The anti-Midas touch

[Jase]

I seem to be suffering from the anti-Midas touch at the moment - instead of gold, everything I touch turns to crap.


The latest thing is my 6128+. I plugged it in, and the drive started spinning quite fast, then it went "phttttt." I don't think I have much chance of replacing that drive any time soon


So, my question is, what to do with a driveless 6128+


1) Play ignorant and flog it on ebay (Will NOT do!!!)
2) Break it down and sell it as parts (Possible, the motherboard seems fine, the keyboard is great)
3) Bob it in my 464+ case, connecting the tape drive up, and sell the 464+ for bits, taking the opportunity to add a HxC to my new hybrid. This would of course involve selling some kit to create finances for the HxC.


And, to be honest, the most tempting option is:
4) Get rid of all the old retro stuff laying around, except the bare minimum. I don't need one of every Amstrad do I? Why do I need 2 Spectrums? Why hoard new floppy disks that I will probably never open or use?


Anyway, gloom aside; what should I do with my beloved 6128+ now it has fallen out with me?

[MaV]

Hm, try to find the reason why the drive went broke. If it has not damaged the 6128+, buy a HxC as a replacement drive. Keep the 6128+, dump the 464+.

Anyway, that's just my reasoning.

[Gryzor]

Lots of drives come up on eBay. But I'd consider buying it off you if you're so disgusted...

[Jase]

Hm, try to find the reason why the drive went broke. If it has not damaged the 6128+, buy a HxC as a replacement drive. Keep the 6128+, dump the 464+.

Anyway, that's just my reasoning.

My preferred method of loading software is tape. I know this is sad, but its the way I was brought up with the Amstrad. And with the 6128+ motherboard connected to the tape drive, I can have HxC and tape with no external hardware. I am sure the motherboard is fine - I have tried an external floppy and it was okay. I have just built a power lead so I can try a regular Amstrad floppy drive in there (5&12v), but am sort of scared to try it in case that blows something up. As the led on the old drive does not even light up dimly any more, I am sure it is the drive that died.  Why? I cannot say. I can only assume it believed in cake.

Lots of drives come up on eBay. But I'd consider buying it off you if you're so disgusted...

Lots of 12v /5v drives do come up yes... but a 5v only drive? I don't remember ever seeing one unless built into a 6128+. I am not disgusted, just very annoyed that things seem to be constantly going wrong round here. I even have installed a mains power filter / UPS (goddamn uk rural areas!!!), but that hasn't helped. Like I say, I think I have the reverse Midas touch. 
Anyway, I am going to sleep on it tonight. I think all I really need is 1 working Amstrad and 1 working Spectrum... which is very different from what I want (and have)


I know this is not the classifieds area, but I will almost certainly (90+%) be putting the following up, either here or on the moneygrabbing ebay site.


* Amstrad 664, boxed with polystyrene, manual and, if I remember correctly, poly bag. The drive and keyboard are fully working, although the some keyboard membrane tracks have been repaired to get it working. I will include the special graphite glue I used to fix it in case anything else goes bad. Installed with Parados but will supply original 40015 chip to revert back to normal Amsdos. I dare not swap them over (see subject header)


* 14 new sealed Amsoft floppy disks in jewel cases.


* External Amstrad 3" Floppy drive without cables


* External 3.5" drive for 6128 or 664 (home built, works well)


* WH Smith CPD8300 Data Recorder (the best computer tape player around?) Boxed but cosmetically a b-


* Sinclair Spectrum +2 with PSU & manual. New drive belts yah de yah...


* CPC Plus QWERTY keyboard (at least)


* Other stuff / partially completed fun projects.


I am open to descent offers by PM now (I suppose). Post to anywhere in the world at buyers cost (cheapest quotes always looked for, I am UK Based). I will photograph things tomorrow and put them in the classified areas for a few days. If no offers received or deal agreed by Wednesday, I'll stuff em on eBay.


At least some of the money will either fund a HcX for my Frankenstein's monster Amstrad+ (I know I said I didn't want one...) or buy something else that will cheer me up!


I suppose, fighting to restore and keep alive old computers has finally gotten the better of me, especially if they just decide to commit suicide on me.

[Badstarr]

My standard 6128 did that when I was about 14, when I checked the drive the belt had gone, simple as that so the motor just whizzed right up, I replaced the belt but it was really unreliable after that so, I did the only thing I could and 'borrowed' the drive from my dad's PCW when he wasn't looking. FYI Still working fine and no he never found out!


I would take the mainboard out of the 6128+ and put it in the 464+ case with a tape drive mod and HxC internally then route a data cable out the back for a 3" or 3.5" drive when you need it. That way you don't have to mess around with the centronics style port unless you want to.


My 464+ is a 6128/464 hybrid I call it a 46128+ as it's tape(4)/disk(6) 128k plus machine. Its really handy to have the tape machine built in and the option of disc, I think there will be just enough room near the embossed Amstrad logo to fit the HxC internally so that's what I'm gunna do next. Might think about fitting a small fan to cool the ASIC as I'm sure this will create a bit more heat in that area. 464/6128 plus hybrid is the way to go!

[MacDeath]

Then it is a X128PLUS...

X = 10 = 4+6... easy...

[Badstarr]

Ok you win X128plus is probably better, I like the Mac OS X connotation, i thought 4 and 6 then 128 was like squishing the two cpc numbers together but X128 sounds kinda cool! I think we should call the plus 464/6128 hybrids by this name, what does everyone else think? Unless someone wants to convert 4646128 to hex? 

[MaV]

Unless someone wants to convert 4646128 to hex? 

0x46E4F0

[TFM]

Well, we called the GX4000 that was used to make a full CPC6128 Plus in Germany the CPC 2128 Plus. The Cranium still know how to do it ;-)

[Badstarr]

@MaV haha!


@TFM/FS, I always wanted to try combining a GX4000 with a standard cpc, but the last GX I had never worked although I realise now it was probably due to a broken Burnin Rubber cart, and I didn't have any others to try it with at the time so it went in the bin last time I had a purge of all the junk I seem to collect! So why did you call it the 2128? As I understand a 4 denotes Tape and 6 disc. What does the 2 denote?

[MacDeath]

The 2 because it has no Disk nor Tape ?
Hence is inferior.

But... PC1512... 1 is for 5"1/4 disk Drive I guess ?

PCW : 8256 and 8512 for double side DD 3"...

But then what 9 with pcw9512 and pcw9256 standing for ? the 3"1/2 disk drive ?


Clearly Amstrad did this randomly.


Anyway the X is good as it can remind us that nowadays the type or MassData storage is not as importante nor difficult to find as in the past.

And we can change it more easily with no fear for the warrant sticker to become void.

[TFM]

@TFM/FS, I always wanted to try combining a GX4000 with a standard cpc, but the last GX I had never worked although I realise now it was probably due to a broken Burnin Rubber cart, and I didn't have any others to try it with at the time so it went in the bin last time I had a purge of all the junk I seem to collect! So why did you call it the 2128? As I understand a 4 denotes Tape and 6 disc. What does the 2 denote?

Hi Badstarr,
What a pity that it went to the bin, maybe one could have saved it. Well Cranium decided for the 2, it stands probably for make one out of "2".
The 6 not necesserely stands for a floppy, look at the Joyces, they have floppyies and are called 8xxx or 9xxx. And since 4, 6, 8 and 9 are already used by Amstrad, so only 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 have been left.

However, the problem in making an 6128 Plus out of the GX4000 is that you have be able to solder some wires to the ASIC (0.5 mm pitch!!!). You need a hand that never ditters. But it's possible. And the gain is the nice SCART & Monitor outlet of the GX4000 ;-)