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RickR

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  1. RickR

    One new boxed item on my game room shelf...the 400 on the top right. 

    ebay stuff 014.JPG

  2. RickR
  3. RickR
    I think you are right on the thermal part. There is not disk drive connected, and Commodore computers don't auto connect to anything. On real C64's, the power supplies go bad because they filled them with resin. Some components would overheat because of that, causing overvolt situations. Well the good news with this model is that the power supply has no resin. I will check those voltages, but I'd guess it is not that. It can't be the fuse, as the computer would shut down if that was failing due to heat. It may be a bad chip. SID chip perhaps? I have the day off work tomorrow, and I may spend an hour or so with this project.
  4. RickR
  5. RickR
    A voltmeter and an EE degree 🙂 No, there isn't enough time to type even a simple program, as the keyboard is pretty stiff and slow. I haven't timed it, it is approx 30 seconds, but probably less. Turning the computer off, then on again gets another 30 seconds. The computer simply freezes.
  6. RickR
    I think it's a no brainer to release any of the games they still own licenses for with POKEY sound. Something like "Impossible Mission" with the speech added. Any of the arcade ports with different/good sound.
  7. RickR
    And after a day of drying time, I fired it up. Still the same. It works, but freezes up after about 30 seconds. I'm glad I didn't break it at least. Next steps are some diagnosis steps. Start with the power adapter and the voltage regulators.
  8. RickR
    Here are a few before/after shots of the interior cleaning. It was dirty to the point of being gross. This dust would not blow off, it needed to be scrubbed off. I did it gently, with water and dishsoap applied with a washcloth and soft toothbrush.
  9. RickR
    Jolly Snowflakes
  10. RickR
    I have a brand new SNES controller that I haven't even opened yet in anticipation of this challenge!
  11. RickR
    My wrist still hurts from getting that score (I'm not kidding, Aspercreme and a wrist brace!) My wife asked why I was trying so hard. "This is MY game". 🙂 Mayor Greenween usually kicks my butt at it.
  12. RickR
    1080p is still widely used. 4K hasn't become the standard at all. My PC uses a 27" monitor that is still 1920 * 1080. This is why I was very comfortable downgrading my video card, as the Intel Arc 730 can do 1080p in most games and that is good enough for me. Green screen monitors ARE very easy on the eyes -- you are correct there. I remember a few years ago, I got a really nice composite amber monitor that I sold because I didn't have space to store it. That is one thing that I very much regret selling, as you just cannot find them anymore. The PET restoration is being documented in a separate thread in the Commodore topic, so I hope you'll follow along there. I am very much looking forward to seeing some C64 classics on a greenscreen monitor.
  13. RickR
    Great deal, thank you for posting. Is there anything here you would recommend? I don't know any of these games.
  14. RickR
    I have a similar situation for Atari 8-bit computers. Several ways to load ROMS, with each iteration making the older stuff obsolete. I consider them "backups" in case the newest one ever goes bad.
  15. RickR
    You let us know what you think. Apocalypse Now is very intense! And DWW is very long!
  16. RickR
    And using the 8-bit Guy video above, I was able to figure out how to open the case. It flips open like a car bonnet! Not mentioned in his video -- there are two screws on the side that have to come out before it will flip. Easy enough. The inside is very dirty. There is some hair and a thick layer of dust covering everything. Next step is to vacuum and spray with compressed air, but I think it's going to take more soapy water and washcloth action to get the dust off.
  17. RickR
    Here are some pics of the outside cleaned up. I used a bucket of dish-soap water and a washcloth and it seemed to work very well. Not perfect, but better than before. The keyboard got vacuumed and that helped tremendously.
  18. RickR
    I think this video will be useful, even though it's not the exact model I have:
  19. RickR
    As noted in the "pickups" thread, I recently lucked into purchasing a very rare computer, the Commodore PET-64. I'm going to use this thread to document the process and progress in restoring this computer. GOALS: Make the computer fully functional and enjoy playing some C64 games on it. Make it presentable for permanent display on a desk in my gaming room. Do no harm! If I can't fix it without destroying it, leave it alone. Current State: It is extremely dirty on the outside. The computer does power on! The keyboard and screen work! However, the computer freezes after about 30 seconds. No idea on the condition of the SID chip. The "5" key on the keyboard has broken off (the stem is broken). I have the key with stem still attached. Here it is in the initial state:
  20. RickR
    @socrates63, given your list, I'd rank them like this in order of "must see". The Princess Bride: 36 years (OMG, what are you waiting for? This one is MADE for us Gen X'ers) Wall-E: 15 years (Pixar at their peak) Office Space: 24 years (It's really funny for those of us who worked in the office back in the dot com boom) The Godfather: 51 years (Absolutely a giant of movies. Masterpiece. FFC's debut. I watched this one with my adult children recently and they initially thought it seemed tired, until I reminded them that so many other movies have stood upon the shoulders of this giant. Marlon Brando's peak, and the slow-burn of Al Pacino as Michael Corleone gives it so much more depth than the book. Holy cow, now I want to watch it again) It’s a Wonderful Life: 77 years (It's Christmas season, and this one is schmaltzy, but not in a Hallmark Channel way. Jimmy Stewart is in FULL Jimmy Stewart-mode.) Psycho and Vertigo (Hitchcock - watch them together...they are short. Notice how Hitchcock is a master in sight and sound) Everything else on your list is worth watching, but I don't feel are good enough to rank.
  21. RickR
    "Somehow, Palpatine returned". Now we know the "somehow". Cue the Rocky theme.
  22. RickR
    From that list, there are only three I haven't ever seen. I'm not sure I want to 🙂 Avatar is one I probably should watch, but the long run time always discourages me.
  23. RickR
    I see it as an opportunity to revisit some of these classics.
  24. RickR

    Here's a pretty wild USPS Priority Mail shipment tracking.  It is supposed to go from Portland to Cleveland.  Looks like it is taking the scenic route. 

     

    Nov 30, 2023 3:07am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY SALT LAKE CITY DISTRIBUTION CEN, 84198

    Nov 30, 2023 12:20am ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SALT LAKE CITY DISTRIBUTION CEN, 84198

    Nov 29, 2023 11:32pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

    Nov 29, 2023 8:04pm ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

    Nov 29, 2023 5:45am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY RENO NV DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 89510

    Nov 29, 2023 4:57am ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY RENO NV DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 89510

    Nov 29, 2023 1:14am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SACRAMENTO CA DISTRIBUTION CENT, 95799

    Nov 28, 2023 8:44am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY SACRAMENTO CA DISTRIBUTION CENT, 95799

    Nov 28, 2023 5:39am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility SACRAMENTO CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

    Nov 27, 2023 4:46am Departed USPS Facility AURORA, CO 80018

    Nov 26, 2023 12:40pm Departed USPS Regional Facility DENVER CO DISTRIBUTION CENTER

    Nov 25, 2023 12:00am In Transit to Next Facility

    Nov 24, 2023 6:52pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY CLEVELAND OH DISTRIBUTION CENTE, 44101

    Nov 24, 2023 10:51am MISSENT OBERLIN, OH 44074

    Nov 23, 2023 8:03am ARRIVAL AT UNIT OBERLIN, OH 44074

    Nov 22, 2023 10:52am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY CLEVELAND OH DISTRIBUTION CENTE, 44181

    Nov 21, 2023 1:23am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY PORTLAND, OR 97215

    Nov 20, 2023 11:48am PICKED UP HAPPY VALLEY, OR 97086

     

    1. Justin

      Justin

      That's utterly insane. I haven't had the best luck with mail getting to Portland promptly. I've never tried mailing out of Portland though 🙃

    2. RickR

      RickR

      This is a really weird one for sure.  I've sent out a ton of packages over the years, and this is the only time this has happened. 

  25. RickR
    RickR pulls lever: Joker...JOKER!....Mockduck. Dang it!
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