So I was sitting here wondering why all of a sudden I was getting tons of new subscribers. The Project Geek kindly informed me that it might have something to do with MindFlare Retro’s new video, and he was right! Honored to have been involved in such a herculean C64 repair effort, and I’m always keen to lend a hand.
Happy you reached out to assist at the time. I am in your debt. Your subs >>> up 27 in the two hours since posting at 12:00 PM ET (subs was at 413) -- I've been keeping an eye on it. 🧐
MindFlareRetro I’m used to getting like 5 new subscribers a week at the most, not in 5 minutes! Now I’m going to have to make some new content to appease all the new subs aren’t I? :)
Excellent video, gentlemen. May the Lord Jack Tramiel bless you and smile upon you both from his office in the sky for keeping up with Commodores, so our Commodores can continue to keep up with us. :D
I actually shot some footage for a video, and have part of a script... the challenge lies in putting it all together so that it makes sense and is entertaining. :P You guys make it look so easy!
Excellent video - TH-cam randomly suggested it to me, a week after having a bit of a similar problem myself (half of the ram chips, U25, U14 and three solderpads without connectivity). I like that it shows the “second pair of eyes”, but also that it can be interpreted as “any problem with the C64 can be solved - you just have to replace every single chip, and test connectivity on every single trace on the PCB. Simple as that 😀!!”
Hi Peter. Thanks for watching and for commenting. I am happy to here that you found my channel and that you enjoyed the video. Yes, I think it's fair to say that unless a C64 motherboard is physicaly broken/cracked it _is_ repairable. It might require a lot of patience and several sets of eyes, but they definitely can be brought back to life. Thanks again for commenting!
Finally. Empires have risen and fallen since your last video 😉. Seriously though, great video. As someone very new to learning how to restore retro hardware, my stomach turned when I saw those pads. Great to see this repair making over the line. Well done both of you.
When dealing with stuck lines I usually find it helpful to interrupt the stuck signal by removal of chips while probing, to narrow down the fault, since the fault otherwise show up along the entire line. I recently managed to identify a faulty logic ic that way. Great video, and I can totally relate to the frustration involved.
Same here. Well, it's a crappy game, but it has become the holy grail for everyone even vaguely interested in C64 repairs. Incidentally, I was actually soldering together my own Super Zaxxon replica while watching this video - I had just received the last missing part (had become tired of waiting, had to get it locally, paid too much....had a déjà vu while watching this video...). My replica is meant for experimentation and testing, butt-ugly, no case, and with two ZIF sockets for the TTL ICs so changing them from LS to HCT or HC is fast and easy. Still, just a 100ns 27C256; I guess the original ROMs were slower. However, the ZIF sockets should also allow me add load capacitors to delay OE a little bit.
After seeing the video, its nice to see there is someone that shares the same interest as me and lives close to me. I live in Mississauga and have always been into retro computing. I have several C64's, Vic20, Timex1000 (ZX81), IBM XT, AT and monitors. Thanks for your great videos.
Hi Morris. Nice to meet you, neighbour. You might be interested in chceking out the MFR Discord. There are a lot of GTA and KW retro and vintage computer aficionados there. It's a great group to mingle with. Check it our here, discord.gg/7MZUcqq.
Great electronic troubleshooting video ! But I can't help but to think to myself: since Commodore has produced and sold over 15 million units of the C-64, wouldn't it be more cost effective to find one in good working condition than to repair any of them ? Especially when it's difficult like this ? But then again, it wouldn't be as interesting to watch as this. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Alain. This is a great question. Yes, I agree with that if one is looking for a C64 or other retro computer just to have in their collection. For me, though, it is the enjoyment of reviving them whenever humanly possible. It is a satisfying hobby for me (and others) to bring them back to life and be able to pass on to another retro computer enthusiast to enjoy. THanks very much for watching and for commenting! /\/\FR
Man - gotta love it when you see the main chips are socketed like that. Bread-BIN for the WIN! Dude - got some ASMR vibes when you went into hyper-speed mode with the snap crackle and pop. :)
Thanks very much for watching and for commenting. I always enjoy your videos but I am a little bit behind in watching your last two. I hope to rectify that soon.
Fun to watch this as i was repairing several dozens of these computers in the early 90's sometimes i had like 10 boards each day. I never used the desolder gun when i knew a ic was dead i always cut all pins and gently wicked all holes as pads where lifting from the bad quality boards back then also. There where however boards (don't remember the revision) that where visually a lot better the copper was at least double the thickness and never lifted. The silk screen of these boards was also very different they covered like 95% of the board in sort of a grid pattern. The company i worked for back in the days made PLC's out of the comodore 64 boards.
Hi Leon. Wow, great story! 10 boards a day - that's a lot of practice. You must be a C64 repair master. Thanks for the repair tips - I will follow your lead and use these techniques on my future repairs. Thank you for sharing your stories.
Wow, two of my favourite commodore repair Titans collaborating on a c64 repair video. You did so much of the work in figuring out what the faults were, it's good to have an extra set of eyes giving it a look over. Really enjoyed this video. Very informative and entertaining.
Thanks for your kinds words, Wouter. Not sure if I qualify as a repair titan (as was pointed out in the comments 😁) - I fit more in the retro repair knucklehead category. 😉 Sadly, I am still playing catch-up with your most recent videos but hope to rectify that soon. Thanks for commenting.
@@MindFlareRetro Anyone who can tackle a problem as tough as this one is a c64 grand wizard to me. And you made a good looking video too (how did you manage to move those chip names at the start?) I've tried repairing c64s, but I'm the knucklehead, believe me. Just today I chatted with a 17 year old wanting to get into c64 gaming. These young fellas need videos to help them repair their c64s when the time comes.
@@TheHighlander71 Well, thank you, again. My video editing software has an image tracking function. It's not the easiest thing to use, but basically you can have it track a point in the video and then you can attach an object (image, text, etc.) that stays in place for the most part as the video rolls. A bit gimmicky, but fun to use once in a while.
@@MindFlareRetro Right. I use Adobe Premiere and it has so many options, this may be one of them. I can't say that I've seen much use for image tracking, but now that I'm aware it exists I'll probably find a need for it :)
I try to keep its use to a minimum, plus I'm still trying to master it. It looks like Premiere Pro does have some form of motion tracking, th-cam.com/video/aRI1cjM1UHE/w-d-xo.html. DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design (which is actually a free pro video editing software that I, too, have been meaning to try) has more advanced tracking functionality.
Great video! Really dig the effort you put in to add effects and even a bit of potty humor (hur hur). I've found that if the screw doesn't turn with a slight bit of torque, a few seconds of 300c soldering iron on the screw cap and they usually give without damaging the post. YMMV but that works for me most of the time.
That's great advice - I've never heard of that technique before but will add it to my bag of tricks. In the case of this C64, the posts were already broken off and nowhere to be found.
I feel with you on the difficulty was sky high on this one. Diagnosing is usually the fastest way to find the fault, but how do you diagnose when so many faults are affecting each others. Great work Aphexteknol also :)
Hey mindflare, I absolutely feel with you. Finding the fault on a sick PCB is horrible! What I learned in the past few years of repairing C64s... Measure All Supply & GND pins on ALL the ICs. And measure ALL address, data & CS, WR, EN pins at ALL ICs! It`s worth it. If you like, feel free to have a look on my latest TH-cam videos, they show exactly that kind of measurements. But the most important... You saved another C64 from the trash... Happy end! 😉 @aphexteknol... Subscribed! Best regards to all 8-Bit-Computer fans! Your Doktor64!
Hi! Maybe your german is better than my english ... ;-) I decided to make my videos in german language because there are so many good TH-cam channels about commodore retro computing. So I wanted to do something different ... I am very proud of our C64 community! Best regards! Your Doktor64!
@@doktor6495 I doubt that. From your writing here I would say your English is quite good, indeed. Would you consider making one video in English? Even a short video to see how it would be received my your viewers? I know I would enjoy it for sure. Just a thought.
Wow, what an adventure! Well done, both of you. Exceptional video making skills, too, as usual. I am now secretly plotting to send the Aldi C64 board that still gives me headaches over to aphexteknol, too... ;)
Thanks, Jan. I am sure @aphexteknol would love to look over your problem Aldi C64, and I am sure your would also receive back a lovely typed note reply created on a vintage typewriter. ;)
Haha. Yeah, I often take these tough repairs a bit too personally. This board was very well baked before I got my hands on it. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
Very interesting video and thorough repair. Plus I learned of a new channel. Keep up the good work, always like your high production values and that you show human errors as part of a repair.
Thanks, Glen. Apologies for the late reply. The cost of this repair was pretty much compensation for the parts which where not too expensive. It's more for the joy of fixing them.
Thats my dude in dayton. Im sure aphexteknol can tell you stories about us with that last find. Kind weird seeing those 100 commodore 64's in peoples homes that really wanted them. Not a single one got sold on ebay. I think thats why the bbs scene is blowing up again. I only have about 25 left to repair and im done. about out of parts though. hehehe
Not sure Those standsoff Will last 🤔. They are soft in the middel. At The end where The joystick was inserted, The board moved slightly. But a Dahm good repairjob. I guess i would have attempted to throw The board as a frisbee After a week 😂
Great and rich in details video! It really shows how much work is required to fix stubborn boards sometimes :) I just wanted to add that these kinds of problems are way more common in Europe so it wasn't that bad after all ... believe me :D Congrats on this repair :D
Excellent, Glad you could swallow your pride and admit defeat. Given more time I am sure you would have got there, excellent tag team work from both of you. The main thing is that another one gets to live another day and give it's owner happiness. Thumbs up.
the last three C64's with black screen I repaired where RAM failures. I have found by replacing one only leaves another to fail later, I replace them all. they are getting harder to find so I buy more then I need. I blame the power supply for most of the failures.
I'm not exactly sure how this works, but I think there is a problem with concluding the first multiplexer is bad simply because one pin is stuck high. Can't you only conclude that if the other input pins were otherwise correct? If an input pin lost its pulsed signal because of a different chip, the output would be stuck, right?
Yup, you are absolutely correct. However, a knee-jerk C64 repair move is to remove any MOS 7708 ICs and replace them with new newer ICs from TI or other reputable manufacturer especially if you even remotely suspect a RAM or addressing fault. The MOS 7708s are renowned for their high failure rate. Having said that your take on it is the more appropriate best practice.👍
Outstanding as usual. Very nice fix. Some boards can be a real pig in terms of traces. Not sure why. Maybe they used different factories or something. I normally start shotgunning chips when I get that frustrated lol. U27 ican be a pig as well. Keep it up.
Wow...that was quite a journey! I have a box from Ebay with a C64 and C64c. Hopefully I don't have to play this game with either of them. Edit: for those plastic standoffs, wouldn't it be easier to put them in the board first? Seems like you'd have to kinda guess by sticking them to the chassis first. Obviously what you did worked out, but just not how I would have approached it.
Thanks for watching. Yeah, admittedly, my _applying_ _the_ _standoffs_ approach could have been a bit more thought-out. Hopefully, your C64s do not require multi-country journeys. ;)
Haha. You are the second person to spot that mistake - thanks for speaking up. 👍 I actually caught that the leg missed the socket after recording that video clip and corrected it. I guess I should have been more forthcoming and mentioned it in the video. It's amazing how many viewers spot the little things (well, difficult to notice in such a short video clip) -- it tells me that you were paying close attention, which is quite a compliment. Thanks again.
MINDFLARERETRO, 1.) In arcade games they use Address decoder chips to do the ROM chip select signals they dont' use PLA chips. I'm surprised why does the C64 game console used a PLA chip to do the chip select signals instead of using an address decoder chip, any reasons you think? 2.) In pinball games they used PIA chips to do the I/O processes for the switches matrix circuit and lamp matrix circuit and didn't use CIA chip. I'm not sure why they didn't use CIA chips in pinball games instead of using PIA chips. Arcade games use neither PIA chips or CIA chips to do the I/O processes like the joystick and buttons its done using an multiplexer chip as I believe? Not sure why arcade games didn't use PIA chips or CIA chips for the joystick and buttons. Any advantages of using CIA chips instead of using PIA chips?
@@ericschepers9317 Hi Eric. Thanks for subscribing and thanks for reaching out. Sounds interesting. Could I trouble you to email me at the address in the About tab of my channel so we can continue the conversation there, th-cam.com/users/MindFlareRetroabout?
i'm sure you did this for the principle of saving it, but how much did you charge your customer? wouldn't it have been much cheaper to buy another C64 than even your cost to repair this one?
Well, you raise a fair question. This whole retro computer repair thing is my hobby and I will do repairs for local people if asked. Yes, you are correct, I did this repair for the principle of saving it.-it is not a business-I do it for the pure enjoyment and satisfaction of bringing them back to life for people to enjoy. I referred to the owner of this C64 as my "customer" because we had agreed that he would pay for any replaced parts and in the course of the repair we agreed to split the cost of sending the motherboard to my friend Aphexteknol for a second opinion. In the end, he actually paid far less than it would have cost to purchase a working one on eBay. We were both quite pleased with how it all turned out in the end. Thanks very much for watching and for commenting.
MINDFLARERETRO, when you use the "dead test cartridge" which IC chips is this testing or what are you using the dead test cartridge to test? you also use a "diagnostic Test cartridge" also to test what IC chips? I'm confused what is the differences of the dead test cartridge and the diagnostic test cartridge and what are you using them for when troubleshooting?
Hi Bill. Thanks for your questions. Well, in short, the two Commodore diagnostic cartridges off the following features: 1. *Dead* *Test* *Cartridge* *(REV 871220)* - Tests various system RAM areas at startup. It was typically used to assist in testing C64s that would only power up to a black screen. The Dead Test requires only the CPU, PLA and VIC-II chips (and SID if you want it to test sound) to be installed as it is loaded into memory before the Kernal in order to test memory. The CIA chips, BASIC, Kernal and Character chips do not need to be installed, as these chips are not tested - the Dead Test does not require a loopback harness to test these other ICs. According to the manual, "The Dead Test is almost completely dedicated to System RAM testing and does no type of System ROM or Port Testing." Power Up RAM Test Zero Page RAM Test Stack Page RAM Test Screen RAM Test Color RAM Test RAM Test Page Sound Test Lower Screen Display 2. *Diagnostic* *Cartridge* *(REV 586220)* - Tests most of the same RAM areas as the Dead Test (but does not perform a Power Up RAM test) as well as 6510 MPU/CPU, PLA, SID, VIC-II, system RAM, ROMs (BASIC, Kernal, Character) and internal I/0 circuits (including the CIA chips). In order to take full advantage of the Diagnostic Cartridge, a Loopback Cable Harness is required in order to test the I/O functionality of all the ports and the keyboard. Adrian Black reviewed the new Diag Test Harness created by Sven Petersen (@svenpetersen191 on Twitter) on his YT channel recently, th-cam.com/video/szSzA6T4Kdw/w-d-xo.html. Manuals for both the Dead Test and Diagnostic Cartridges can be found here, blog.worldofjani.com/?p=164. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and thanks for your comment.
@@MindFlareRetro thanks for the help 1.) Any reasons why C64 uses PLA chips and CIA chips? because arcade games in the 70's and 80's didn't use PLA or CIA chips. So I'm not understanding why they used PLA & CIA chips instead of using something else or not using them at all. 2.) Any reasons why the C64 and other arcade games use different types of RAM chips "access time"?
Yes, @bwack used to make that one, but he no longer does, unfortunately, as it was too time-consuming to produce. However, he has designed an easier-to-make C64 Saver V2 that I provide a sneak peek of in my mailbag video, bit.ly/MFR-YT-15 ... and a video is coming soon. 😊
It really like those repair videos. They are more thrilling than Kojak or The Streets of San Francisco. Actually both genres work the same... the audience is watching and thinks about, who was the culprit :-))) The Aphidwhatever channel is a cool tipp, I didn‘t know it and I have watched some of his videos already.
Hey Sven. Thanks for watching and for commenting. I see we grew up in the same era of 70s TV crime adventures. I'll try to make the next video more like Starsky and Hutch. 😉 I have been admiring your retro diagnostic projects. do you have a website or blog where you display all your creations?
MindFlareRetro I don‘t have a website, yet. Actually I have one (guitarsite.de), but I have switched it off, because there were some new regulations about data privacy and my website requires a data privacy statement. I should fix that some day. Setting up a c64.guitarsite.de website should be no problem. There is enough webspace available. I was thinking of doing a „scope on C64“ thing, explaining the circuit of the C64 in detail and show scope pictures of the most important signals. I guess, that might be helpful for somebody and I could also introduce my little builds. I also want to dig deeper into the cartridge business :-)
@@svenpetersen1965 A _Scope_ _on_ _C64_ series would be great! I would find this very useful. I tend to rely on the Dead Test and Diag Cartridges too often and I don't probe properly in a logical manner. I would love to learn from you.
MindFlareRetro I have still a bunch of little hardware goodies for the C64 on my desk(s) that need to be evaluated and documented, so I can release them on github. After that I should take care of my old website and then, I will setup the C64 website. That will be fun :-)
Argh! I know. I was kicking myself after I realized that typo. It has been corrected in the videos after this one. Thanks for saying something -- much appreciated.
it is so easy to miss or get frustrated when repairing a bad job evan worse if you are working for a customer . you can not work a way for a few days to recharge .
Hi. Sure, the Commodore Dead Test cartridge BIN file can be downloaded from several reputable Commodore enthusiast websites, including _World_ _of_ _Jani_ -- go to blog.worldofjani.com/?p=164 and scroll down to C-64 Dead Test Kit (CBM 314139-03).
@@sweetlilmre Yes, do give it another go and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I certainly do not have all the answers but I would be happy to help if I can. Do you happen to be on Twitter?
svenpetersen1965 That's great news. I have followed you there (first to follow, I think). Also, I sent out a tweet proclaiming your arrival so hopefully that will get some some followers. I see that you are already following a selection of great people -- might I recommend some others: @bwack77, @GadgetUK164, @CommodoreLad (Cainers Commodore Capers on YT), @gamewhisperer, @A3rgan, @thilographie_de, @aphexteknol and there are many more, of course. It is a knowledgeable, helpful and friendly community on Twitter. See you there!
A very good question, and in my opinion (and others, as well), *no* you do not have to replace the top RF shield. It does very little at all as a heat sink. You are much better off to apply small self-adhesive heatsinks to primary ICs -- these will do a much better job of dissipating heat. If you are interest, check out two video I did a while back, doing some temperature testing with and without the RF shield in place: bit.ly/MFR-YT-03, bit.ly/MFR-YT-04
Good question. Well, this is only a hobby for me and not a revenue stream by any stretch of the imagination, so we came to an agreement that he would pay for any parts used and the cost of any shipping. In the end he was happy to have a working C64 and I was happy to have been involved in its repair and happy I was able to document it in a video. Thanks for your question and thanks for watching.
I would introduce his kid to QB64 instead of C64 BASIC... QB64 runs on Modern Win10 and has easier to understand graphic/sound commands and is overall just better with a build in Wiki and real time syntax checking... also after or rather before replacing so many ICs you might as well just replace the whole PCB and throw a single FPGA on it and tell him to never open it :p
just Think, If MOS Technology and not MUSTEK was more prevalent, computing would be more advanced today, so QuBits were about some years ago and COVID-19 would be an illusion, possibly
Good morning, my name is Enrique I like your videos, the purpose why I write I have 5 commodore 64, all have flaws, how can I connect the commodore 64 to a digital TV, I wait for your kind response
Buenos días, Enrique. Thanks for commenting. Well, Depending on the model of C64 the computer will have a 5-pin (early model C64) or 8-pin video out DIN connection. Composite output is available on both the 5 and 8-pin models. But, the 8-pin ones also offer chroma and luma (early S-Video signal) output. See the C64 video pinout diagrams here, bit.ly/C64VideoOut. In either case, you will need the appropriate cable to connect to a modern TV that has composite video input and/or S-Video input. If you are in Europe, composite or S-Video to SCART is also an option. There are many reasonably priced options from sellers on eBay, ebay.to/2BsSua7. Once you have the correct cable, another option is to use a video upscaler that will convert composite or S-Video input to an HDMI output. The Framemeister brand is an excellent option but is quite expensive. However, I have used inexpensive $20 USD upscalers that do a decent job especially if you only require it for repairs. Again, here is a list of upscalers on eBay, ebay.to/2VXNHGX. I hope this helps. have a great day!
@@guse66 Sorry for the late reply. I am busy at work during weekdays. You can use the cable you mentioned with a chroma/luma to S-Video splitter cable (like this, ebay.to/2PoZe15 or this console5.com/store/s-video-s-vhs-to-rca-y-c-luma-chroma-adapter-cable-6-15-cm.html) to output S-Video. If it helps, you might wish to join the "Commodore 64/128" Facebook group, facebook.com/groups/commodoresixtyfour/. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people there that would likely be able to respond to you faster than I can. But feel free to contact me here on TH-cam again if you have any further questions.
So I was sitting here wondering why all of a sudden I was getting tons of new subscribers. The Project Geek kindly informed me that it might have something to do with MindFlare Retro’s new video, and he was right! Honored to have been involved in such a herculean C64 repair effort, and I’m always keen to lend a hand.
Happy you reached out to assist at the time. I am in your debt.
Your subs >>> up 27 in the two hours since posting at 12:00 PM ET (subs was at 413) -- I've been keeping an eye on it. 🧐
MindFlareRetro I’m used to getting like 5 new subscribers a week at the most, not in 5 minutes! Now I’m going to have to make some new content to appease all the new subs aren’t I? :)
Excellent video, gentlemen. May the Lord Jack Tramiel bless you and smile upon you both from his office in the sky for keeping up with Commodores, so our Commodores can continue to keep up with us. :D
Thank you, as always, @LeftoverBeefcake. Videos from you soon?
I actually shot some footage for a video, and have part of a script... the challenge lies in putting it all together so that it makes sense and is entertaining. :P You guys make it look so easy!
Excellent video - TH-cam randomly suggested it to me, a week after having a bit of a similar problem myself (half of the ram chips, U25, U14 and three solderpads without connectivity). I like that it shows the “second pair of eyes”, but also that it can be interpreted as “any problem with the C64 can be solved - you just have to replace every single chip, and test connectivity on every single trace on the PCB. Simple as that 😀!!”
Hi Peter. Thanks for watching and for commenting. I am happy to here that you found my channel and that you enjoyed the video. Yes, I think it's fair to say that unless a C64 motherboard is physicaly broken/cracked it _is_ repairable. It might require a lot of patience and several sets of eyes, but they definitely can be brought back to life. Thanks again for commenting!
Welcome back, and it's awesome to have you teaming up with Mitchell. Fun shot at 3:27 with the moving labels, nice work!
Thank you, sir. I'm trying to keep the visuals fresh for you! I was considering a talking hand homage, but I'll save that for another video. ;)
@5:06 - "That's some serious Jurassic Park amber there" LOLOLOL. I'm hooked.
Haha. Thanks very much.
Finally. Empires have risen and fallen since your last video 😉. Seriously though, great video. As someone very new to learning how to restore retro hardware, my stomach turned when I saw those pads. Great to see this repair making over the line. Well done both of you.
LOL. Thanks for your patience. I hope it was worth the wait.
MindFlareRetro of course, quality work as always
When dealing with stuck lines I usually find it helpful to interrupt the stuck signal by removal of chips while probing, to narrow down the fault, since the fault otherwise show up along the entire line. I recently managed to identify a faulty logic ic that way.
Great video, and I can totally relate to the frustration involved.
Hi. Great advise - thank you. I'm still learning, obviously. Thanks for the commenting and for the positive feedback.
I just wanted to add, that I’m super jealous of your Super Zaxxon cartridge. Or should I say “SUUUPER ZAXXON!”
Thanks. I scored that locally last summer.
Same here. Well, it's a crappy game, but it has become the holy grail for everyone even vaguely interested in C64 repairs.
Incidentally, I was actually soldering together my own Super Zaxxon replica while watching this video - I had just received the last missing part (had become tired of waiting, had to get it locally, paid too much....had a déjà vu while watching this video...). My replica is meant for experimentation and testing, butt-ugly, no case, and with two ZIF sockets for the TTL ICs so changing them from LS to HCT or HC is fast and easy. Still, just a 100ns 27C256; I guess the original ROMs were slower. However, the ZIF sockets should also allow me add load capacitors to delay OE a little bit.
After seeing the video, its nice to see there is someone that shares the same interest as me and lives close to me. I live in Mississauga and have always been into retro computing. I have several C64's, Vic20, Timex1000 (ZX81), IBM XT, AT and monitors. Thanks for your great videos.
Hi Morris. Nice to meet you, neighbour. You might be interested in chceking out the MFR Discord. There are a lot of GTA and KW retro and vintage computer aficionados there. It's a great group to mingle with. Check it our here, discord.gg/7MZUcqq.
@@MindFlareRetro Thanks, I just joined under the user name Electro Moe.
I love the classic 80s troubleshooting montage in the middle of the video.
Haha. Thanks. I try to make these video as entertaining as possible. Thanks for watching and for commenting.
Great electronic troubleshooting video ! But I can't help but to think to myself: since Commodore has produced and sold over 15 million units of the C-64, wouldn't it be more cost effective to find one in good working condition than to repair any of them ? Especially when it's difficult like this ? But then again, it wouldn't be as interesting to watch as this. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Alain. This is a great question. Yes, I agree with that if one is looking for a C64 or other retro computer just to have in their collection. For me, though, it is the enjoyment of reviving them whenever humanly possible. It is a satisfying hobby for me (and others) to bring them back to life and be able to pass on to another retro computer enthusiast to enjoy. THanks very much for watching and for commenting! /\/\FR
Man - gotta love it when you see the main chips are socketed like that. Bread-BIN for the WIN! Dude - got some ASMR vibes when you went into hyper-speed mode with the snap crackle and pop. :)
LOL. I to re-record several voiceover lines - my mouth was a little too close to the mic for my audio taste. ;)
Very nice, tag-team style got it done!
Thanks very much for watching and for commenting. I always enjoy your videos but I am a little bit behind in watching your last two. I hope to rectify that soon.
Fun to watch this as i was repairing several dozens of these computers in the early 90's sometimes i had like 10 boards each day. I never used the desolder gun when i knew a ic was dead i always cut all pins and gently wicked all holes as pads where lifting from the bad quality boards back then also. There where however boards (don't remember the revision) that where visually a lot better the copper was at least double the thickness and never lifted. The silk screen of these boards was also very different they covered like 95% of the board in sort of a grid pattern. The company i worked for back in the days made PLC's out of the comodore 64 boards.
Hi Leon. Wow, great story! 10 boards a day - that's a lot of practice. You must be a C64 repair master. Thanks for the repair tips - I will follow your lead and use these techniques on my future repairs. Thank you for sharing your stories.
Wow, two of my favourite commodore repair Titans collaborating on a c64 repair video.
You did so much of the work in figuring out what the faults were, it's good to have an extra set of eyes giving it a look over.
Really enjoyed this video. Very informative and entertaining.
Thanks for your kinds words, Wouter. Not sure if I qualify as a repair titan (as was pointed out in the comments 😁) - I fit more in the retro repair knucklehead category. 😉 Sadly, I am still playing catch-up with your most recent videos but hope to rectify that soon. Thanks for commenting.
@@MindFlareRetro Anyone who can tackle a problem as tough as this one is a c64 grand wizard to me. And you made a good looking video too (how did you manage to move those chip names at the start?) I've tried repairing c64s, but I'm the knucklehead, believe me.
Just today I chatted with a 17 year old wanting to get into c64 gaming. These young fellas need videos to help them repair their c64s when the time comes.
@@TheHighlander71 Well, thank you, again. My video editing software has an image tracking function. It's not the easiest thing to use, but basically you can have it track a point in the video and then you can attach an object (image, text, etc.) that stays in place for the most part as the video rolls. A bit gimmicky, but fun to use once in a while.
@@MindFlareRetro Right. I use Adobe Premiere and it has so many options, this may be one of them. I can't say that I've seen much use for image tracking, but now that I'm aware it exists I'll probably find a need for it :)
I try to keep its use to a minimum, plus I'm still trying to master it. It looks like Premiere Pro does have some form of motion tracking, th-cam.com/video/aRI1cjM1UHE/w-d-xo.html. DaVinci Resolve by Blackmagic Design (which is actually a free pro video editing software that I, too, have been meaning to try) has more advanced tracking functionality.
Way to go with getting this C64 operational again.
Loved the fly overs and post production involved.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much. I appreciate the positive feedback.
MindFlareRetro I’m going to try to hire MindFlare to do post-production on my videos. Think I can pay him in SID chips? :)
@@aphexteknol Deal!!!
Good stuff. Well done for hanging in there!
Hey, @PlanC. Thanks very much for watching.
Great video! Really dig the effort you put in to add effects and even a bit of potty humor (hur hur).
I've found that if the screw doesn't turn with a slight bit of torque, a few seconds of 300c soldering iron on the screw cap and they usually give without damaging the post. YMMV but that works for me most of the time.
That's great advice - I've never heard of that technique before but will add it to my bag of tricks. In the case of this C64, the posts were already broken off and nowhere to be found.
I feel with you on the difficulty was sky high on this one. Diagnosing is usually the fastest way to find the fault, but how do you diagnose when so many faults are affecting each others. Great work Aphexteknol also :)
Thanks, @bwack. You and @GadgetUK164 were my first TH-cam C64 repair heros, so I always appreciate your invaluable feedback.
Hey mindflare, I absolutely feel with you. Finding the fault on a sick PCB is horrible! What I learned in the past few years of repairing C64s... Measure All Supply & GND pins on ALL the ICs. And measure ALL address, data & CS, WR, EN pins at ALL ICs! It`s worth it. If you like, feel free to have a look on my latest TH-cam videos, they show exactly that kind of measurements. But the most important... You saved another C64 from the trash... Happy end! 😉
@aphexteknol... Subscribed! Best regards to all 8-Bit-Computer fans! Your Doktor64!
Thanks Dok! I just subbed to your channel -- now i need to brush up on my German.
Hi! Maybe your german is better than my english ... ;-) I decided to make my videos in german language because there are so many good TH-cam channels about commodore retro computing. So I wanted to do something different ...
I am very proud of our C64 community! Best regards! Your Doktor64!
@@doktor6495 I doubt that. From your writing here I would say your English is quite good, indeed. Would you consider making one video in English? Even a short video to see how it would be received my your viewers? I know I would enjoy it for sure. Just a thought.
@@@MindFlareRetro Thanks for the flowers! :-) Yes, I already thought about it ... hmmm maybe I'll try ...
Greetings! Doktor64!
@@doktor6495 That would be great. I would enjoy that.
Wow, what an adventure! Well done, both of you. Exceptional video making skills, too, as usual. I am now secretly plotting to send the Aldi C64 board that still gives me headaches over to aphexteknol, too... ;)
Thanks, Jan. I am sure @aphexteknol would love to look over your problem Aldi C64, and I am sure your would also receive back a lovely typed note reply created on a vintage typewriter. ;)
Good job to both of you! This really was a tough one.
Thank you very much. It was a challenge, but when the retro community has your back everything is fixable. Thanks for commenting.
09:00 I have the same monitor and am having the same symptoms. Looking forward to that repair video!
Oh, ya? You too? From my preliminary research it is likely just a bad capacitor or two. Stay tuned for the repair attempt.
lol you are generous for taking the blame. The Commodore boards are known for their bad quality and that specific one appears to be pre-cooked
Haha. Yeah, I often take these tough repairs a bit too personally. This board was very well baked before I got my hands on it. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
Thank you for not giving up on this one!
Thanks for commenting. I play up the frustration a little bit, but I would never give. 😉
That Deoxit looks like Vodka... I hear Vodka can do anything. lol
Vodka assists with retro repairs on many levels. 🥂
Very interesting video and thorough repair. Plus I learned of a new channel. Keep up the good work, always like your high production values and that you show human errors as part of a repair.
Thank you, sir. I try to make it as "entertaining" as I can, and yes, I am chock-full of human errors.
Awesome video. I'd hate to think what a repair like this would cost.
Thanks, Glen. Apologies for the late reply. The cost of this repair was pretty much compensation for the parts which where not too expensive. It's more for the joy of fixing them.
Thats my dude in dayton. Im sure aphexteknol can tell you stories about us with that last find. Kind weird seeing those 100 commodore 64's in peoples homes that really wanted them. Not a single one got sold on ebay. I think thats why the bbs scene is blowing up again. I only have about 25 left to repair and im done. about out of parts though. hehehe
A truly epic repair, great job mate!
Thanks very much. It was pretty crazy but with persistence, we prevailed.
Also, I was watching this video and talking to Mitchell at the same time. I recently got some chips from him and had a nicely typed letter too!
Haha. Cool! Mitchell is the best.
MindFlareRetro Hey! I’m famous! LOL :)
@@aphexteknol
Allo.
ElectronAsh Greetings to the FPGA master! :)
Hey there, @ElectronAsh. Thanks for dropping by. How have you been?
Not sure Those standsoff Will last 🤔. They are soft in the middel.
At The end where The joystick was inserted, The board moved slightly.
But a Dahm good repairjob. I guess i would have attempted to throw The board as a frisbee After a week 😂
Yeah, it was a bit of a rush to finish this repair, so I went with the quick and dirty standoffs. Thanks for watching and for commenting. :)
Loved the voice over quality and overall pacing. Great work. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback. But, of course, I cringe at the sound of my own voice.
Great and rich in details video! It really shows how much work is required to fix stubborn boards sometimes :) I just wanted to add that these kinds of problems are way more common in Europe so it wasn't that bad after all ... believe me :D Congrats on this repair :D
Thanks. It's good to hear that I'm not alone coming across crazy repairs like this. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
Welcome back, Mark !! Man you've got skils! I love the many angles and editing here ! Wow 100C ram chips !
Thank you. Yes, those DRAM chips were extra toasty.
Quick! Boil water on the RAM so Neil @retromancave can make tea.
I know, right? Was crazy hot.
Excellent, Glad you could swallow your pride and admit defeat. Given more time I am sure you would have got there, excellent tag team work from both of you. The main thing is that another one gets to live another day and give it's owner happiness. Thumbs up.
Great indepth video of the repair. Will be very handy in future. Subbed.
Hey Greg! Thanks for the positive feedback, and thanks very much for the sub!
your style of editing and commenting is hilarious. loved watching it
Thank you very much. Not always sure if people get my sense of humour. Thanks for watching and for the positive feedback.
Great pleasure to watch and learned lot of new things. Thanks.
Thanks Umut! I always appreciate your support and feedback.
the last three C64's with black screen I repaired where RAM failures. I have found by replacing one only leaves another to fail later, I replace them all. they are getting harder to find so I buy more then I need. I blame the power supply for most of the failures.
I don't understand the blaming the power supply. Aren't there linear regulators on the board?
I'm not exactly sure how this works, but I think there is a problem with concluding the first multiplexer is bad simply because one pin is stuck high. Can't you only conclude that if the other input pins were otherwise correct? If an input pin lost its pulsed signal because of a different chip, the output would be stuck, right?
Yup, you are absolutely correct. However, a knee-jerk C64 repair move is to remove any MOS 7708 ICs and replace them with new newer ICs from TI or other reputable manufacturer especially if you even remotely suspect a RAM or addressing fault. The MOS 7708s are renowned for their high failure rate. Having said that your take on it is the more appropriate best practice.👍
Outstanding as usual. Very nice fix. Some boards can be a real pig in terms of traces. Not sure why. Maybe they used different factories or something. I normally start shotgunning chips when I get that frustrated lol. U27 ican be a pig as well. Keep it up.
Thank you very much, good sir.
Wow...that was quite a journey! I have a box from Ebay with a C64 and C64c. Hopefully I don't have to play this game with either of them.
Edit: for those plastic standoffs, wouldn't it be easier to put them in the board first? Seems like you'd have to kinda guess by sticking them to the chassis first. Obviously what you did worked out, but just not how I would have approached it.
Thanks for watching. Yeah, admittedly, my _applying_ _the_ _standoffs_ approach could have been a bit more thought-out. Hopefully, your C64s do not require multi-country journeys. ;)
6:54 pin 13(?) on 6510 hanging out when placed back in the socket
Haha. You are the second person to spot that mistake - thanks for speaking up. 👍 I actually caught that the leg missed the socket after recording that video clip and corrected it. I guess I should have been more forthcoming and mentioned it in the video. It's amazing how many viewers spot the little things (well, difficult to notice in such a short video clip) -- it tells me that you were paying close attention, which is quite a compliment. Thanks again.
I guess that since posting this video, about 8.880 "fresh pairs of eyes" already saw this.
MINDFLARERETRO, 1.) In arcade games they use Address decoder chips to do the ROM chip select signals they dont' use PLA chips. I'm surprised why does the C64 game console used a PLA chip to do the chip select signals instead of using an address decoder chip, any reasons you think?
2.) In pinball games they used PIA chips to do the I/O processes for the switches matrix circuit and lamp matrix circuit and didn't use CIA chip. I'm not sure why they didn't use CIA chips in pinball games instead of using PIA chips. Arcade games use neither PIA chips or CIA chips to do the I/O processes like the joystick and buttons its done using an multiplexer chip as I believe? Not sure why arcade games didn't use PIA chips or CIA chips for the joystick and buttons. Any advantages of using CIA chips instead of using PIA chips?
You are This Old Tony of retro channels, instant sub from me ;) I wish I had stumbled upon your channel much earlier.
Thanks. That is quite the compliment. I am glad you found my channel -- welcome!
Hey I have 3 c64s and i was wondering if it is posible for u to look at them and test them if they work?
I'm in Woodstock ontario
@@ericschepers9317 Hi Eric. Thanks for subscribing and thanks for reaching out. Sounds interesting. Could I trouble you to email me at the address in the About tab of my channel so we can continue the conversation there, th-cam.com/users/MindFlareRetroabout?
That was one sick-sty four. (Perifractic mode detected)
i'm sure you did this for the principle of saving it, but how much did you charge your customer? wouldn't it have been much cheaper to buy another C64 than even your cost to repair this one?
Well, you raise a fair question. This whole retro computer repair thing is my hobby and I will do repairs for local people if asked. Yes, you are correct, I did this repair for the principle of saving it.-it is not a business-I do it for the pure enjoyment and satisfaction of bringing them back to life for people to enjoy. I referred to the owner of this C64 as my "customer" because we had agreed that he would pay for any replaced parts and in the course of the repair we agreed to split the cost of sending the motherboard to my friend Aphexteknol for a second opinion. In the end, he actually paid far less than it would have cost to purchase a working one on eBay. We were both quite pleased with how it all turned out in the end. Thanks very much for watching and for commenting.
Wait what.... your in Oakville ?!?!?! Dude I may have to drop off a C64 if I don't figure out my Ram problem lol
LOL. Yes, I am. You, as well?
@@MindFlareRetro I live just north of Campbellford if you know where that is. I go to Mississauga regularly for work.
MINDFLARERETRO,
when you use the "dead test cartridge" which IC chips is this testing or what are you using the dead test cartridge to test?
you also use a "diagnostic Test cartridge" also to test what IC chips?
I'm confused what is the differences of the dead test cartridge and the diagnostic test cartridge and what are you using them for when troubleshooting?
Hi Bill. Thanks for your questions. Well, in short, the two Commodore diagnostic cartridges off the following features:
1. *Dead* *Test* *Cartridge* *(REV 871220)* - Tests various system RAM areas at startup. It was typically used to assist in testing C64s that would only power up to a black screen. The Dead Test requires only the CPU, PLA and VIC-II chips (and SID if you want it to test sound) to be installed as it is loaded into memory before the Kernal in order to test memory. The CIA chips, BASIC, Kernal and Character chips do not need to be installed, as these chips are not tested - the Dead Test does not require a loopback harness to test these other ICs. According to the manual, "The Dead Test is almost completely dedicated to System RAM testing and does no type of System ROM or Port Testing."
Power Up RAM Test
Zero Page RAM Test
Stack Page RAM Test
Screen RAM Test
Color RAM Test
RAM Test Page
Sound Test
Lower Screen Display
2. *Diagnostic* *Cartridge* *(REV 586220)* - Tests most of the same RAM areas as the Dead Test (but does not perform a Power Up RAM test) as well as 6510 MPU/CPU, PLA, SID, VIC-II, system RAM, ROMs (BASIC, Kernal, Character) and internal I/0 circuits (including the CIA chips). In order to take full advantage of the Diagnostic Cartridge, a Loopback Cable Harness is required in order to test the I/O functionality of all the ports and the keyboard. Adrian Black reviewed the new Diag Test Harness created by Sven Petersen (@svenpetersen191 on Twitter) on his YT channel recently, th-cam.com/video/szSzA6T4Kdw/w-d-xo.html.
Manuals for both the Dead Test and Diagnostic Cartridges can be found here, blog.worldofjani.com/?p=164.
I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and thanks for your comment.
@@MindFlareRetro thanks for the help
1.) Any reasons why C64 uses PLA chips and CIA chips? because arcade games in the 70's and 80's didn't use PLA or CIA chips. So I'm not understanding why they used PLA & CIA chips instead of using something else or not using them at all.
2.) Any reasons why the C64 and other arcade games use different types of RAM chips "access time"?
I like that C64 saver the best. Is that the version bwack makes??
Yes, @bwack used to make that one, but he no longer does, unfortunately, as it was too time-consuming to produce. However, he has designed an easier-to-make C64 Saver V2 that I provide a sneak peek of in my mailbag video, bit.ly/MFR-YT-15 ... and a video is coming soon. 😊
Great job both =D
Thank you, sir.
Thanks for this Teslanol T6 idea - it actually is available in German stores, so no problem with delivery to mine part of Yurop :)
Good to hear. Unfortunately, I can't get Teslanol T6 here, but DeoxIT _is_ available and works great too.
You know, a CROWBAR has only four components (excluding a fuse or resettable fuse), and can be soldered in situ.
It really like those repair videos. They are more thrilling than Kojak or The Streets of San Francisco. Actually both genres work the same... the audience is watching and thinks about, who was the culprit :-))) The Aphidwhatever channel is a cool tipp, I didn‘t know it and I have watched some of his videos already.
Hey Sven. Thanks for watching and for commenting. I see we grew up in the same era of 70s TV crime adventures. I'll try to make the next video more like Starsky and Hutch. 😉
I have been admiring your retro diagnostic projects. do you have a website or blog where you display all your creations?
MindFlareRetro I don‘t have a website, yet. Actually I have one (guitarsite.de), but I have switched it off, because there were some new regulations about data privacy and my website requires a data privacy statement. I should fix that some day. Setting up a c64.guitarsite.de website should be no problem. There is enough webspace available. I was thinking of doing a „scope on C64“ thing, explaining the circuit of the C64 in detail and show scope pictures of the most important signals. I guess, that might be helpful for somebody and I could also introduce my little builds. I also want to dig deeper into the cartridge business :-)
@@svenpetersen1965 A _Scope_ _on_ _C64_ series would be great! I would find this very useful. I tend to rely on the Dead Test and Diag Cartridges too often and I don't probe properly in a logical manner. I would love to learn from you.
MindFlareRetro I have still a bunch of little hardware goodies for the C64 on my desk(s) that need to be evaluated and documented, so I can release them on github. After that I should take care of my old website and then, I will setup the C64 website. That will be fun :-)
@@svenpetersen1965 May I have a link to your GitHub?
someone's been inside..... and... they've done stuff...
Jurassic Park Amber ... ;-)
At least someone appreciates my silly humour. ;)
thank you for posting. new sub. tag team wrestling, and the good guys persisted and won. take care and stay safe.
You said it! Thanks for watching and for your kind feedback.
Oh noes! Bend pin on the 6510 @6:53! ;)
Good eye! I did catch that a few minutes later. Thanks for the heads up, though -- I appreciate the feedback.👍
Woot woot!! Two awesome people in one amazing video! 😁👍
Thanks, Tony!!!
all them MOSTEK RAM chips and the MOS 74LS257 are sus.. and I'm just at 4:30
Yup. Agreed!
Btw the link in the video says "patron" instead of "patreon".
Argh! I know. I was kicking myself after I realized that typo. It has been corrected in the videos after this one. Thanks for saying something -- much appreciated.
it is so easy to miss or get frustrated when repairing a bad job evan worse if you are working for a customer .
you can not work a way for a few days to recharge .
Thank you for sharing this video, really interesting , can you share a ROM copy of that diagnostic cartridge ? that would be very useful
Hi. Sure, the Commodore Dead Test cartridge BIN file can be downloaded from several reputable Commodore enthusiast websites, including _World_ _of_ _Jani_ -- go to blog.worldofjani.com/?p=164 and scroll down to C-64 Dead Test Kit (CBM 314139-03).
That chip cooked its pads right off
Yeah. I'm pretty sure many of those ICs ran at very high heat until the pads were baked off of the board.
Excellent video, thank you!
Thank you very much. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching and for commenting.
@@MindFlareRetro I've got a dodgy c64 board that I gave up on. This has inspired me to give it another go 🙂
@@sweetlilmre Yes, do give it another go and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I certainly do not have all the answers but I would be happy to help if I can. Do you happen to be on Twitter?
@@MindFlareRetro I follow you 🙂
@@sweetlilmre Oh, man. Sorry about not noticing that. Let's keep in touch and see if we can get your C64 working again. 👍
svenpetersen1965 That's great news. I have followed you there (first to follow, I think). Also, I sent out a tweet proclaiming your arrival so hopefully that will get some some followers. I see that you are already following a selection of great people -- might I recommend some others: @bwack77, @GadgetUK164, @CommodoreLad
(Cainers Commodore Capers on YT), @gamewhisperer, @A3rgan, @thilographie_de, @aphexteknol and there are many more, of course. It is a knowledgeable, helpful and friendly community on Twitter. See you there!
Do you have to put back on the RF shield?
A very good question, and in my opinion (and others, as well), *no* you do not have to replace the top RF shield. It does very little at all as a heat sink. You are much better off to apply small self-adhesive heatsinks to primary ICs -- these will do a much better job of dissipating heat. If you are interest, check out two video I did a while back, doing some temperature testing with and without the RF shield in place: bit.ly/MFR-YT-03, bit.ly/MFR-YT-04
The plane sounds like the one in blue max
DIng! Ding! Ding! You are the first one to recognize that. Your comment gets a ♥! Good Ear!!!
So how much did you charge your customer, given that you've spent 1 million work hours on it?
Good question. Well, this is only a hobby for me and not a revenue stream by any stretch of the imagination, so we came to an agreement that he would pay for any parts used and the cost of any shipping. In the end he was happy to have a working C64 and I was happy to have been involved in its repair and happy I was able to document it in a video. Thanks for your question and thanks for watching.
I would introduce his kid to QB64 instead of C64 BASIC... QB64 runs on Modern Win10 and has easier to understand graphic/sound commands and is overall just better with a build in Wiki and real time syntax checking...
also after or rather before replacing so many ICs you might as well just replace the whole PCB and throw a single FPGA on it and tell him to never open it :p
just Think, If MOS Technology and not MUSTEK was more prevalent, computing would be more advanced today, so QuBits were about some years ago and COVID-19 would be an illusion, possibly
so many issues , i suspect the power supply overcharging
Yes. I agree with you. And then left turned on for hours to bake the board. 🔥🥵
Its a hard range o gonna for,4...!
Dead beef!
Can be useful for troubleshooting: derbian.webs.com/c64diag/
Oh, yes, for sure. I am a frequent visitor there. Thanks for sharing the link.
You basically rebuilt it.
Hey Joanna. Yes, we can rebuild it; we have the technology. ;) Thanks for watching.
Good morning, my name is Enrique I like your videos, the purpose why I write I have 5 commodore 64, all have flaws, how can I connect the commodore 64 to a digital TV, I wait for your kind response
Buenos días, Enrique. Thanks for commenting. Well, Depending on the model of C64 the computer will have a 5-pin (early model C64) or 8-pin video out DIN connection. Composite output is available on both the 5 and 8-pin models. But, the 8-pin ones also offer chroma and luma (early S-Video signal) output. See the C64 video pinout diagrams here, bit.ly/C64VideoOut.
In either case, you will need the appropriate cable to connect to a modern TV that has composite video input and/or S-Video input. If you are in Europe, composite or S-Video to SCART is also an option. There are many reasonably priced options from sellers on eBay, ebay.to/2BsSua7.
Once you have the correct cable, another option is to use a video upscaler that will convert composite or S-Video input to an HDMI output. The Framemeister brand is an excellent option but is quite expensive. However, I have used inexpensive $20 USD upscalers that do a decent job especially if you only require it for repairs. Again, here is a list of upscalers on eBay, ebay.to/2VXNHGX.
I hope this helps. have a great day!
I found these cables, they could be used to connect commodore 64 to my digital tv
I have this Commodore C64 y C128 Chroma, Luma & Audio Video Cable Para 1084s Monitor
Do you have Whatsap, Email or messenger?
@@guse66 Sorry for the late reply. I am busy at work during weekdays. You can use the cable you mentioned with a chroma/luma to S-Video splitter cable (like this, ebay.to/2PoZe15 or this console5.com/store/s-video-s-vhs-to-rca-y-c-luma-chroma-adapter-cable-6-15-cm.html) to output S-Video.
If it helps, you might wish to join the "Commodore 64/128" Facebook group, facebook.com/groups/commodoresixtyfour/. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people there that would likely be able to respond to you faster than I can. But feel free to contact me here on TH-cam again if you have any further questions.
First!