Dead C-64 (was Re: These darned old computers)

From: Gary Hildebrand <ghldbrd_at_ccp.com>
Date: Sat Aug 24 11:42:01 2002

Ethan Dicks wrote:
>
> --- Sellam Ismail <foo_at_siconic.com> wrote:
> >
> > The Commodore 64 I have is just plum dead. Or at least it seems to be.

>
> > The video cable I am using has four connectors on it: red, yellow, white
> > and black. The 1702 monitor has three jacks on the back: chroma, luma
> > and audio. I tried all different combinations trying to get video on the
> > display but no die. What's the deal with that? I think I'm using the
> > wrong video cable, but all the C64 stashes I check turn up this
> > 4-connector cable.

I just rolled my own a/v Cable with a 5 pin DIN plug. The later
machines with the 8 pin jack still used the same pins, and the 5 pin
plug fits nicely.
>
> I have used a variety of DIN-5 to RCA cables in the past on the C-64.
> Worst case, you can look up the pinout of the DIN-5 video connector
> and use a VOM/continuity meter to prove which RCA jack is which signal.

>
> > ...Grrr. I still hate the C64.
>
> Sorry to hear that. They made me a lot of money (used to write
> commercial products, c. 1982-1984). They aren't the epitome of
> 1980s design, but they sure did ship a lot of them.
>
> -ethan

I found that the 64 is one of the best documented computers around, and
I have a shelf full of books to prove it. It is truly a hacker's
computer, and reflecting on all the old compute! publications, people
could do amazing things with that little machine, in spite of its slow
disk I/O.

I'm keeping mine for odd projects, such as home monitoring. If lightning
hits, I just go out and find another one for $5-10 and keep on chugging.

Gary Hildebrand
St. Joseph, MO
Received on Sat Aug 24 2002 - 11:42:01 BST