Back in the 90's I worked with a guy who worked in the repair dept. at Dundee. When he left he took home a plethora of parts and a copy of Sinclair's ZX Spectrum repair manual which included waveforms and all sorts. I think I sold it on Ebay in the 2000's along with my own Spectrums, and including an Eprom Programmer/Serial to Parallel unit I had built for the Spectrum.....would love to see that unit again!
There were a few times where deliveries of chips did not come in time for production, so boards were filled with sockets instead, to keep the production line moving. Then, when the chip delivery arrived, they would stuff the boards that had been left to one side 👍
Lovely video! Very enjoyable to watch you work. That socketed ram motherboard was quite interesting. Commodore were notorious for running out of components on the production line and then just throwing sockets into the positions they didn't have the parts for so the line could keep moving. I wonder if this is a similar approach? Lovely of Stephen to send in some great examples for you to make videos with too!
Bless you, Lee. Your comment has made my day. It was mainly your videos that inspired me to start my channel. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I like your idea regarding the parts availability accounting for the lower ram sockets. I guess it would make sense as part of the production that if the ram wasn't available at the time the board was being soldered to just stick some sockets in for later. If that were the case, it's a shame they didn't have more supply issues back in the day 😂. Before I got a desoldering gun, I used to dread desoldering ICs on the Speccy
i have repaired and modded a hundred species for friends friends of friends and family , i enjoy it and i like to see if there are any tricks and advice upgrades and new things going
@@RetroComputingReboot #yes if buying old computers such as commodores make sure your "bargain" has a power supply and leads without these you can often add sixty quid to the price of getting up and running i had a HELL of a lot of trouble getting video and cassette leads for Sony MSX machines as well to the point i had to make my own but there are more then enough sources to help you get through
@firsteerr I can imagine. It's not just always as simple as finding a spare kettle type lead as found on the Atari ST. MSX to me was always one of those exotic type machines you'd see labelled on cassettes in the computer stores back in the day. Sort of makes me want one still 😊
@@RetroComputingReboot the MSX machines were the closet you could get to arcade grade machines their software was always from the arcade manufacturers so seemed to have more colors and better smoother running software , i have a hit bit and it runs carts , which i am investigating to clone to build my own but surprise surprise its hard to egt a cart !!
Bless. Thanks John. It's been a bit hectic here so apologies for the lack of content. This was a bit of a massive video to film too plus had to wait for bits. But normal services are resuming 😊
After I bought a (mint, seemingly almost unused) Oric 1 recently and then realised I'd bought a 16k which cannot be upgraded, I bought a number of Oric clone boards from one of the Chinese fabs (which are 48k and fit in the original case). As I only need one, I'd like to offer you one as a donation if you want it. You'd have to find some of the parts (the only tricky one is the ULA and even these are under £20 online) but if you want one, it's yours to maybe feature on the channel (I'll include any parts I have multiples of, connectors etc).
Jason, that is so generous of you. Thank you that would be really appreciated 😎. I just don't have the money to keep buying loads of stuff to repair so that would be awesome. Plus I know nothing about the Oric so that's even better. If you are still wanting to, send me an email and we can discuss. Thanks again
Another entertaining video. I'm thinking of getting either an Atari STE or a Amiga 500, if I remember correctly you have both of these machines, if that is correct which do you think is better?
Yes I do have both. Now there is a question that led to many heated playground arguments... As an ST owner in my early teens, I'll try be objective 😁. There are pros and cons to both, but in general the Amiga I think is the better machine, it just is. Better graphics, better sound. Whilst the ST/E was brought in to close the gap between the ST and Amiga, it was later down the STs life and not many games supported all the improvements. But having said all that the Amiga is more expensive to buy, both when it was new and second hand now. From a reliability point of view, I'd say as long as they have been looked after, they are both solid.performers. My head says A500, but my heart says ST 😂
@@RetroComputingReboot Hi, just bought a Amiga 500 for £160 inc postage, I think that's about the going rate? I'm a bit of a noob regarding these machines, I know it can have a extra 512k memory put in the trap door but do you know of anything else I should do, or look out for? Do the caps need to be replaced? Thanks
Hi John, well done on the purchase 😁 I am of the opinion that there is no need to consider recapping unless there is good reason. If it were mine, I'd open it up and clear out the dust bunnies and have a good look round the board. Any bulging caps would obviously need attention. Hopefully the board will be corrosion free, but I'd have a good look as well at board for any IC legs going green. If there are, they will need taking out and cleaning or replacing (replacing would be the preferred option for me) as they will cause problems at some point. Any socketed ICs with corrosion, I'd definitely replace the socket as well. I'd also want to pop the drive out at this point and give it a good clean, along with the heads with a bit of IPA. There are tons of upgrades out there for the Amiga, but a lot will depend what you want to do with it. For me, I would stick in a half meg ram upgrade, as a number of games will use it (minimises disk swapping if you're using floppies). I'd also get myself a boot mod (so you can boot off an external drive) and add a Gotek. Some people prefer to put the Gotek internally, but I prefer to keep the internal disk drive for using floppies occasionally, plus the display is ridiculously difficult to read if the Gotek is mounted internally. Beware of the PSU as well. Those original ones do have a bit of a bad reputation, especially when upgrading the machine and drawing more power.
Back in the 90's I worked with a guy who worked in the repair dept. at Dundee. When he left he took home a plethora of parts and a copy of Sinclair's ZX Spectrum repair manual which included waveforms and all sorts. I think I sold it on Ebay in the 2000's along with my own Spectrums, and including an Eprom Programmer/Serial to Parallel unit I had built for the Spectrum.....would love to see that unit again!
That would have been awesome to still have that
I am currently wearing the same T-shirt!
That's two fashion gods then 😂
The last Spectrum in your video was made by TMX Portugal (a Timex USA subsidiary) in Caparica, Portugal.
Fui varias vezes comprar material há Timex Portugal
@@manuelsoares8800 que tipo de material? Relógios ou computadores?
@@peddersoldchap Computadores meios montados que depois terminamos de montar para revender ( Total Eletrônica no Arieiro )
@@manuelsoares8800 2048 e 2068?
There were a few times where deliveries of chips did not come in time for production, so boards were filled with sockets instead, to keep the production line moving. Then, when the chip delivery arrived, they would stuff the boards that had been left to one side 👍
Thanks for commenting. Do you know this happened at Sinclair? I have to agree though, I think it's the most likely explanation
@@RetroComputingReboot I do remember reading it somewhere, specific to Sinclair, but I’m afraid I can’t remember where that was now.
Lovely video! Very enjoyable to watch you work.
That socketed ram motherboard was quite interesting. Commodore were notorious for running out of components on the production line and then just throwing sockets into the positions they didn't have the parts for so the line could keep moving.
I wonder if this is a similar approach?
Lovely of Stephen to send in some great examples for you to make videos with too!
Bless you, Lee. Your comment has made my day. It was mainly your videos that inspired me to start my channel. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
I like your idea regarding the parts availability accounting for the lower ram sockets. I guess it would make sense as part of the production that if the ram wasn't available at the time the board was being soldered to just stick some sockets in for later. If that were the case, it's a shame they didn't have more supply issues back in the day 😂. Before I got a desoldering gun, I used to dread desoldering ICs on the Speccy
I wonder if there was a RAM shortage - they may then like CBM fit sockets and come back to them later when RAM becomes available again.
You might be right. Someone else suggested this but I simply have no idea
i have repaired and modded a hundred species for friends friends of friends and family , i enjoy it and i like to see if there are any tricks and advice upgrades and new things going
Hope you enjoyed it and found it useful. Feel free to pass on any tips. I'm here to lean too 😁
@@RetroComputingReboot
#yes if buying old computers such as commodores make sure your "bargain" has a power supply and leads without these you can often add sixty quid to the price of getting up and running
i had a HELL of a lot of trouble getting video and cassette leads for Sony MSX machines as well to the point i had to make my own
but there are more then enough sources to help you get through
@firsteerr I can imagine. It's not just always as simple as finding a spare kettle type lead as found on the Atari ST.
MSX to me was always one of those exotic type machines you'd see labelled on cassettes in the computer stores back in the day. Sort of makes me want one still 😊
@@RetroComputingReboot the MSX machines were the closet you could get to arcade grade machines their software was always from the arcade manufacturers so seemed to have more colors and better smoother running software , i have a hit bit and it runs carts , which i am investigating to clone to build my own but surprise surprise its hard to egt a cart !!
@@firsteerr The MSX is definitely on my list of things to get my hands on
Absolutely lovely 😍
a new video! it's going to be a good day.
Bless. Thanks John. It's been a bit hectic here so apologies for the lack of content. This was a bit of a massive video to film too plus had to wait for bits.
But normal services are resuming 😊
@@RetroComputingReboot re: the "lack of content", i recommend you take your own advice at 44:35 😃
@JohnLeePettimoreIII 😂😂😂
I had a machine back in 83 which had all socketed RAM. Only every had one machine like that. cant remember if it had made in Portugal or not though.
It's weird isn't it? I've just never come across one before.
Great name btw 😃 I used to love Bagpuss
@@RetroComputingReboot heh, thanks. never seen once since either.
After I bought a (mint, seemingly almost unused) Oric 1 recently and then realised I'd bought a 16k which cannot be upgraded, I bought a number of Oric clone boards from one of the Chinese fabs (which are 48k and fit in the original case). As I only need one, I'd like to offer you one as a donation if you want it. You'd have to find some of the parts (the only tricky one is the ULA and even these are under £20 online) but if you want one, it's yours to maybe feature on the channel (I'll include any parts I have multiples of, connectors etc).
Jason, that is so generous of you. Thank you that would be really appreciated 😎. I just don't have the money to keep buying loads of stuff to repair so that would be awesome. Plus I know nothing about the Oric so that's even better.
If you are still wanting to, send me an email and we can discuss.
Thanks again
Another entertaining video. I'm thinking of getting either an Atari STE or a Amiga 500, if I remember correctly you have both of these machines, if that is correct which do you think is better?
Yes I do have both. Now there is a question that led to many heated playground arguments...
As an ST owner in my early teens, I'll try be objective 😁.
There are pros and cons to both, but in general the Amiga I think is the better machine, it just is. Better graphics, better sound. Whilst the ST/E was brought in to close the gap between the ST and Amiga, it was later down the STs life and not many games supported all the improvements.
But having said all that the Amiga is more expensive to buy, both when it was new and second hand now.
From a reliability point of view, I'd say as long as they have been looked after, they are both solid.performers.
My head says A500, but my heart says ST 😂
@@RetroComputingReboot Hi, just bought a Amiga 500 for £160 inc postage, I think that's about the going rate? I'm a bit of a noob regarding these machines, I know it can have a extra 512k memory put in the trap door but do you know of anything else I should do, or look out for? Do the caps need to be replaced? Thanks
Hi John, well done on the purchase 😁
I am of the opinion that there is no need to consider recapping unless there is good reason. If it were mine, I'd open it up and clear out the dust bunnies and have a good look round the board. Any bulging caps would obviously need attention.
Hopefully the board will be corrosion free, but I'd have a good look as well at board for any IC legs going green. If there are, they will need taking out and cleaning or replacing (replacing would be the preferred option for me) as they will cause problems at some point. Any socketed ICs with corrosion, I'd definitely replace the socket as well.
I'd also want to pop the drive out at this point and give it a good clean, along with the heads with a bit of IPA.
There are tons of upgrades out there for the Amiga, but a lot will depend what you want to do with it. For me, I would stick in a half meg ram upgrade, as a number of games will use it (minimises disk swapping if you're using floppies). I'd also get myself a boot mod (so you can boot off an external drive) and add a Gotek. Some people prefer to put the Gotek internally, but I prefer to keep the internal disk drive for using floppies occasionally, plus the display is ridiculously difficult to read if the Gotek is mounted internally.
Beware of the PSU as well. Those original ones do have a bit of a bad reputation, especially when upgrading the machine and drawing more power.
Socketed lower ram, production line faulty and maybe.......and handled by the repair team.
Could be Ian. I've absolutely no idea. I googled it for hours and couldn't find anything
50:45 i wish i had a penny every time i said this.