It's been a long year but life is slowly returning to normal. 🤓 I promise the next video won't take this long! For more Commodore repair videos there is a playlist here th-cam.com/play/PLjh7iJGh7aX5psOD3Q28-xnuufxgDjhgs.html
Great video, thanks for that! I am trying to perfect my skills in repairing C64, and you are helping a lot! :) I have a question: what are you using for screen capture? I really like that slightly blurry pleasing feel that a real C64 to a real CRT has, and I know this is an S-video to HDMI probably, just not blocky as usually those conversions are - too sharp with too noisy VIC-II output.
In this video the "Capture" was an S-Video to Composite cable into an inexpensive Composite to HDMI converter to a LCD. I was then pointing the camera at the screen to capture which is why there is some parallax and moire patterns. Now I use the same cable but with a retroTINK 2X Pro into a HDMI-USB capture device. it works well but has a bit of lag. If I go to the monitor instead of the capture device then the lag is good. When using the machines for anything but a video where I want to capture I always just use my 1702 for the best experience.
I had the same issue on my C64 about 4 years ago: in addiction, screen faded to black in a few secs. The first problem was fixed with a new PLA, the second with a new RF modulator. Nice video keep it up with good work! 👍🏻
Thank you Joe. Did you experience the black screen only when using the RF out or from the video port as well? I had originally intended to do a mod to the RF modulator for this video (See Adrian's Digital Basement). After the fires and some COVID related house guests it got dropped for a future video.
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I swapped the original failed RF modulator with one of the same kind (taken by another C64, same board revision). Looking forward for the mod (I follow Adrian Black too)! I saw the impressive images about the fires! I wish all the best for your house guests! Hugs!
Oh and I liked the update about the desoldering iron! I don't use one yet, just braid/wick instead, but always wondered how they don't get clogged. Now I know that it happens. :)
Apparently so, it is new to me as well. In the past we used solder suckers or de-soldering bulbs. Now I know to crank the heat and run it for a few seconds after use
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I think that is the trick. I have a very similar gun and I try to keep the suction on a couple of seconds after I'm "done" with the desolder. I just lift the tool off the board so the pump sound changes a bit, hopefully the increased flow pulls the rest of the gunk into the tank.
Nice fix! Ps. Be aware that round hole sockets. They will work fine, But after 5 times swapping the same ic. The round holes will lose grip and will result in lose contact. That's why I stopped using them and went back to the good old two sided clamping ones
Thats Odd, I have been using turned pin sockets since the late 80s, including for prototypes where chips are in and out a lot, without ever having that issue. Should I encounter it I would just lightly tin the pins to increase the surface area. Either way, you should be just fine with double wipes!
This thing has really been driving me nuts. It plugs up so easily unless I set it to unsafe temperatures. I spoke to a couple people at the Portland Commodore Users Group Meeting and they said they had the same issue and bought the Hakko ones. Apparently they work much better. In the meantime I gave up on this one, between weak suction, even after cleaning, and plugging I got a manual sucker with a silicon tip and have been much happier!
As I said in the video the solder pump was not working well and I didn't have a hot air station at the time. My manual pump was not doing well on the old solder so I decided I would sacrifice a common chip rather than risk damaging the board itself. If you watch my newer videos you will see me remove a bad PLA even though I was 99% certain it was faulty. I am going to make mistakes and am dedicated to keeping them in my videos, I don't think showing a sterilized version what I did is helpful. On that note though I have found this journey fascinating. Back in the day removing a chip was a quick and easy 5 minute job. As I was making this video last year, I was still learning how much has changed. Back then the machines were not 30 years old and the affect of time on the solder and components is very interesting. I still try to avoid using hot air since it was not a tool I had available back then but I will if I have to rather than damage a board.
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I get your point. I recently worked on a C64 for the first time and I have to say those huge ground planes are no joke....especially for chancing caps or clearing old solder. I am used working on Ataris and Amstrad's and it was not a pleasant experience. I thought that the Color RAM was a difficult to find IC but I was wrong..its quite common and cheap. So I guess your decision was the best you got at the time.
LOL! Bonus - dead bugs. Great stuff man!
Thanks Kevin! I'm sure you recognized the graphic... All your fault man!
Those fires were unreal man, glad you're safe! I have a c64 with this same problem and I'll have a video out with the same fix... minus the fires
Someone said they should call it the "Psychedelic Luminance Actuator" 😆
This makes me want to get my Commodore out and play some Moon Patrol! Great Video!
You should! The tune was stuck in my head so it had to be done. Thanks S2M!
@@RavenWolfRetroTech Oh yes! I instantly recognized that tune.
It's been a long year but life is slowly returning to normal. 🤓 I promise the next video won't take this long! For more Commodore repair videos there is a playlist here th-cam.com/play/PLjh7iJGh7aX5psOD3Q28-xnuufxgDjhgs.html
Great video, thanks for that! I am trying to perfect my skills in repairing C64, and you are helping a lot! :) I have a question: what are you using for screen capture? I really like that slightly blurry pleasing feel that a real C64 to a real CRT has, and I know this is an S-video to HDMI probably, just not blocky as usually those conversions are - too sharp with too noisy VIC-II output.
In this video the "Capture" was an S-Video to Composite cable into an inexpensive Composite to HDMI converter to a LCD. I was then pointing the camera at the screen to capture which is why there is some parallax and moire patterns. Now I use the same cable but with a retroTINK 2X Pro into a HDMI-USB capture device. it works well but has a bit of lag. If I go to the monitor instead of the capture device then the lag is good. When using the machines for anything but a video where I want to capture I always just use my 1702 for the best experience.
I had the same issue on my C64 about 4 years ago: in addiction, screen faded to black in a few secs. The first problem was fixed with a new PLA, the second with a new RF modulator. Nice video keep it up with good work! 👍🏻
Thank you Joe. Did you experience the black screen only when using the RF out or from the video port as well?
I had originally intended to do a mod to the RF modulator for this video (See Adrian's Digital Basement). After the fires and some COVID related house guests it got dropped for a future video.
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I swapped the original failed RF modulator with one of the same kind (taken by another C64, same board revision).
Looking forward for the mod (I follow Adrian Black too)! I saw the impressive images about the fires! I wish all the best for your house guests!
Hugs!
Oh and I liked the update about the desoldering iron! I don't use one yet, just braid/wick instead, but always wondered how they don't get clogged. Now I know that it happens. :)
Apparently so, it is new to me as well. In the past we used solder suckers or de-soldering bulbs. Now I know to crank the heat and run it for a few seconds after use
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I think that is the trick. I have a very similar gun and I try to keep the suction on a couple of seconds after I'm "done" with the desolder. I just lift the tool off the board so the pump sound changes a bit, hopefully the increased flow pulls the rest of the gunk into the tank.
Thanks Ben
Nice fix! Ps. Be aware that round hole sockets. They will work fine, But after 5 times swapping the same ic. The round holes will lose grip and will result in lose contact. That's why I stopped using them and went back to the good old two sided clamping ones
Thats Odd, I have been using turned pin sockets since the late 80s, including for prototypes where chips are in and out a lot, without ever having that issue. Should I encounter it I would just lightly tin the pins to increase the surface area. Either way, you should be just fine with double wipes!
get a piece of stainless welding wire(or the tool for poking the solder sucker out) and run it thru when warmed up,its common for them to plug.
This thing has really been driving me nuts. It plugs up so easily unless I set it to unsafe temperatures. I spoke to a couple people at the Portland Commodore Users Group Meeting and they said they had the same issue and bought the Hakko ones. Apparently they work much better. In the meantime I gave up on this one, between weak suction, even after cleaning, and plugging I got a manual sucker with a silicon tip and have been much happier!
let me get this straight! You destroyed a perfectly good color ram??? Why didn't you use hot air or a manual pump?
As I said in the video the solder pump was not working well and I didn't have a hot air station at the time. My manual pump was not doing well on the old solder so I decided I would sacrifice a common chip rather than risk damaging the board itself. If you watch my newer videos you will see me remove a bad PLA even though I was 99% certain it was faulty. I am going to make mistakes and am dedicated to keeping them in my videos, I don't think showing a sterilized version what I did is helpful.
On that note though I have found this journey fascinating. Back in the day removing a chip was a quick and easy 5 minute job. As I was making this video last year, I was still learning how much has changed. Back then the machines were not 30 years old and the affect of time on the solder and components is very interesting. I still try to avoid using hot air since it was not a tool I had available back then but I will if I have to rather than damage a board.
@@RavenWolfRetroTech I get your point. I recently worked on a C64 for the first time and I have to say those huge ground planes are no joke....especially for chancing caps or clearing old solder. I am used working on Ataris and Amstrad's and it was not a pleasant experience.
I thought that the Color RAM was a difficult to find IC but I was wrong..its quite common and cheap.
So I guess your decision was the best you got at the time.