3rd cpc 464 arrived today...UPDATE: about to give up on it

[lynwen]

Update: 3rd cpc 464 arrived today... page3 #42
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YUK YUK YUK! Just look at how disgusting it is inside and out   the keys are disgustingly sticky too...


In the process of cleaning it all


Hard to believe this is of similar age to the one I picked up yesterday, which was SO clean I didn't have to clean it at all whatsoever! It looked brand new inside and out!

[ralferoo]

LOL, that's pretty clean compared to some of the CPCs I've bought! 

[lynwen]

Seriously disgusting


I seem to remember we had proper dust covers, one for the keyboard and one for the monitor, any idea where to get these from?

[Bryce]

Nice that the RAM is socketed. Makes repairing a lot easier if they fail.

Bryce.

[lynwen]

Nice that the RAM is socketed. Makes repairing a lot easier if they fail.

Bryce.

Aren't all CPCs?

[Bryce]

No, most of them were soldered in.

Check out the pictures here: Mainboard Versions - CPCWiki

Bryce.

[lynwen]

Okay I have two version 1s and one version 2 

[Bryce]

Even when everything is soldered, CPCs are quite easy to fix if you know what you are doing Our CPCs have many happy years ahead of them, unlike other 8Bits that heavily depended on custom ICs.

Bryce.

[lynwen]

hey Bryce, have you done any cpc 464 mods or do you only do later model mods? What kind of things have you done?

[Bryce]

Most of the expansions I've done will work on the 464: MegaROM, MegaFlash, USB AMX Mouse Adpater, S-Video Output. They all work on a 464.

Bryce.

[MaV]

YUCK! Looks like someone had a bad case of dandruff.

I've once cleaned a keyboard that told me about its previous owner's eating habits. Mostly nuts ...

Should I feel lucky that my newly acquired 1084S smells like nicotine?

[Ciana]

Thanks Lynwen, mine doesn't seem so disgusting now 

[00WReX]

Wow, thats the very 1st revision mainboard. Even before they had the MC code on them.
I think these were the only ones with socketed RAM.

My earliest revision 464 board is an MC0001A and that does not have socketed RAM.

Agree with Bryce, the more and more I pay with other 8 bit computers I realise how good & simple the CPC's are.
And not just hardware design, but OS as well.

The most famous of them all is a classic example. The C64 has heaps of custom chips that are very temperamental.
And playing with C64 disk commands is archaic compared to Amsdos.
Attempting to fix a C64 at the moment that has got me stumped. Basically swapped out 90% of the components on the board (and socketed every IC).
Anyway enough of that.

I bet that very dirty 464 of yours still works lynwen...

Cheers,
Shane

[arnoldemu]

under all that filth is a crtc type 0.

somebody has been watching dirty demos?

nice 464 btw. it has the tall keys I assume?

[Bryce]

Yes, one of the things that people often moan about (Sugars obsession with cost savings on the CPC) is the main reason why our beloved CPC is so easy to keep alive these days. Look at the others:

C64 custom chips:
Graphics VIC-II chip
Sound: SID chip
CIAs: These weren't strictly custom chips, but also not widely used
Stupid 24 pin ROMs with non-standard pinout - These can be replaced using an adapter though.

Atari XL/XE custom chips:
Graphics: Antic chip
Sound: Pokey chip
Gate Array: Freddie

Amstrad:
Graphics: 6845 - This was used in hundreds of different CGE / EGA graphic cards
Sound: AY-3-8912 - This was used in slot machines, keyboards and many other devices.
Gate array - The only custom chip in the CPC and luckily rarely breaks.
ROMs - Standard 32pin devices


XL/XE are luckily very robust, if anything ever breaks it's usually the RAM. The C64 isn't so lucky. The early SIDs cook themselves, the CIAs break if you look crooked at them (actually they usually die due to static discharges from the expansion ports). The Character ROM was also very fragile and tend to die quite often. Luckily for the C64, they made millions of them, but it still means sacrificing one C64 to save another.

Bryce.

[Ciana]

Wow, thats the very 1st revision mainboard. Even before they had the MC code on them.
I think these were the only ones with socketed RAM.

Not wishing to hijack the thread but is that what mine is? howdy from an owner of a sick 464 (or a sick monitor...!)

I had never considered all the different versions, I see on the Wiki there were several. Cool.

[Gryzor]

1. you found how to embed thumbnails, lynwen!  
2. oh wow. I've seen coke/coffee spilled in a machine, or an assortment of snacks, but this? Like a carpet you haven't vacuumed in ages? Yikes.
3. typical Bryce! "Oh, look at all this dirt!" "-Hey, those are socketed, the Spectrum is so unreliable and don't get me started on beer".

[db6128]

Urghgh. Those pictures make me feel sick.

[steve]

I seem to remember we had proper dust covers, one for the keyboard and one for the monitor, any idea where to get these from?

There was a page of CPC related items for sale somewhere, but I cannot remember what it was called, this page seemed to remain unchanged for years so whether it is still active, I do not know, maybe someone else remembers the name, they listed several cartridges, complete systems and dust covers as well as a lot of software.

[lynwen]

1. you found how to embed thumbnails, lynwen! 

I found it before but it just simply didnt work!!!! I have switched to internet explorer which now does it (anywhere I have managed to get thumbnail has been done through IE), however sometimes gives me a message that due to security reasons I need to contact admin if I try to upload more than a couple at a time. Its very frustrating!
Stupid Chrome, it runs really slow too.
Let me test it again, Im using IE now...
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Pictures of my mint cpc 464
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It s working for me today on internet explorer so will stick with this!
Please note that I have NOT cleaned this mint condition 464, its been kept very well for all these years in its original box, no dust or anything, just a little rust on the metal plate for the keyboard! Was so shocked I didnt even have to clean the keys/keyboard!

[lynwen]

Notice how the colour on the tape drive is RED!!!!! The other two I have is a faded orange! Also the esc and enter keys are really brightly coloured and not faded
The dirty one is still in pieces, left the keys in washing up bowl full of fairy liquid and warm water.

[lynwen]

Not wishing to hijack the thread but is that what mine is? howdy from an owner of a sick 464 (or a sick monitor...!)

I had never considered all the different versions, I see on the Wiki there were several. Cool.

That looks the same as mine, a version 1
Mainboard Versions - CPCWiki
Board: PT NO Z70100, without any "MCnnnn" code, Copyright 1983
Original version. Real wires going to keyboard.

[steve]

Found the page that lists dust covers and other things for sale,
TRADE IN POST Amstard 464/6128/464+/6128+ software & Hardware

[lynwen]

"Operation clean up" is going well, just have the bottom case and the tape deck to clean now.

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[Gryzor]

[user]lynwen[/user], thumbnails work in other browsers as well... I've tested it quite extensively with Opera, Chrome and Firefox; never use IE The security issue is a known bug with the system, unfortunately nothing much to do except wait and pray for it to be fixed in the next forum version@

Your mint 464 is just beautiful; you should use the third pic as your avatar!

I think the orange colour is not a matter of fading - I think they produced many CPCs with slightly different coloring, as I've seen some in very good condition using orange instead of red. Anyone care to give some feedback?

Your torn-apart unit makes me want to find a non-working one and take the keys, then use them for something... maybe install little magnets and have them on the fridge! If you don't get it back in shape, care selling the keys to me?