Any Commodore 64/128 people on here?

[ScottyAU]

Just wondering as i've got a Commodore 128 on the way (in unknown condition) and it's been a long time since i've laid hands on one.

Wondering if there is anyone on here who still has one/uses it.

First question would be what people are using for video output nowadays.  There seem to be quite a lot of options and curious to hear what others are using...

Cheers,
Scotty

[jucole]

Nice bit of retro kit!  the 128's were the Rolls-Royce to the C64's etc and go for a good few quid on Ebay;   I don't have a 128 but I have half a dozen C64's and a few VIC20's;  I just use the original RF modulator into an old portable colour TV but there are other options.

What i'd suggest is if you haven't already heard about or joined the "Lemon64" forum you might want head over and join because they have tons of new and historic posts on everything C64 / C128 related.

http://www.lemon64.com/
click -> forum -> help and support

[tautech]

Used them 30 yrs ago.
Still have a heap of software in 51/4" floppies. 
They where the "ducks nuts" at the time.
Also still got a dot matrix printer although the ink ribbon will be toast. 

[WVL_KsZeN]

Hi,

Yes, I'm still using my trusty 64 and still coding demos for it    This is me : http://csdb.dk/scener/?id=1119

Anyway, your best option is to use s-video to connect your 64/128 to your monitor/tv. I've yet to see an LCD screen that works nicely with the 64/128 because of the difference in screenrefresh frequency. The c64/128 signal does not follow the PAL standard 100%, the refresh rate is 50.12Hz instead of 50Hz and the digitizers in those screen are mapping the video to their own 50Hz, resulting in jerkyness every 8 seconds (1/0.12Hz = 8s).

Best to stick to an old CRT monitor.

[synapsis]

I tinker with my Commodore collection on and off.

3 - Vic20s
1 - C64
1 - C16
1 - Plus4
2 - C128
2 - C128DCR
Various drives, ram expansions, modems, and one network cart!

Since I don't have anything that accepts S-Video, I'm using a Sabrent-branded S-Video to HDMI converter. The picture is perfect on an LCD. I picked up a 1902A monitor for 80 column mode, but not much uses that mode. I did use a circuit that added the intensity line to the RGB for viewing on a VGA monitor, but the signal was pretty noisy.

[BloodyCactus]

I have a C128DCR on my bench under my monitor that I fire up about once a week. I've modded it a bit too.

DCR is different from the c64 style 'keyboard' only original C128.

video output on the c128 is a difficult thing. Understand the C128 has two video outs, its original c64 compatible tv output / 40 col mode, and a hires 80 col mode. Both separate plugs on the back. The 80 col mode is modified RGBI signal.

Best thing is to get on the C128 monitors, eg: 1902A or 1902 (one is ntsc, one is pal) or just use the plain old TV out signal and stick to 40 col mode.

One thing to note, first get C128's didnt have the video ram fully populated. A common hack is to up it to the 64kb it is supposed to have from the 16kb it comes with. You can find the pcb's on ebay for cheap, plugs into the socket, or probably just solder your own ram chip.

Something you need to get is a SD/uIEC so you can do disk images off an SD card without using a real floppy disk drive. Thats  the cheapest way to do SD card disk images. the more expensive but better way is an Ultimate u1541-ii cartridge which basically emulates a disk drive properly (since the disk drive has a real cpu, ram and os inside its not a small thing to emulate).

http://store.go4retro.com/uiec-sd/

any questions, just ask!

[w2aew]

Just wondering as i've got a Commodore 128 on the way (in unknown condition) and it's been a long time since i've laid hands on one.

Wondering if there is anyone on here who still has one/uses it.

First question would be what people are using for video output nowadays.  There seem to be quite a lot of options and curious to hear what others are using...

Cheers,
Scotty

If you want to get right to the source - check out Bil Herd from the Dinosaur Den (http://fran-n-bil.com/)  Bil worked a Commodore....

[lapm]

I had Commodore 128D (Metal cased one) but that was pretty much spare parts condition so finally tossed to ser recycling when we moved few years ago...

Still have fully functioning Commodore 64 how ever... Should try make flash memory module for it for easy crosslink programming...

[FrankBuss]

If you want to get right to the source - check out Bil Herd from the Dinosaur Den (http://fran-n-bil.com/)  Bil worked a Commodore....

And Bil was the hardware lead for the C128.

I have a C128, too. For the 80 column mode all you need is some resistors and diodes:

http://www.frank-buss.de/c128/vdc/index.html

Not pefect, because it doesn't do the brown color hack and not all displays can show this frequency, but works for me.

For the 40 column mode (and my C64), I use a this good quality s-video cable:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Videokabel-TV-Kabel-fur-Commodore-C64-C128-auf-S-Video-2-5m-/231146063581?pt=Klassische_Computer&hash=item35d16106dd

Works great with my old Hyundai ImageQuest L17T display, which has integrated speakers as well for the C64/C128 sound on the same video connector.

[BloodyCactus]

i have a nice rgbi to vga adapter from when commoddore128.org was operational. I should take some pics tonight. nice bit of kit. I have an ice 1902A that runs both 80+40 col mode.

[ScottyAU]

I forgot to hit notify on this thread when i started it - awesome to come back less than 24hrs later to all of the replies!  Thanks.

I have already ordered an ultimate 1541 - but looking at the site I’m a month or two out from that shipping which is cool.

I've also got one of Ray's power supplies in the mail (the 128 comes without a power supply):

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/cbm.html

Specifically: http://personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/cbm/universal%20ps/

I've ordered one of the 8pin -> s-video cables to start with, and will keep an eye out for a commodore monitor somewhere close to home.

I've seen the boards that increase the video memory - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Commodore-128-64k-VDC-Plug-In-Upgrade-No-Soldering-needed-/380934751136

Those ones?  What will actually take advantage of the increase in video RAM?

FrankBuss - I’ve watched some of your videos on using retrobright (awesome!).  If/once the 128 works i might give that a go too to bring it back up to a decent colour (it looked a little yellow in the pictures).

I've been watching Bil's stuff for a little while now - great that he's around.

I've found two books that look half decent:

Commodore_128_Troubleshooting_and_Repair.pdf
Troubleshooting_and_Repairing_your_Commodore_128.pdf

http://cbm8bit.com/8bit/commodore/server/bombjack.org/browse/books/pdf

Any hot tips for when the 128 arrives to look at before i plug it in and power it up to see if it works?

Cheers,

Scotty

[BloodyCactus]

the c128's pretty bomb proof. just turn it on. maybe clean the crumbs out of the keyboard.

buy yourself a jiffydos hardware rom for the c128 and a jiffydos 1541-ii IMAGE so you can stick that on the u1541 cart and get the full jiffydos experience. rom replaces the stock c128 rom and the image goes on the cart for the drive.

you NEED jiffydos!

just using the wedge '$' to get a disk directory or '%PROGRAM' to run something is so much better than all the LOAD commands.

[ScottyAU]

Look what arrived in the mail today!

Still have a bit of a wait for the video cable and replacement PSU from the USA.

Took it apart - and to my eyes it didn't look like it had been apart before.  The heat grease on the chips under the shielding looked original to me.  Only a few tiny little spots of corrosion, just a bit of dust etc inside the case.  Nothing a good vacuum couldn't fix.  Will have to give the top case a good retro brighting if/when its working.

It's got one white jumper wire on the top of the main board - and two underneath (see photos).  Were they standard?

Cheers.

[FrankBuss]

I should open my C128, too, but looks like the jumper wires are standard, that's what Google image finds:
http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/c128-production-pcb.png

[ScottyAU]

Ah!

FrankBuss - when you retrobright'ed your commodore's - did you remove/tape off/something the "Commodore 128 Personal Computer" sticker/badge on the top?  Didn;t know if it would be affected by the retrobright.

[FrankBuss]

No, I didn't tape off the sticker, but maybe a good idea, because the dark background of the sticker got brighter, too

[BloodyCactus]

unless your going to put some kind of uv sealer over it completely, retrobrite is not worth it imo, it does not last at all.

[ScottyAU]

Yeah i see they mention things like ArmourAll after you've done it to keep it from yellowing.

My old man used that on the plastic & vinyl in his car - 30 years later it still looked like it had just driven off the showroom floor!  (And it was a 4x4 that got driven and left in some pretty bad places).

Might give that a go afterwards to see if that keeps it from yellowing.

[ScottyAU]

It works!

http://scottyau.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/commodore-128-part-2.html

I'd be interested if anyone has thoughts on the video out issues given the setup i am currently using.

As noted i'm waiting on some bits so that i can give the DB9 connector a go.

Scotty

[synapsis]

The only way I got around the 40 col S-Video noise was to use a cable with a very short run, with clamp-on ferrites, and shielding. Even then it was a little noisy. I ended up picking up one of these and haven't had a problem since:

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Composite-S-video-Converter-Adapter/dp/B00BLUN7FI/

I was excited to try out the 80 column mode as well, and after I picked up a 1902A monitor I noticed that barely anything uses 80 column mode! I haven't tried much in the CP/M realm yet, though.

I can tell you that GEOS is so much better with a 512k ram expansion pack and a mouse.

[Macbeth]

I was once in the posession of the very rare "portable" Commodore SX-64 for a while. It had it's own tiny little colour monitor and disk drive built in. It belonged to a school friend of mine. I can't quite remember how it came into my posession for those few months. I think I was developing a database app for him or something like that.

They seem to go for quite a pretty penny these days!

[BloodyCactus]

your plan seems to be to not use the 40col mode..

wow your in for a shock, next to nothing uses the 80 col mode. outside of a wordprocess and maybe 1 infocom game and the cpm disk.

99.9% of stuff is in 40 col mode.

[ScottyAU]

Can the DB9 port not do 40 col?

My plan was to use that port (probably mostly in 40 col mode), just because of the cleaner output that i should be able to get with it once I’ve got some bit's in place.  Not to necessarily use it in 80 column mode.

Cheers.

[synapsis]

Nope. On my 1902A I need to press the input switch to use the DIN input connector in C128 40 columns or C64 mode.

[BloodyCactus]

the c128 does its semi RGBI 80col over the din plug only, everything else over the 40col port.

the 80col is neat for cpm or a couple of utils and text adventures but all the action is on the 40 col port.