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avatar_Neil79

Amstrad 464 Plus - Got a cheap one, but needs fixing!

Started by Neil79, 12:04, 03 December 15

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Neil79

Finally got an Amstrad 464 Plus - But it is faulty and needs fixing as a project! The seller did say it was untested and needed everything to go with it, so I had to get new cables and a basic cart to get it running.


The first time I tried, instant black screen with just a green light. However it had probably never had a good life, going by the state of the box and the tape deck casing was open and tries to stay open.


But fiddling with the cart slot, if I push it in and leave it in, it powers up and plays games fine with some straight down line interlacing ( Problem? ), but if I touch the cart by pushing it up just slightly, the entire system hangs with corruption. If I try to play a tape it says " Out of memory " and stops.


Also the keyboard membrane may need to be looked at as pressing A brings up Q, and pressing A brings up Q ;)
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Neil79

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Bryce

Send it over.

Bryce.

Edit: In fact, don't. First clean the top of the membrane with a slightly damp cloth. Then clean the contacts on the cartridge slot (with contact cleaner, not the damp cloth). Then test again and tell me if the out of memory problem has gone. If not... send it over.

Neil79

Will do!


Good news, Fixed the tape deck cover :)


Now it stays down unless ejected!
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Neil79

Woohoo It's now in English and all keys working, Well done Bryce membrane was manky as fook so I cleaned it up!


Next error it's saying is " Memory Full ", when loading 464 tapes
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ivarf


Neil79

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ivarf


Neil79

Quote from: ivarf on 13:38, 03 December 15
Next step, get a 4/3 image


That's my tester TV to make sure it works... The CRT is at home
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Bryce

Just the cartridge port contacts to clean and you're done.

Bryce.

Neil79

Quote from: Bryce on 14:05, 03 December 15
Just the cartridge port contacts to clean and you're done.

Bryce.


Hey Bryce


I've tested the GX4000 cart and my other spare GX4000 cart and they work perfectly, no crash/freeze when touched. However the spare basic cart and the operation cart both cause issues when moved, so it's the carts that are at fault, not the Amstrad :)


All good, will put it back together now
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Bryce

Then clean the contacts on that cartridge - Cottonbud with Isopropanol on it.

Bryce.

Neil79

Quote from: Bryce on 15:20, 03 December 15
Then clean the contacts on that cartridge - Cottonbud with Isopropanol on it.

Bryce.


Yes Sir!  ;D
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Neil79

Last question :


In the tape deck itself, at the back, is a metal finger that pokes out in the middle. Does the tape go on top of this pushed down, or underneath it when slotted in?


I believe it was also damaged from the previous owner
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CraigsBar

That little metal tab should be upright, leaning slightly towards the front of the machine. It is what steadies the cassette and pushes it into the spools etc of the mechanism.

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