Musing about VIC-1540 on eBay

[+OLD CS1]

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 262498909889

 

I had been looking for one of these every-so-often, just to feed my curiosity on the ROM, board, and mechanism. From what I understand these are virtually identical to the 1541 but lack the slow-downs required to match the 64's slower serial timings.

 

Anyway, I cannot justify $200 for curiosity, nor the $500 buy-it-now. Someone else here might, and they might even have a real VIC-20 to run it.

[BassGuitari]

I have one of these but I don't know if I ever actually tested it out. It's pretty grimy-looking anyway.

I certainly wouldn't pay $200 for one.

[brain]

They are somewhat overrated unless you are trying to put together a VIC-20 display or collection, including the VIC paddles, VIC sticks, expansion box, 1515 printer, and the 1540 drive (well, and the old style VIC datasette, I guess).

 

The board is exactly the 1541 long board, and the mech is ALPS. The only difference is the ROM and the white power jack, and you can turn any 1541 into a 1541 by using the "speed up DOS command" or replacing the ROM with the 1540 ROM.

 

Jim

[+OLD CS1]

heh which means someone will pay $200 or more for it, as it would be for a pristine collection.

[RobertB]

You can take a VIC-1541 (same white case as the 1540) and put a 1540 ROM in it. Then it will act like a 1540.

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group

http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

July 30-31 Commodore Vegas Expo v12 -

http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[+OLD CS1]

You can take a VIC-1541 (same white case as the 1540) and put a 1540 ROM in it. Then it will act like a 1540.

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group

http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

July 30-31 Commodore Vegas Expo v12 -

http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

 

Yeah, but it will not have that spiffy 1540 label!

[RobertB]

Easy solution. Mod the VIC-1541 label or make your own VIC-1540 label.

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group

http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

July 30-31 Commodore Vegas Expo v12 -

http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[carlsson]

I seem to recall that the 1540 had some additional hardware vs the 1541, but I might have dreamed that. Something to do with searching for a "#" or "&" file that would automatically load into the drive memory, but my details are sketchy. Perhaps just swapping ROM will in that case enable the function.

[Arnuphis]

Seems it was worth $305 to someone.....

[7800fan]

sold for 300

[+OLD CS1]

I seem to recall that the 1540 had some additional hardware vs the 1541, but I might have dreamed that. Something to do with searching for a "#" or "&" file that would automatically load into the drive memory, but my details are sketchy. Perhaps just swapping ROM will in that case enable the function.

 

According to Zimmers:

 

 

1541-e000.901229-03.bin: The firmware of an old-style 1541 with long board. This ROM has an autobooting feature: if CLK and DATA are held low during bootup, the drive will wait for them to raise, and execute a "&*" command.

 

I am a little aggravated because I picked up a 1541C, not realizing what "first upgrade" meant. I did not get a real 1541C board, I got one of the short-boards with the two 8k ROMs, 901229-05 and the standard 352302-01.