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Questions about restoring a vintage computer collection

Nicolas 2000

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2022
Messages
132
Location
Belgium
Hi all!

I've been in the vintage computer hobby since they were new. :) I started out with a 386 PC, Videopac and a Sega Master System II. I've had a C64 collection but sold it 10 years ago. Recently, I've revived my Sega MS2 by doing the region mod and giving it a SCART RGB output for my HDTV. I've added a first gen Mega Drive and did the same.

Recently, I've acquired a rather large vintage computer collection and I want to revive it. It looks like it hasn't been used for some years, so I want to go careful about it. If it's OK for this forum, I'll use this thread to bundle my more "superficial" questions as otherwise it would be all over the place as we're talking about quite some different systems. Once a faulty system has been identified and it needs an in-depth repair, I'll certainly move to the correct subforum for that.

My level of knowledge: I have some experience with vintage computers. I have a basic knowledge of electronics, soldering. I have a DMM and a simple bench supply. I also have a variac (variable autotransformer).

I'll try to focus on 1 system at a time, even though that's against my nature. :)
 
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So we'll start with a ZX Spectrum+. I've never used those before. It appears complete (box, manual, cables, supply), apart from one shift button cap. Question: how to safely test this? Can I test the supply without a load, if not what kind of load do I need to make? Can I test the ZX with the bench supply? Is the variac of any use in safely testing the thing? Also, I have no software nor cassette player for it (I have Commodore datasettes, but...). Will it do anything (boot to basic or something) at all with no software in it? I have some monitors such as a Philips monitor for Amiga so I assume I'll figure out a way to hook it up.
 
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I've made a dummy load to check the supply and it checked out OK. After that I hooked the Speccy up to my modern TV (antenna input). It boots, the screen is sharp and readable. The logic all seems to work. I can get it to beep with the beep command. I can change border colors. Well, here comes the problem. I don't see colour, just greyscale. And a lot of audio noise through the TV. So I'll move this one to the Sinclair forum for further diagnosis.
 
Speccy is fixed. I've yet to decide whether I'll keep it or not. Mainly depends on how easy it would be for me to find software for it (I don't have any) and if I'd enjoy a system of that age.

Next I took a look at the PC parts in the lot. Some stray 386 parts, unfortunately with bad battery leakage on the mobo. A likely 486 PC (Socket 3) that doesn't boot, not even a POST beep. The mobo doesn't contain any RAM. Apart from that, it has a SoundBlaster 16 and a Trident graphics card. And a Pentium 100 with a Matrox Mystique G200 and AWE32 and a whopping 32MB RAM that boots but contains no drives. Plus a functioning 14" color PC monitor. I think I'll just put this lot for sale. My retro PC needs are one generation newer than this to revive my youth; for this generation I prefer the Amiga/Atari/Sega etc for convenience.
 
Aaaaaand the PC parts have already gone to several new owners. So that means I can focus on the consoles. Next step is figuring out which consoles have fail safe power supplies and take a look at those. I also have some (VIC20,C64) for which I only have the original sloped brick aka thermobaric bomb, so I won't test those yet. And then I have a few for which I have no supply at all.
 
I had a vistor who is "in the scene" and told me how to test the sloped brick Commodore supplies with reasonable safety. With a somewhat trustworthy supply I hooked up the VC20, and it works! Loading from Datassette also worked flawlessly. So up to now the results are really good. Might have to sell some now to generate funds for auxiliaries for those I want to keep. By sheer coincidence, there is a vintage console cable shop (I kid you not!) Very close to my place.
 
Well, actually up to now it's mainly a matter of things just not being broken in the first place. :) Though in my defence, I have done quite some successful mods and repairs in the past. And I've done one thing with tremendous results to this collection: on a very sunny but not very warm day, I put the lot outside from sunrise to sunset to ry out "lightbriting" and the results were phenomenal. Not everything turned out as new, but a lot did and the rest is so much better already. Gone are the coffee colours and uneven colors. Some keys have returned to bright white, one C64 is back to grey instead of brown, the VIC is white instead of latte... The Amiga was back to its original color within 3 hours. And all that without any disassembly or chemicals! And I figure that 1 day of sunlight at most won't harm the plastic, certainly not as much as a chemical bath would.

Anyway, things are going smooth in terms of selling off what I don't need so I can work towards funding and finalising the setup that I do want. With the remaining consoles however I must verify first that those that I want to keep actually work, before selling off the others or I'd get myself into a rather silly situation. So it will be a bit more testing before I can offer a new lot for sale. Bidders and buyers do appear to appreciate seeing a recent screenshot of the console in action, instead of the typical "it worked when I put it in the attic 25 years ago".

Experiencing all these vintage consoles, I have concluded that for me the fun starts with the best of the 8 bit stuff (best C64/C128 games, best Sega Master System games) and is mainly found in the 16 bit stuff. I don't get a lot of pleasure out of the older 8 bit stuff (VIC20, Spectrum) even though some games on there are made very well within their limitations. Partially because I have no nostalgia for them; my gaming life started with cliff diving on the C64 and Lemmings on the 386. :)
 
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I've tested the C128D which I wanted to keep if it was functional. The C128D actually was functional, but its keyboard very much wasn't! I've been able to repair it though (see thread in Commodore section) so next in this collection is having a look at a pair of C64. See if they work and sell them. No need for those bread bins in planet Desktop!
 
I've had a look at the C64. As I have no cartridges nor floppy drive, testing was a bit more of a challenge. I've tested the sound chips with a "random song" Basic program. I've tested the logic and Datasette and joystick ports by making a joystick test program and saving/loading it to tape.

Both C64 work now, after cleaning the keyboard contacts and datasette interface on one of them. All joystick ports work, but one of the joysticks is worn. I have enough others, so no problem. Nice decoration. :)

Next: put the C64's on sale. Try to sell the Spectrum *again* as the high bidder has more fantasy than money. And then the fun part: test the first of the Atari ST's. A 1040STFM, as that's the only one I can hook up to my monitor. And the one I'll likely keep. I have at most 1 disk for it though, so testing it will be interesting again.
 
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The Atari STFM is tested and working. the STF likely as well, but I'm waiting on parts (cables, supplies) to come in at the local shop before I can continue testing the STF and possibly the ST+ and then move on to the grand finale: the Amiga 500.
 
Round 1 of selling off some systems generated funds for round 1 of buying some new stuff: SCART cables and a supply for the systems I intend to keep.

After round 2 of selling I'll then go to a little website called Gotek and spend all the profit there. :)
 
Thank you!

Meanwhile, the Commodore 64's have found new owners. With long duration load tests of the supplies, cassette read/write tests, a SID and joystick test program I've been able to give them a good test before letting them go while also having an opportunity to test the keyboard thoroughly. :) One of the C64's needed a good keyboard contact cleaning, which luckily doesn't take too long on the breadbin.

And it's apparently hard to find Speccy enthusiasts overhere. But between all that, I'm getting closer to the next challenge: finding a spot where I can soon install the 3 systems (or 5 if I also move the Sega's there) I want to keep, and how to deal with preferably 2 monitors there so I can do network linked games...

The end of the month is getting close, so if th supply chain promises are correct, I'll soon be able to test the Amiga which will directly lead to finalizing my big Gotek order!
 
After finally receiving a load of cables and power supplies, the result is:
-The Amiga works! I only had to deep clean its mouse buttons.
-Both the Atari STF and STFM work and will stay here as I'll use one as MIDI sequencer.

So only the 520ST+ remains untested and will leave the house. All the other computers are hooked up to the same monitor using a 5-way SCART switch. All with RGB cables except for the C128D which is SVHS. The ST that will be MIDI sequencer is in another part of the room, with a high res VGA monocable connected to the studio LCD and an audio cable to one mixer channel to hear the metronome.

Next steps: order and install loads of Gotek and related goodies, try to sell the 520ST+. And that will be the end of this project, or better said: the start of my retro computer setup!
 
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