Help please

[rebelpeter]

Hello and I wonder if someone can help me I have the chance of buying a DD1 for my 464
but the seller says it will not read discs he has cleaned the heads and put in a new drive
belt but still does not work. My question is will it be worth me buying the DD1 I mean is there other
things you could get done to get it working, or is it not repairable after the cleaned heads and replaced drive belt, I mean is that all you could do to get it going . . . . .

[Gryzor]

Too little details to go on with... Maybe the heads are misaligned, maybe it's something else; has he tried it on another CPC? What problems does it give? But if you're a rookie I would guess it'd be best if you didn't buy it.

[rebelpeter]

Too little details to go on with... Maybe the heads are misaligned, maybe it's something else; has he tried it on another CPC? What problems does it give? But if you're a rookie I would guess it'd be best if you didn't buy it.

Thanks Gryzor and he is asking £57 (with postage)

But if I did buy it is there somewhere I could take it to
be put right or would they charge too much on top of the £57
paid for it.

What do you think . . . .

[MacDeath]

£57 ? seems a bit expensive for only the disk drive...
I can find fully equipped CPC6128 for 40€uros the bad days, and 20€uros the good days (provided I move to take it myself).

The problem with the 464 (as you may know) is that it lacks the Extra ROM and FDC (floppy disk controller) and a few other components.

Basically this part is the one you really dig for...
The disk drive itself can easily be replaced by a relatively standard old 3"1/2 cannibalised on an old PC at the garbage discharge junkyard.

Where are you from Rebelpeter ?
I would be nice if you could set the "country" entrie in your profile.
Not because the men in black want to track you, but because we are here at an internationnal site with peoples from all europe and even world, and the availability of CPC related hardware may clearly differ from country to country...

(here in France it's quite good)

[db6128]

£57 ? seems a bit expensive for only the disk drive...

I think this price is a little bit...absurd, especially when there's a chance that the drive might not be reparable. I must stress that I have no idea whether or not the problems rebelpeter described are easily fixed, which I will leave to someone else to answer. But it's a bit cheeky to ask for so much money at any time, particularly when the seller is admitting that there are problems that s/he has had no luck in fixing.

As regards your other question, I doubt there will be (m)any generic computing shops who could repair this, and they would probably take the opportunity to charge quite highly for it anyway. You would be better to find an independent retro gaming website/store/person and get their help. But again, this is largely hypothetical, as it's probably much better to wait for a cheaper and working DDI-1. I know you really want to play the games, but something less expensive is bound to come along soon.

[rebelpeter]

£57 ? seems a bit expensive for only the disk drive...
I can find fully equipped CPC6128 for 40€uros the bad days, and 20€uros the good days (provided I move to take it myself).

The problem with the 464 (as you may know) is that it lacks the Extra ROM and FDC (floppy disk controller) and a few other components.

Basically this part is the one you really dig for...
The disk drive itself can easily be replaced by a relatively standard old 3"1/2 cannibalised on an old PC at the garbage discharge junkyard.

Where are you from Rebelpeter ?
I would be nice if you could set the "country" entrie in your profile.
Not because the men in black want to track you, but because we are here at an internationnal site with peoples from all europe and even world, and the availability of CPC related hardware may clearly differ from country to country...

(here in France it's quite good)

Hello and thank you for your reply and it is a fair bit of money for a non working drive,
and I am thinking now a 6128 woukld be a better idea but cannot find one for sale anywhere
the discs I have with most of my games on are for the DD1 so I need something to load
the 3" discs, unfortunately the DD1 I had must have got thrown out of the attic sometime.
I will try to put my country in my profile but I live in England (Essex). and sounds like you
see 6128s for sale a lot more than here . . . Reb . . .

[rebelpeter]

I think this price is a little bit...absurd, especially when there's a chance that the drive might not be reparable. I must stress that I have no idea whether or not the problems rebelpeter described are easily fixed, which I will leave to someone else to answer. But it's a bit cheeky to ask for so much money at any time, particularly when the seller is admitting that there are problems that s/he has had no luck in fixing.

As regards your other question, I doubt there will be (m)any generic computing shops who could repair this, and they would probably take the opportunity to charge quite highly for it anyway. You would be better to find an independent retro gaming website/store/person and get their help. But again, this is largely hypothetical, as it's probably much better to wait for a cheaper and working DDI-1. I know you really want to play the games, but something less expensive is bound to come along soon.

Hello and thank you for your reply and kind advice I will not buy the DD1 and take your
advice and wait for a less expensive and working DD1 to come along, I am having no luck searching for
a 6128, but I am looking for one which could solve my problems, yes I do want to play the games
off my discs as you say but Ihave some on tapes so I can manage to wait for something to come
along, today a friend fitted my 464 up to a tv and  that is amazing and I am very pleased with the difference, so I will keep looking for working DD1 and also a 6128,  thank you for your help it has saved
me buying the broken DD1 as I was certainly thinking about it.  Reb . . .

[Bryce]

Amstrad CPC 6128 | eBay

Amstrad CPC6128 computer plus many extras | eBay

Swindon is nearer and not a huge distance from you.

Bryce.

[rebelpeter]

hello Bryce thanks for the links the Swindon one looks good but seller will not send I have asked him if I get a courier will he let me do that, another thing I have a monitor on my 464 so I couks maybe just buy the rest of the set up and not the monitor will my monitor fit it although I have a tv on the 464 now will a 6128 take a tv set too.
I do not know how far from essex is Swindon but sounds too far for my old ancient car.

I will ask him can I buy it if I get a courier and tame full responsibility for any damage during transit . . .I like this one it has a 3" drive too I really need to get this one

[MacDeath]

The "464" monitor may not supply the power for the Disk drive from a 6128... but this would just need to use an additionnal external powersupply I guess.

Do you have a car ?
The greatest issue with retro computer finding is that most poeple don't bother to pack and send the beast, as most of time the shipping is more expensive than the machine itself.

looking google map, there must be like 100-150km between Essex and Swindon...
But you have to pass through "london" I guess...

Oily sh... England really is a "small" country.

Are motorway and oil that expensive in UK ?

Could be a good excuse to travel with girlfriend.

[rebelpeter]

The "464" monitor may not supply the power for the Disk drive from a 6128... but this would just need to use an additionnal external powersupply I guess.

Hello and thanks for the reply I see what you mean by this thanks

Do you have a car ?

Yes I have an classic old Volvo . . .


The greatest issue with retro computer finding is that most poeple don't bother to pack and send the beast, as most of time the shipping is more expensive than the machine itself.

-------I guess that is true not wanting to pack and send I cant blame them for that.



looking google map, there must be like 100-150km between Essex and Swindon...
But you have to pass through "london" I guess...

-----I have also had a look I can go there I never realised it was not that
       far from me, I can use the M25 motorway then I think the M4 so I bypass London

Oily sh... England really is a "small" country.

--------Yes it is small and cold too I amnot good on flags so where do you live.

   

Are motorway and oil that expensive in UK ?

----- Well petrol and diesel is a ridiculous price close to £7 a gallon
         oil also pricey too, we have a couple of tolls on the m25
         but dont know how much the toll is.

Could be a good excuse to travel with girlfriend.

-------   Well could be but I have been married years almost   
              before Nelson lost his eye . . .   

--------  I am going to go for the 6128 as I can collect it as
              it is not as far as I thought , , , , ,
   

[rebelpeter]

Amstrad CPC 6128 | eBay

Amstrad CPC6128 computer plus many extras | eBay

Swindon is nearer and not a huge distance from you.

Bryce.

------ Hello Bryce thank you for letting me know about the 6128s
          I never realised it is not that far from me so I will go for the one at
          Swindon, it woulkd be ideal for me. Thankx . .

[Gryzor]

Case solved then, if you manage to get it  Hurry up for New Year's!

[rebelpeter]

Yes I think the case may well be solved, I am going for it as the set up sounds a good
buy to me, and I can collect it as not too far really for me . .

[steve]

Definately worth the trip, the Multiface 2 is worth £50 on its own, and there is a LOT more.
People really do throw away money when they refuse to post items.

[db6128]

Hello and thank you for your reply and kind advice I will not buy the DD1 and take your
advice and wait for a less expensive and working DD1 to come along [...] today a friend fitted my 464 up to a tv and  that is amazing and I am very pleased with the difference, so I will keep looking for working DD1 and also a 6128,  thank you for your help it has saved me buying the broken DD1 as I was certainly thinking about it.  Reb . . .

No problem, great to hear you've found a brilliant deal on a 6128 and accessories! I think that was one of the 6128s I saw when searching eBay last night, but I don't really have enough money to justify buying another one, no matter how good a deal it is. Have fun with it when you get it!

[rebelpeter]

Yes it is a good buy for me just what I was looking for and not that
far to collect it rerally.

[rebelpeter]

No problem, great to hear you've found a brilliant deal on a 6128 and accessories! I think that was one of the 6128s I saw when searching eBay last night, but I don't really have enough money to justify buying another one, no matter how good a deal it is. Have fun with it when you get it!

I am very pleased with the set up he is selling and I hope that
I can get it, it has the 3" drive which I desperately need as most
of my old games are on the old floppy 3" discs, but can not get to play them
having no disc drive,  I am still trying to get over not having the DD1 I can only
think it must have got thrown out of the loft at sometimes and it also had a
lof of cassette games with it like Doomdarks Tir Na Nog and Marsport in the
big original boxes so it was quite a loss . . . 

I have now got the 464 fitted up to a tv screen and it is a great improvement from
the monitor as the games I do have on tapes look so much brighter.