So I'm getting my hands on a 6128+ finally!

[Shaun M. Neary]

Well folks, a friend of mine has kindly donated a 6128+ out of the attic after God only knows how long it's been up there. I've to arrange colleciton.


Here's the description:


- 6128+ Video ok, sound ok, disk drive broken (presumably the drive belt has disintegrated, so I've ordered a replacement)
- Case has turned yellow.
- Pang cartridge, tested, working, basic cartridge not tested, presumed working.
- A shoebox full of 3" floppies
- Two games paddles, fire button is gone on one, the other paddle may be totally dead.


Questions for you hardware peeps!


1) Can the yellowing be removed from the case, or is it that colour for life? Not a major big deal though.
2) My memory is completely shot, the Plus video connectors were different to the CPC, right? Planning on going SCART to TV.
3) Went for the Gotek USB HXC solution in the end, I don't have much budget for this project, and the cables and HXC combined are costing me a small fortune as it is. I'm ok with the format limitations as I have all my images converted to .hfe files aready to go. Bought the Power Supply for both CPC and HXC, and the Centronic Ribbon cable with side switch. I'm guessing I'm not missing anything else there?
4) Tape transferring, in the unlikely event I need to do this, where can I source a 6128+ tape lead?


Appreciate all the help as always =)

[CraigsBar]

The 6128plus has no tape jack, so unless you are into modding albeit with inexpensive components (and cutting holes in the case) tape transfers are out.

[CraigsBar]

Retrobrite does work although I have not needed to restore any of mine as by some miracle they have stayed white!

[CraigsBar]

Video connectors have extra pins for the left and right audio channels as the speakers were built into the mm12 or cm14

[CraigsBar]

One more thing... The keyboard membranes are prone to fail. I tend to find delete stops working first.

[chinnyhill10]

Retrobrite does work although I have not needed to restore any of mine as by some miracle they have stayed white!

The liquid method Future Was 8 Bit used on my VIC 20 seems to be better than the paste solution.


https://www.thefuturewas8bit.com/index.php/vic20_repair

[arnoldemu]

- A shoebox full of 3" floppies

It would be amazing if you found some real rare stuff.
Like an english version of Iron Lord or Repton 3 or something like that 

- Two games paddles, fire button is gone on one, the other paddle may be totally dead.

They are all rubbish and don't feel that good to use. If the button is gone, I hope it's just a clean up to fix it otherwise just throw it. I tried to fix mine and it worked for a day or two and then failed again, left just didn't work for long.

2) My memory is completely shot, the Plus video connectors were different to the CPC, right? Planning on going SCART to TV.

correct. I got one (see my thread). If you get that the power supply can be used on cpc too to power the main board.

[arnoldemu]

One more thing... The keyboard membranes are prone to fail. I tend to find delete stops working first.

I hope Shaun is lucky and it just needs a clean, I managed to get mine working again by cleaning the dirt and then carefully cleaning the ribbon connector.

I thought it had gone but it started working again.

[arnoldemu]

3) Went for the Gotek USB HXC solution in the end, I don't have much budget for this project, and the cables and HXC combined are costing me a small fortune as it is. I'm ok with the format limitations as I have all my images converted to .hfe files aready to go. Bought the Power Supply for both CPC and HXC, and the Centronic Ribbon cable with side switch. I'm guessing I'm not missing anything else there?

c4cpc?

[Shaun M. Neary]

Cheers for the answers, guys!


@CraigsBar - From what I understand, they keyboard is fine, but will keep this in mind.


To be honest, the cleaning of the yellow seems like way too much hard work and expense, so I'll probably leave that. Tape transfer isn't a major show stopper either, it'll all be running off HxC anyway.


@arnoldemu - I'll have a search for your thread regarding the SCART. It's the only thing I haven't bought yet. The paddles don't bother me too much, I'll probably hunt down a Speedking, a Cruiser, or a Mastersystem gamepad (which usually had longer cables anyway, I rarely used fire 2 anyway)

[Phantomz]

Shaun M. Neary congratulations on getting a 6128 plus, it sounds like you've been after one for awhile " So I'm getting my hands on a 6128+ finally! ". 

I hope you enjoy it, the Gotek USB HXC does the job well regarding disc games, if your budget allows it, you need to get a c4cpc, no only is it an easy way to run software like the Gotek USB HXC, but you can also use it to load different firmware like parados. 

With regards to tapes, is it really needed these days? and also do you really want to cut up an Amstrad to add a tape jack? I wouldn't, but it's upto you. 

[Shaun M. Neary]

Shaun M. Neary congratulations on getting a 6128 plus, it sounds like you've been after one for awhile " So I'm getting my hands on a 6128+ finally! ". 

I hope you enjoy it, the Gotek USB HXC does the job well regarding disc games, if your budget allows it, you need to get a c4cpc, no only is it an easy way to run software like the Gotek USB HXC, but you can also use it to load different firmware like parados. 

With regards to tapes, is it really needed these days? and also do you really want to cut up an Amstrad to add a tape jack? I wouldn't, but it's upto you. 

I have, but the prices have gone through the roof in recent years that I just couldn't justify it!


A C4CPC board may be on the cards a little further down the line, but regarding the USB HXC, doesn't that just have the software on the root of the USB which is accessed by floppy emulation? I'm a bit confused now.


And no, I've no intention of chopping up the CPC to add a jack when most of the software is already gonna be on the HxC =)

[CraigsBar]

I added a tape port to one of my 6128plus machines to load the retro coding compo tapes etc. I do not intend doing the other one tho.

[Shaun M. Neary]

I added a tape port to one of my 6128plus machines to load the retro coding compo tapes etc. I do not intend doing the other one tho.

From what I understand, I couldn't blame you. It seems like a real nightmare when it's probably easier to transfer from SD card to 3" with todays times lol


For me, it's all about the games really. I'm 41 now, and there's still a good chunk of games I haven't quite finished yet (Seymour At The Movies really has me stumped. I get nailed when I deliver the oscars cos my brain is fried and i forget to time jumps which finish me!)

[CraigsBar]

Well to be honest the only thing that needs a tape interface is breaking Baud. And that is really really fussy with volume. I cannot get it to tape load on a 464plus either.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Well to be honest the only thing that needs a tape interface is breaking Baud. And that is really really fussy with volume. I cannot get it to tape load on a 464plus either.

That sounds like way more hassle than it's worth to be honest! 

[CraigsBar]

That sounds like way more hassle than it's worth to be honest! 

Yes, especially since it loads on my cpc6128 first time, every time from the same tape.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Yes, especially since it loads on my cpc6128 first time, every time from the same tape.

This reminds me of a story from '89. I was heavily addicted to my 464. I'd ditch school to play it, I'd stay indoors during summer to play it and amassing a ridiculous amount of games became my hobby.


Anyway, the mother got a bit pissed off with it dominating my life, so she'd lock the computer/keyboard section away while she was at work, and be, being the evil little shit that I was at aged 13, picked the lock. Wouldn't be long before she clocked what happening.


An Irish Mammy is not one to be messed with (as you probably know!), so she literally picked up the thing and bounced it off the ground. It suffered severe damage, some of the keys no longer worked, and the tape deck wouldn't read a damn thing.


So weeks later it came back from repair, and getting back to your point, but the tape deck was never the same again. It took me weeks of piddling about with a screwdriver to get the alignment set, and even still, some games that worked perfectly before, never loaded again.

[Gryzor]

Oh, a sad story... pity


Reminded me of the many, many hours me and a friend skipped to play Teenage Queen. Those were the days =)

[Shaun M. Neary]

Oh, a sad story... pity


Reminded me of the many, many hours me and a friend skipped to play Teenage Queen. Those were the days =)

It's not that sad really. It was only a small handful of games that didn't load. I'd say a good 98% got going after tweaking the head alignment. A couple of years later, the only time I ever needed a tape deck then was to transfer stuff over to discs. And yes, I spent a small fortune on 3" disks in the early to mid 90s via mail order from the UK. =D


My HxC and ribbon/power cables have been shipped. Still gotta try and pick up the 6128 plus though!

[Gryzor]

Seeing a CPC thrown to the ground, "not that sad"? Argh!!!!

[||C|-|E||]

It is a good story, that one! I have never skipped any class to play with the CPC or any other system because I would have faced a summary execution and my bones would be now in a shallow grave. However, I remember my poor grandmother trying to drag me from the computer to take me to school early in the morning.  My parents gave me the CPC when I was 7 and therefore an adult had to accompany me all the time, luckily she was in charge because they were working 

I remember one day in particular, playing Dustin. I had managed to reach the jungle (first time in my life) and I was so excited about it that we left just 5 minutes before 9 AM  . Of course, the problem arose later, when she told my mum 

[Shaun M. Neary]

Seeing a CPC thrown to the ground, "not that sad"? Argh!!!!

It got repaired and used solidly for another eight years. I'd call that a happy ending!
Man... always focusing on the negative, you are! 

[Shaun M. Neary]

It is a good story, that one! I have never skipped any class to play with the CPC or any other system because I would have faced a summary execution and my bones would be now in a shallow grave. However, I remember my poor grandmother trying to drag me from the computer to take me to school early in the morning.  My parents gave me the CPC when I was 7 and therefore an adult had to accompany me all the time, luckily she was in charge because they were working 

I remember one day in particular, playing Dustin. I had managed to reach the jungle (first time in my life) and I was so excited about it that we left just 5 minutes before 9 AM  . Of course, the problem arose later, when she told my mum 

Oh man, or those days when you got off school unexpectedly due to a burst pipe, etc. My school was about 20 minutes away from my house. I think solid running, I made it in less than 10 just so that I could fire up Jackal, and then Howard The Duck! That was the day I actually finished Howard, I believe... I could be mistaken though.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Well I've just taken haul of the unit. It was in pretty decent nick, I gotta say. The gamepads are a bit worn and were a little non responsive but I think that was a contacts issue. I cleaned them out and they work perfectly now. I got a bit worried when I heard a little rattle in the Burnin Rubber / Basic cart, but it loads just fine, as does Pang.


No rarities on the disks mind, although I did find some with my handwriting on 'em! I'd forgotten I'd passed on a few discs to the guy back in 1996!


Ran a couple of baby wipes over the controllers and the main unit, and she looks pretty fresh! =)
Delighted!