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Amstrad Support-Repair

Started by retrorepair, 03:53, 29 November 10

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retrorepair


**WARNING: RetroRepair seems to have vanished, so proceed with caution f you decide to send him stuff for repair! :)**

Hi everyone,

I´m new here, so be patience with me!  ;D

I´m establishing a Amstrad Support-Repair Center. I can repair CPC Series, PCW Series, and others Amstrad´s on demand.

If you have an Amstrad that needs to be serviced, please send PM to me. I´ll try to answer ASAP.

Thanks in advance.

Miguel

UPDATE:

- I can repair all CPC, PCW and other Amstrad Computers/Console.
- I can repair memory, processor, asic, gate array, logic ttl's, disc drives, datacorders, and other problems.
- I have all the necessary equipment (DVM, Oscilloscope, Z80 ICT, Signal Tracer, Signal Generator, Frequency Meter, etc...).
- I have spares for all Amstrad Computer Series.
- I don't sell spares, so don't ask me for that.
- 90% of the spares that i have came from Amstrad PLC Fr where my uncle used to work till mid nineteen's.
- All the repairs have 6 month's warranty.
- If i cannot repair a equipment, i will return it to the owner. The owner only paid for the P&P, i'll not charge any fee if there is no repair.
- Fee's depends on the type of problem, but i'll will charge a minimum of 30€+P&P on 90% of the repairs i made. This includes spares and my work.
- I'll accept trades to support the repair fee, in a case by case analisys.

P.S: i can repair other computers, such as Sinclair, Timex, Apple, Commodore, Radio Shack, MSX computers, Atari, BBC Micro, Dragon, Jupiter ACE, and others...
P.S2: I can also repair addons, such as memory's expansion, rs232 controller's, external drive's, monitors, power supply's, etc...

UPDATE2:

- The fee that i charge (30€+P&P) does not include parts (case, fdd, keyboard).
- I can also do some mod's (reset button, swap 3'' FDD with 3,5''FDD, change ROM'S, etc..) if you want.
- I also do "special" cables (RGB cable+audio with 12V "spider", joystick splitter cable, tape cables, etc...).

Gryzor

Hello mate, and welcome here.

If you could put together a more detailed 'brochure' (what it is you can do in details, maybe pricing etc) I could pin your post or even make an announcement on the Wiki's front page...

retrorepair

Quote from: Gryzor on 08:55, 29 November 10
Hello mate, and welcome here.

If you could put together a more detailed 'brochure' (what it is you can do in details, maybe pricing etc) I could pin your post or even make an announcement on the Wiki's front page...

Hello Gryzor and thanks for the welcome.

I´ll update the first post with all the information that i think relevant.

Cheers

arnoldemu

You don't mention the country. But I assume it is France?

I worked this out from the currency and because your uncle worked for Amstrad France.
My games. My Games
My website with coding examples: Unofficial Amstrad WWW Resource

retrorepair

Quote from: arnoldemu on 21:36, 30 November 10
You don't mention the country. But I assume it is France?

I worked this out from the currency and because your uncle worked for Amstrad France.

Hello,

I'm from Portugal, near Lisbon.

I think you can see the flag below my nick.

Cheers

arnoldemu

Quote from: retrorepair on 22:17, 30 November 10

Hello,

I'm from Portugal, near Lisbon.

I think you can see the flag below my nick.

Cheers
I am sorry I didn't look at the flag. Thank you for the info.
My games. My Games
My website with coding examples: Unofficial Amstrad WWW Resource

Gryzor

Great stuff. Post stickied and posted on the wiki's main page.

Hey, can you fix a QL that's having trouble on half its keyboard?

retrorepair

#7
Quote from: Gryzor on 11:17, 01 December 10
Great stuff. Post stickied and posted on the wiki's main page.

Hey, can you fix a QL that's having trouble on half its keyboard?

Hi Gryzor,

When you say "half", is related with left or right half of the keyboard?

If that's the case, and assuming that membrane is ok, i can fix it quickly.

If the QL needs a new membrane, then i have to order it.

P.S: Thanks for the sticky


Gryzor

I think it was the right part that didn't work. I had opened it, connectors and membrane seemed fine - couldn't diagnose it with my limited (=about zero) QL knowledge...

I think I'll send it to you once I get around to getting it out of the box :)

norecess

How much do you charge YOUR service (excluding pieces) ?

retrorepair

Quote from: Gryzor on 09:34, 02 December 10
I think it was the right part that didn't work. I had opened it, connectors and membrane seemed fine - couldn't diagnose it with my limited (=about zero) QL knowledge...

I think I'll send it to you once I get around to getting it out of the box :)

As soon as you send it, as soon you will be "playing" with it!  :)

retrorepair

Quote from: norecess on 20:54, 02 December 10
How much do you charge YOUR service (excluding pieces) ?

Hi and thanks for visiting my thread.

I cannot tell you a exact value for that, depends how much work the machine needs.

But if you have all the pieces that needs to be replaced, i'll take that in consideration at the time of presenting to you the final value.


retrorepair

I updated the first post with more information.

retrorepair

After only 16 Days, this is the most viewed post!

Merry christmas everyone!

Gryzor

Seriously, almost 30000 views for this thread alone, with the second (Dead on Time) at a bit over 12000... I guess this shows how important such a service is. Although I suspect that people come to this thread also expecting to find info on how to do it themselves...

Bryce

To be honest (and not wanting to take any potential business away from Retro Repair) many problems with the CPC or any retro computer are very easy to do yourself. Obviously when it's something more tricky involving component replacement / fault diagnosis / soldering skills, it's probably best to hand your beloved CPC to somebody who knows what they are doing and won't break it further, and it's really good that Retro Repair offers this option.

On the other hand, there's a real lack of repair guides in the Wiki, for simple things that anyone could do for themselves. Some have been added, but there are many more which could be added and would enhance the Wiki
and maybe bring a few damaged CPCs back to life.

Bryce.

Gryzor

You're right about that to some extend... people usually rush in here and offer excellent advice, sometimes very detailed, but it's another thing to make a comprehensive and well thought-out standalone guide... :(

retrorepair

Quote from: Bryce on 10:47, 12 January 11
To be honest (and not wanting to take any potential business away from Retro Repair) many problems with the CPC or any retro computer are very easy to do yourself. Obviously when it's something more tricky involving component replacement / fault diagnosis / soldering skills, it's probably best to hand your beloved CPC to somebody who knows what they are doing and won't break it further, and it's really good that Retro Repair offers this option.

On the other hand, there's a real lack of repair guides in the Wiki, for simple things that anyone could do for themselves. Some have been added, but there are many more which could be added and would enhance the Wiki
and maybe bring a few damaged CPCs back to life.

Bryce.

Hi,

You are absolutely right. I do not intend to be rich with this service. As long as i can make people happy to bring back to life theirs belove computer, for me that´s enough.

I compromise to make step-by-step repair guides for the computers that i repair here in CPCWIKI, so that in future people can at least try to diagnose the problem from his beloved computer.

Regards

Gryzor

Don't worry mate, I don't think anyone's against commercial ventures here as long as the supplier is not trying to rip people off - like, maybe, by charging 100 euros for a belt replacement or the likes. If you could make some guides, all the better, and they'd really be appreciated, but it's not a prerequisite for the promotion of your services. And I think that's what Bryce himself meant, too.

Btw, has it brought you any business?

Bryce

#19
I have had "Diagnosis / Repair Guides" on my to-do list since 1985 :) I just never get around to doing it. So many issues are caused by dirty power switches, dirty expansion port contacts, dirt in the keyboard. These are things the user should try themselves before they send you them, I mean you aim to offer a repair service, not a cleaning service :D . But many people are nervous about opening their CPC or even worse opening the power switch. A good fault diagnosis Guide (tree) with Yes/No branches, where some end with "Try cleaning the power switch" (link to detailed instructions) and some end with "Send it for repair to: (Link to RetroRepair)" would be ideal. I did a short Joystick repair guide a while back, but only because I decided to fix my own joysticks and had a camera handy http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Joystick_Repair  . A guide like this for other parts would probably help many decide whether they can do something for themselves or whether they need the help of someone with your experience.

Bryce.

Edit: I know from personal experience, that you don't get rich from building / repairing 8-bit hardware :D Like me, you probably do it because you also have a passion for these machines. It's great that someone offers this service at all and has the time to do it.

Gryzor

An ueber-guide then. That would be fantastic... but so much work, eh? Still, it would be unique!!!

Bryce

That's why I've never got around to doing it. Well not exactly correct, I started doing it and after I realised that the section that just covered the power supply was 12 pages long I stopped. Admittedly, my version was very detailed with three levels depending on the users knowledge / skills / equipment:

A) I haven't the faintest clue what I'm doing and I used a knife to open the case screws
B) I own my own screwdriver and a multimeter, but I don't know how to use them
C) I own an oscilloscope and a have decent understanding of electronics

Depending on the level you chose, it described how to find the fault and repair / replace the components according to your level of understanding and using the equipment you have available.

Bryce.

steve

Sounds good enough for the Wiki.  :)

arnoldemu

I think the basic maintenance and cleaning is a good idea.

Cleaning the power switch fixed 2 of my cpcs.
And cleaning the membrane fixed the keys on another.
My games. My Games
My website with coding examples: Unofficial Amstrad WWW Resource

retrorepair

Quote from: Gryzor on 14:36, 13 January 11
Don't worry mate, I don't think anyone's against commercial ventures here as long as the supplier is not trying to rip people off - like, maybe, by charging 100 euros for a belt replacement or the likes. If you could make some guides, all the better, and they'd really be appreciated, but it's not a prerequisite for the promotion of your services. And I think that's what Bryce himself meant, too.

Btw, has it brought you any business?

In the first post there is all the info that i think is relevant, including the fee. I'm not here to rip anyone off, and like you i don't think that Bryce was telling that.

Till this moment, no one contacted me for any service. You know, past christmas.... LOL

Regards

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