Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
VCF East is a vintage computing festival run by the @vcfederation, and is held every April at the InfoAge Science and History Museums in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.
For VCF East 2025, I presented several computers that my generation grew up with in an exhibit titled "My Story Starts With A Computer™". (Yes, you might recognize the exhibit title as the call to action for Computerized Start™.) VCF East happened this past weekend (April 4-6, 2025), and I'm now back home with my exhibit safely back in the Concrete Subterrain™.
I thought a debrief stream was in order, and we ran out of time during that stream, so I thought a second debrief was in order to pick up where we left off: looking at the PC from consignment.
Will we get the free pile Pentium 3 working in the consignment PC? Will the Mac Plus boot after copying the INI file to the microSD card? Will the C64 pass a diagnostic run? And what are my thoughts on what worked and what I can improve on for next year? You'll have to watch to find out!
*
Ways to Support the Channel:
☕️ Tips or Support via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/jdmcs
🈷️ Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/jdmcs
📦 Amazon Wishlist: jdmcs.net/wishlist
... or simply do the YouTube things: Like/Dislike, Comment, Subscribe, Enable Notifications, and participate in the Chat. These things help the channel, too!
**
Read Computerized Start™, my Official Blog: jdmcs.net/myblog
Follow me on Instagram: jdmcs.net/myinstagram
Follow me on Twitter: jdmcs.net/mytwitter
VCF East is a vintage computing festival run by the @vcfederation, and is held every April at the InfoAge Science and History Museums in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.
For VCF East 2025, I presented several computers that my generation grew up with in an exhibit titled "My Story Starts With A Computer™". (Yes, you might recognize the exhibit title as the call to action for Computerized Start™.) VCF East happened this past weekend (April 4-6, 2025), and I'm now back home with my exhibit safely back in the Concrete Subterrain™.
I thought a debrief stream was in order, and we ran out of time during that stream, so I thought a second debrief was in order to pick up where we left off: looking at the PC from consignment.
Will we get the free pile Pentium 3 working in the consignment PC? Will the Mac Plus boot after copying the INI file to the microSD card? Will the C64 pass a diagnostic run? And what are my thoughts on what worked and what I can improve on for next year? You'll have to watch to find out!
*
Ways to Support the Channel:
☕️ Tips or Support via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/jdmcs
🈷️ Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/jdmcs
📦 Amazon Wishlist: jdmcs.net/wishlist
... or simply do the YouTube things: Like/Dislike, Comment, Subscribe, Enable Notifications, and participate in the Chat. These things help the channel, too!
**
Read Computerized Start™, my Official Blog: jdmcs.net/myblog
Follow me on Instagram: jdmcs.net/myinstagram
Follow me on Twitter: jdmcs.net/mytwitter
![Lets Unbox an #AprilApples ][+ Goodie Box, and Go From There! (Computerized Start™ Live)
Ive launched a merch shop: https://shop.jdmcs.com - use code APPLEFOOLS for 7% off all April Apples merchandise through April 30th!
*
A viewer sent me a goodie box, containing parts that need work. The end goal: an Apple ][+. Lets see whats inside, and what work lies ahead. Well also probably look at COMPUTER, as I know I need to order parts for it as well.
What parts are in the box? How bad could it be? And how many of COMPUTERs chips are now testing bad tonight? Youll have to watch to find out!
*
#AprilApples Event Logo concept and design by myself and is available at https://aprilapples.net for use with attribution when you create AprilApples content.
*
Ways to Support the Channel:
☕️ Tips or Support via Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/jdmcs
🈷️ Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jdmcs
📦 Amazon Wishlist: https://jdmcs.net/wishlist
... or simply do the YouTube things: Like/Dislike, Comment, Subscribe, Enable Notifications, and participate in the Chat. These things help the channel, too!
**
Read Computerized Start™, my Official Blog: https://jdmcs.net/myblog
Follow me on Instagram: https://jdmcs.net/myinstagram
Follow me on Twitter: https://jdmcs.net/mytwitter Lets Unbox an #AprilApples ][+ Goodie Box, and Go From There! (Computerized Start™ Live)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MpH96lHhHis/mqdefault.jpg)






![COMPUTER Repair: Now With More Repair... My Its Complicated Apple //e! (Computerized Start™ Live)
I thought I was nearing completion of my restoration of COMPUTER, the name I have given to my Apple ][+ clone made by MCA of Japan... that is, if the silk screen on the motherboard can be trusted. And Im going for a restoration here, with exceptions made for adding a Super Serial card and any expansion cards needed to make the ones that were included work.
Tuesday, I had less trouble with COMPUTER, almost as if the problem had fixed itself... but more likely, because Ive did something. Was I making some mistake last Thursday that no one caught? Was some chip I replaced the actual cause (and we ran out of time to confirm a fix)? That would require more research.
Anyways, one thing we were able to confirm Tuesday is that the Saturn 128K clone card still appears to have a fault. And when I tried to put the card in my Apple //e, that computer also had issues. Maybe we confirmed two things.
In order to fix COMPUTER completely, I need to be able to run RAMWerks, which requires 64K of memory to run AND only supports one Saturn Card at a time (so no using my Garretts Workshop clone in Slot 0 to bring COMPUTER up to 64K and then testing the clone card in another slot). Since I dont have a spare Language Card, my best bet is fixing my Apple //e so I can be fixing my COMPUTER.
Will I be able to fix the Apple //es Disk II Interface Card? Will I find more bad 4164s? Will I find more bad logic chips? Youll have to watch to find out!
*
And yes, I might need to workshop the name for my Its Complicated //e... thats the name I thought of for my Apple //e that someone installed into an Apple ][ case, and then installed several nice upgrades (one of which barely fits) to extend the life of their Apple ][ or Apple //e. Yeah, its kinda disappointing that someone modified a low serial number Apple ][ case to fit an Apple //e keyboard - at least it has vents, so its not one of the ultra-rare original Apple ][ cases - but the mod was so well done that I have decided to leave this Apple //e as-is. Hey, Its Complicated!
*
Ways to Support the Channel:
☕️ Tips or Support via Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/jdmcs
🈷️ Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jdmcs
📦 Amazon Wishlist: https://jdmcs.net/wishlist
... or simply do the YouTube things: Like/Dislike, Comment, Subscribe, Enable Notifications, and participate in the Chat. These things help the channel, too!
**
Read Computerized Start™, my Official Blog: https://jdmcs.net/myblog
Follow me on Instagram: https://jdmcs.net/myinstagram
Follow me on Twitter: https://jdmcs.net/mytwitter COMPUTER Repair: Now With More Repair... My Its Complicated Apple //e! (Computerized Start™ Live)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PdQRfidnRJQ/mqdefault.jpg)


![COMPUTER Repair: My MCA Apple ][+ Clone Needs a Power Supply & 3 Sockets! (Computerized Start™ Live)
Back in September, I got COMPUTER, my Apple ][+ clone from MCA of Japan, powering up to the BASIC prompt. To do so, however, I had to disconnect the keyboard and use another Apples power supply. I think I have what I need to solve both problems.
The power supply was easy: just buy another power supply on eBay (the place where I buy the things I later regret™). I have a cap kit on-hand, thanks to the magic of buying the wrong kit for another project, so well go ahead and recap it.
The keyboard might be even easier: I should have used sockets without a lip for the three sockets that have cables installed into them: the keyboard, the joystick/paddle port, and the memory chip at E3. I purchased some sockets that should fit the cables that go into these sockets, allowing the cables to make and maintain good contact.
Will I get the power supply re-capped without drama? Will I swap the correct three sockets? Will COMPUTER still boot? Youll have to watch to find out!
*
Use discount code JUSTINTIME for for 5% off all Computerized Start™ merchandise at https://shop.jdmcs.com.
*
Ways to Support the Channel:
☕️ Tips or Support via Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/jdmcs
🈷️ Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jdmcs
📦 Amazon Wishlist: https://jdmcs.net/wishlist
... or simply do the YouTube things: Like/Dislike, Comment, Subscribe, Enable Notifications, and participate in the Chat. These things help the channel, too!
**
Read Computerized Start™, my Official Blog: https://jdmcs.net/myblog
Follow me on Instagram: https://jdmcs.net/myinstagram
Follow me on Twitter: https://jdmcs.net/mytwitter COMPUTER Repair: My MCA Apple ][+ Clone Needs a Power Supply & 3 Sockets! (Computerized Start™ Live)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q80ly9p4EhY/mqdefault.jpg)