:03 - Print Head Cleaning 13:33 - Does it Work? 17:35 - Printing with Protext 25:05 - Graphics Printing 26:12 - Retrobrighting 28:49 - Reassembly 31:20 - Final ThoughtsAmiga 600: New Floppy drive, and Compact Flash Upgrade WITHOUT using WinUAETims Retro Corner2023-07-13 | Some upgrades for my A600. Firstly the floppy drive finally gets replaced, then we're gonna fit a Compact Flash drive and install Kickstart + Workbench 3.2 WITHOUT resorting to emulators.
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00:00 - Introduction 00:46 - Fitting a new Floppy 02:36 - Testing the floppy drive 03:38 - Fitting a CF adapter 06:04 - PRogramming the Kickstart ROM 07:06 - Fitting the new Kickstart 10:46 - Partition CF - Take 1 14:39 - Partition CF - Take 2 16:01 - 2M Chip RAM expansion 17:38 - Partition CF - Take 3 19:35 - Partition CF - This Time it’s War! 20:42 - Partition CF - DIe you B@$*(£^¢& 29:15 - EPROM Stickers, and the LED ProblemCommodore 8050 Dual Floppy Drive Repair and RestorationTims Retro Corner2023-06-21 | I bought a cheap 8050 floppy drive off eBay as "spares or repair". Can I fix it up and make it work? Thanks to pcbway.com - awesome PCBs and more starting at just $5
00:00 - Introduction 01:38 - Board Assembly 02:29 - “Put These on That!” 04:16 - Testing 05:55 - Working Board! 08:48 - One-Line Maze 09:39 - Firmware Update 15:37 - GPIO 21:11 - Conclusion 22:20 - OuttakePlaying with LED PanelsTims Retro Corner2023-05-18 | Everyone loves LEDs! This video is kindly sponsored by PCBWay. The best PCBs from $5 pcbway.com I got hold of a selection of LED matrix panels, ranging from a 64x32 HUB95 through a 16x16 I2C panel and even a string of NeoPixels. Just how easy is it to make a useful display out of them?
00:00 - Introduction 00:22 - Unboxing 03:42 - Sponsor Message 04:13 - Hub75 64x32 Panel 07:18 - Assembling the Interface 11:11 - Hooking up the Matrix 14:13 - Adafruit 13x9 I2C Matrix 17:24 - Pimoroni Ubercorn 16x16 23:24 - WS2812b “Neopixel” StringI Killed My VIC-20! But Can I Fix It?Tims Retro Corner2023-05-03 | Thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring this video - you can get the EPROM adapter PCB used in this video, and more starting at just $5 for 10 boards, from pcbway.com So, buoyed up from my success at getting the "untested" VIC working (see youtu.be/nTLfV4o0OdI ) Decided to fit some ZIF sockets to enable me to use this machine as a 6502/6522 chip tester.
Music: Arpanauts by Eric Skiff - http://ericskiff.com/music 00:00 - Introduction 00:53 - Sponsor Message 01:39 - Desoldering Montage 06:28 - Testing with the ZIF Sockets 06:50 - Well bugger. 09:05 - Oscilloscope Traces 11:36 - Swapping out the 245 13:49 - EPROM Adapter board 18:34 - Replacing the ROMs 20:06 - Try it out again 22:28 - Interlude… Some Cleaning 23:26 - Another Week Later 24:29 - Retest with everything Socketed 26:42 - Put it Back Together 27:54 - Cartridges 28:25 - Definitely NOT a gamer!AMIGA 1200: 68882 FPU Card and Restoration Part 2Tims Retro Corner2023-04-14 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. In the second part of this Amiga 1200 restoration, we'll be replacing the mechanical hard drive with a modern Compact Flash drive, attempting to repair the QuickShot dual Amiga/ST mouse, and fitting the Power Computing PC1208 FPU & RAM card. There will be Benchmarks!
Music: Arpanauts by Eric Skiff - http://ericskiff.com/music 00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - Sponsor Message 03:57 - FPU & RAM Card 07:00 - Fitting the FPU Card 08:27 - Quickshot Mouse 12:43 - Another Mouse 14:02 - Back to the FPU Card 15:23 - Benchmarks 19:00 - Summing UpVIC-20 Cassette Port FixTims Retro Corner2023-03-31 | Thanks to PCBWay for sponsoring this video - PCBs and more from just $5 at pcbway.com I got this Vic-20 from eBay "untested". It seems to work but it fails the diagnostics with a bad tape motor error. So let's fix it.
00:00 - Introduction 01:09 - Sponsor Message 01:51 - Teardown 03:48 - First Test 05:32 - Checking the 9 Volts 07:28 - Replacing the fuse holder 11:17 - Replacing the Zener Diode 13:25 - Coming Up In Part 2Battered Mac LC 630 Restoration - #MARCHintosh 2023Tims Retro Corner2023-03-24 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. My first "old" Mac arrived in a battered and sorry state, with "some assembly required", thanks to a relaxed attitude to packaging on the part of the vendor. So of course I'm going to pull it apart and fix it up. I might even get it to work...
00:00 - Introduction 01:24 - Taking it Apart 02:47 - Motherboard Inspection 05:58 - Recapping the mainboard 08:49 - Lifted Pad 09:40 - Fitting new Capacitors 12:18 - Fitting the Bodge Wire 16:09 - Further Disassembly 29:03 - Oops! 30:19 - Putting it all Back Together 32:55 - Floppy Drive Cleanup 36:35 - Final Assembly 37:41 - Magic Smoke Test 41:55 - Second Test 44:34 - Final Assembly Montage 45:19 - Build ReviewPIEEE-488 Prototype Project Part 2: Designing & Building the PCBTims Retro Corner2023-02-24 | Thanks to my sponsor PCBWay pcbway.com They made this PCB for just $5 for 10 boards. If I can do it, anyone can! Last month I built a breadboard floppy replacement for my MiniPET. Well, a prototype for it anyway. In this video I turn that prototype into a PCB. Watch part 1: youtu.be/g1RisoxQX9I
00:00 - Introduction 00:20 - Titles 01:08 - KiCad - Circuit Schematic 05:55 - KiCad - Board Layout 08:49 - Exporting the Gerber Files 16:07 - Upload to PCBWay 17:52 - The Great PCB Unboxing 20:17 - Building the Board 31:04 - Cockups and Admissions 33:28 - Testing 35:52 - Mini “State of the Nation”Amiga 1200 Restore and RepairTims Retro Corner2023-02-15 | I was very generously given an Amiga 1200 by the past chairman of ICPUG (Independent Commodore Products User Group). // Kindly sponsored by PCBWay - high quality PCBs for just $5 pcbway.com
In this video I do some basic restoration and recapping. But then: what is that weird problem with the mouse? Let's find out...
00:00 - Introduction 00:50 - Unboxing 05:01 - Sponsor Message 12:11 - Test 1: Basic power up/. Does it work? 13:40 - Test 2: Hard Drive 17:20 - Re-Cap Preparation 23:27 - SMD Cap Removal 27:05 - Tracking Down the Trace 28:41 - Replacing the capacitor with the broken pad 31:34 - Attaching the ‘normal’ SMD caps 32:02 - Fitting the thru hole caps 33:10 - Refit the Keyboard Connector 34:06 - Testing the recapped board 37:18 - Scope It! 41:57 - Removing the Mouse Filter Capacitor 43:21 - RetestPIEEE-488 Prototype SD drive for the Commodore PETTims Retro Corner2023-01-16 | My Christmas/New Year "maker project" is this IEEE-488 device for the Commodore PET. Thanks to my sponsor PCBWay pcbway.com Making a PCB couldn't be easier, from just $5 for 10 boards.
I enjoyed making the Pi-1541 a few weeks ago, and I decided to try making something similar for the PET. The initial prototype is sketched out on breadboard, and programmed in Python, using a Pi400.
Yes I know there are devices out there that already do something similar (SD2PET and Pet Disk Max are two that I own), but they don't quite do what I want of them to in one way or another. And yes I also know the NoDiskEmu software that drives these devices can be forked and adapted. But I'm learning Python for work, and this is a learning experience: I want to figure out my own solution. It may not even work, but I'll have fun finding out!
This is a bit of an experiment in trying something different: it's not a repair video; it's not even a tutorial as such. In the week or so that I allowed myself to work on it, I only got so far. If you'd like to see it go further, please comment below. The next stage would be to take it to a PCB, maybe make a 3d printed case, and of course, continue the software.
00:00 - Introduction 04:16 - Sponsor Massage 04:57 - Hardware Sketch 09:46 - Equipment 13:33 - Intermediate Breadboard Layout 17:30 - Configuring the Pi - Enable I2C 19:19 - Buttons & LEDs - mini demo 20:08 - IEEE Data Transfer DemoMinstrel 4D - Amazing Jupiter Ace Compatible Kit Computer: One Day BuildTims Retro Corner2022-12-30 | Today I'm building a Minstrel 4D kit computer. Thanks to pcbway.com for kindly sponsoring this video - easy PCB prototyping from just $5. The Minstrel 4D is a kit computer built from modern day available parts. It's based on the Jupiter Ace, a small Z-80 micro from 1982 that was notable for running FORTH. But the kit expands on the Ace and gives it a full 49K of RAM, turbo mode, and an RC-2014 expansion bus.
The kit is available from The Future Was 8-Bit thefuturewas8bit.com and I'm going to build it...
00:00 - Introduction 00:21 - Unboxing 05:14 - Sponsor Message 05:46 - The Jupiter Ace 07:16 - The Minstrel Series Kits 08:24 - Let’s Make It! 09:25 - Low Profile Components 11:24 - Diodes 13:28 - Capacitors 16:35 - Resistance Isn’t Futile 19:10 - Sockets 26:59 - Resistor Arrays 28:04 - MOSFETs and Regulators 29:33 - Crystal, Transducer, DIP Switch 30:50 - LEDs & Electrolytics 31:43 - Connectors 36:25 - Keyboard Switches 38:10 - Pillars 38:50 - KeyCaps and Overlay 43:47 - First Power On Test 46:28 - Demo 49:11 - BonusAmiga 600 Restoration Part 2: Floppy Repair and Retro BrightTims Retro Corner2022-12-22 | Part 2 of restoring my Amiga 600. In which I attempt to fix the floppy drive, and retrobright the case. pcbway.com - the easy way to PCB, from just $5.
The floppy drive on this A600 (a Panasonic JU-253-043P) doesn't work. At least, it doesn't spin. The heads tick back & forth as you'd expect, but nothing happens when you put a disk in. Hopefully I can find the problem. And since it's the coldest, darkest time of the year, it must be time to do some retrobrighting! So we'll do that too...
🔴 *NEW!!* Follow me on Mastodon: https://retrorewind.social/@trc
00:00 - Introduction 02:13 - Sponsor Message 03:40 - The disk’s not spinning! 04:39 - A leaky capacitor in the drive?07:45 - Replacing the Capacitor 08:42 - Recapped Drive Test 10:43 - Trying an A500 Drive 12:59 - Drive Motor Tests 14:52 - Drive Disassembly 16:16 - Let’s Retrobright! 17:12 - Keys 26:06 - Keyboard Brush Down 26:41 - Keyboard Reassembly 28:22 - Case AssemblyAmiga 600 Restoration Part 1: Re-CappingTims Retro Corner2022-12-15 | I'm taking a first look at my "untested" Amiga 600. Kindly sponsored by my favourite PCB maker, PCBWay. pcbway.com On initial inspection the case looks to be in reasonable condition. Yellow for sure and there's a crack by the floppy button. But at least it's clean. Oh, and one of the two warranty seals is still intact (but not for long!) Of course that means that inside lurk those nasty, leaky, surface mount capacitors. Better get the soldering iron heated up...
This is my first time with SMD caps, so the technique I'm using comes from literally minutes of watching YouTube! Big shout out to Ravenwolf Retro Tech youtube.com/@RavenWolfRetroTech for this one. Do check out his channel. And in particular this one: youtube.com/watch?v=zhUpcBpJUzg
00:00 - Introduction 01:26 - Sponsor Message 01:52 - Surface Mount Capacitors 06:31 - Plug it in, see what it does… 06:50 - Recapping - Introduction 07:55 - Unsoldering the first cap 09:05 - Removing the Keyboard Connector 10:22 - Remove the Audio Connector 10:50 - Removing the Surface Mount Caps 16:23 - Fitting New Capacitors 20:45 - Fitting the Through Hole Capacitors 22:20 - Preliminary Test 24:57 - Testing the System 26:38 - DiagromBuilding a PI1541 for the Commodore 64Tims Retro Corner2022-11-23 | Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video. The Pi 1541 is a modern day replacement for the venerable Commodore 1541 disk drive. Unlike devices like the SD2IEC, it is a cycle exact emulator, which means anything you can do on a real 1541, you can do on this. Including run code.
The case I used: thingiverse.com/thing:4892996 I made the following modifications to it - Extended the width by 1mm just to make it an easier fit - Extended the front by 20mm to make it easier to fit the LEDs in the front panel - Shifted the OLED window by 4mm to suit my particular OLED screen
00:00 - Introduction 00:32 - Discussion 02:48 - Sponsor message 03:23 - The Build 07:46 - Set Up the SD Card 13:23 - First Test 15:15 - External Monitor Test 16:05 - Startup Problem Fixed 17:44 - I Missed some Board Jumpers! 19:00 - Final Test 22:07 - 3D Printing the Case 25:04 - The Completed unit in OperationAmiga 500 Plus Repair - Take 2Tims Retro Corner2022-11-03 | This Amiga does't boot: it just has a black screen and a flashing drive light. Check out pcbway.com for great PCBs, 3D printing and other services from just $5. From the initial look I suspected the 2MB Agnus was dead ( a very expensive IC), but maybe there are problems with the RAM support logic? and there's always the old standby... battery damage. Also viewers suggested checking out this video youtube.com/watch?v=V3yC2DFsNlc&t=1698s for what looks to be a similar problem. So let's do that.
Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:52 - Sponsor Message 03:40 - First Test 06:32 - Scope it Out 10:17 - Desoldering Montage 13:30 - Chips tested 15:18 - Beeping the PCB 16:34 - Green Goo 20:02 - Bodge Wire 20:58 - New Chip, Crystal 22:39 - After all that… Does it work? 23:48 - Vanilla A500 Comparison 25:22 - Clean the PLCC Socket 26:56 - A New Agnus 29:05 - Trying the New Agnus 30:45 - Another Desoldering Montage. Oh joy! 34:53 - EpilogueLets Make an 8-bit Adapter PCB - From Scratch!Tims Retro Corner2022-09-28 | What do you do when you can no longer get that PCB you desperately need? You make one! Thanks to pcbway.com for sponsoring this video, and also for providing the PCBs free of charge. The 6530 RRIOT chip is used in all the Commodore IEEE disk drives. And if it dies, it's impossible to find a replacement. EXCEPT, with an adapter we can use a much more common 6532 in its place. Today we will make that adapter, using our own PCB design.
00:00 - Introduction 01:03 - Why this Board? 04:36 - Introducing KiCad 05:02 - Starting KiCad 06:06 - Create the Schematic 07:18 - Bring the schematic into the PCB Layout editor 08:23 - DRC - Design Rules Checker 09:07 - Fix missing connection in schematic 09:43 - FreeRouting - Java autoroute app 10:28 - Re-import and check 10:38 - Power Rails & Tweaks 11:18 - 3D VIEW 11:54 - Gerber Files 15:13 - Unboxing 20:21 - Building the Board 21:28 - The Legendary and Infamous Soldering Montage 25:29 - Will It Work?Commodore 128 Keyboard RepairTims Retro Corner2022-09-08 | The F key is broken on my Commodore 128, and the 6 key wobbles! Thanks to PCB Way for sponsoring this video. Go to pcbway.com for quality PCB manufacture from just $5.
It's time to take my C128 keyboard apart and find out what's wrong with it. And put it right. Warning: this video contains scenes of 3D Printing...
00:00 - Introduction 00:35 - Removing the affected keys 01:31 - Keyboard Disassembly 03:41 - The Damage is Revealed 04:42 - 3D Printing New Posts 06:08 - Fitting and Adjustment 09:05 - An Extra Tiny Spring 09:44 - First Test 12:20 - Reassembly and Final CommentsCommodore SFD 1001 Drive Teardown and Repair: Part 3Tims Retro Corner2022-08-22 | It looks like a 1541 but it's not! Thanks to my sponsor, PCBWay. pcbway.com Quality PCBs and more from just $5. This SFD 1001 drive came with a surprise: it once belonged to the company where I got my first programming job! In the last episode we finished our restoration of the drive and powered it on. But it didn't work. This time we go in depth, searching for bad chips and other problems with the motherboard. And we discover a worrying problem on the drive itself.
00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - Easy Chip Tests 02:58 - Sponsor Message 04:16 - Testing in a 1541 22:15 - SFD Drive Architecture 29:33 - First Test 36:06 - Yes, I was a numpty! 38:50 - Broken Sensor Wire 45:10 - Progress - One Step Forward… 47:34 - Reading an 8250 format Disk 49:53 - … 2 Steps Back 53:07 - Socket Replacement Montage 54:27 - One Last Test 56:21 - EpilogueApple Silicon Mac Emulates Amiga: the M2 MacBook AirmigaTims Retro Corner2022-08-08 | Back in the day, the Amiga was used to emulate the Apple Macintosh. So when I got my brand new M2 MacBook Air, what was the logical first thing to do with it? Install an Amiga emulator of course!
No the irony is not lost that I should use a £1500 new computer to emulate a £300 old one! This is What We Do!
Thanks for watching. (Now, I think the next step might be to install a Mac emulator on the Amiga, so I can have a Mac emulating an Amiga emulating a Mac....)
Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 05:15 - Installing AmiBerry 10:22 - Configuring AmiBerry - Kickstart 11:59 - Creating a hard drive with Workbench 23:25 - Sysinfo 26:21 - Frontier Elete Demo 30:03 - SummaryCommodore SFD 1001 Drive Teardown and Repair: Part 2Tims Retro Corner2022-07-26 | It looks like a 1541 but it's not! Thanks to my sponsor, PCBWay. pcbway.com Quality PCBs from just $5. This SFD 1001 drive came with a surprise: it once belonged to the company where I got my first programming job! Last week we stripped the drive down and repaired a corroded spindle motor board. This week we turn our attention to the power supply and the main PCB. Let's see if we can fix it up and get it working.
In this video we're working on wires that directly connect to the mains (230V AC in our case). DO NOT MESS WITH MAINS CONNECTIONS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. THE MAINS CAN KILL YOU.
Blog: timsretrocorner.com Music: A Night of Dizzy Spells by Eric Skiff - http://ericskiff.com/music 00:00 - Introduction 00:48 - Installing The Power Supply - Part 1 05:33 - Sponsor Message 13:38 - Re-Capping the main PCB 16:52 - Replacing the IEEE Connector 21:52 - Checking the Voltages 22:46 - Reassembly 23:33 - Retrobright Results 29:07 - The Magic Smoke Test