+save2600 Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 20 minutes ago, Zap! said: Thanks, right now the first thing I need is to get an RGB SCART. That b&w composite is rough! Looks like I made a mistake by ordering an SDbox, right? Not sure I'm familiar with an "SDbox"... would have to look it up. There's (or was) a guy out of Australia that makes good scan-doubler products for the Amiga... that one of his devices? Just not too familiar with most of the many popular video converters or upscalers to HDMI people talk an awful lot about and (usually) end up disappointed with. ha Native 15khz CRT user here, and have used external and internal FF/SD's before to great effect. Including an Indivision ECS I currently have in an A2000 that's excellent and rock solid. Can't go wrong with Jens' products. If the SDbox is a flicker-fixer and scan-doubler that outputs to VGA and you have competent CRT monitors (or the extremely rare LCD with near zero lag), guessing you're probably okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 Looks really clean so far! Gonna dry the keys now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 4 minutes ago, save2600 said: Not sure I'm familiar with an "SDbox"... would have to look it up. There's (or was) a guy out of Australia that makes good scan-doubler products for the Amiga... that one of his devices? Just not too familiar with most of the many popular video converters or upscalers to HDMI people talk an awful lot about and (usually) end up disappointed with. ha Native 15khz CRT user here, and have used external and internal FF/SD's before to great effect. Including an Indivision ECS I currently have in an A2000 that's excellent and rock solid. Can't go wrong with Jens' products. If the SDbox is a flicker-fixer and scan-doubler that outputs to VGA and you have competent CRT monitors (or the extremely rare LCD with near zero lag), guessing you're probably okay. This is the SDBox: https://amigastore.eu/en/825-sdbox.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 I'd think laundry detergent should be fine, but bleach you say? Ha... so long as you're not rubbing out or fading the ink/dyes on the key caps. ? Moderation is a beautiful thing and key I'm sure... that's lost on many who end up disappointed with results. Very cool you're resurrecting an old Miggy like this! You sound pretty experienced refurbishing machines. Always a gratifying exercise to be sure and on a system I hope you find some pleasure and enjoyment with afterwards. 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 31 minutes ago, Zap! said: This is the SDBox: https://amigastore.eu/en/825-sdbox.html Oh! Long way from a Scan-Doubler... Hahahaha, not familiar with this device. Only familiar with Gotek's (floppy emulators through the actual floppy port) and the like. Doesn't seem like that's a true floppy emulator in the traditional sense though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 6, 2022 Author Share Posted August 6, 2022 1 minute ago, save2600 said: I'd think laundry detergent should be fine, but bleach you say? Ha... so long as you're not rubbing out or fading the ink/dyes on the key caps. ? Moderation is a beautiful thing and key I'm sure... that's lost on many who end up disappointed with results. Very cool you're resurrecting an old Miggy like this! You sound pretty experienced refurbishing machines. Always a gratifying exercise to be sure and on a system I hope you find some pleasure and enjoyment with afterwards. ? I let everything soak for about 20 minutes (bleach included), scrubbed the case only. Bought Magic Eraser, but so far didn't see any scuffs. I did use a scrub brush when it soaked. Rinsed and dried (thanks for the tip on drying!) with an air blower. Nothing faded (see pic). As for me being experienced, well I'm ok. But I dread putting some of those keys back (the ones with the metal on them). Lots of thinking involved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 On 8/6/2022 at 6:18 PM, Zap! said: As for me being experienced, well I'm ok. But I dread putting some of those keys back (the ones with the metal on them). Lots of thinking involved! Haha, take your time and don't force anything. When snapping things in place, should always hear/feel a satisfying "click". Mechanics and physicality of it all make sense when you look closely enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 (edited) All finished with the mouse and keyboard, that wasn't as bad as I thought. But...I'm too hungry to put everything back together now. Will come back after cooking and eating. Edit: Oddly enough, there were no metal thingy's under the spacebar. Looks like there should have been... Edit again: Yes there was, a long one. Forgot to put it back lol. Edited August 7, 2022 by Zap! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 The final product after cleaning and putting everything back together. Sure is beautiful, isn't it? Not bad for $200 (well, $250 with gas and tolls lol). ??? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 Floppy drive works, as does the mouse. Not much more to test except for the keyboard! Going to bed happy tonight! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 9 hours ago, Zap! said: Edit: Oddly enough, there were no metal thingy's under the spacebar. Looks like there should have been... Edit again: Yes there was, a long one. Forgot to put it back lol. Yup it works similarly to a torsion spring (anti-roll bar) on cars. Prevents that spacebar from leaning side to side. Everything looks to be in order, nicely done! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 The stabilizer also just makes it more pleasant in general to use. A big key would bind I suspect unless you depressed it near the center, where as a stabilized spacebar can be depressed anywhere with ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 26 minutes ago, Atariboy said: A big key would bind I suspect unless you depressed it near the center, where as a stabilized spacebar can be depressed anywhere with ease. It does. I have more than once, to my shame, forgotten or lost the bar when reassembling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supervstech Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 On 8/5/2022 at 10:05 PM, Zap! said: Long story short, it was listed as untested. A couple about 70 came in an SUV and met me in a parking out. They said it was their son's, who are now 45 and 49, and it's been sitting in their attic for decades. They said it powers on, but they can't test it. It just comes with what's in the pics. I'll power it on as soon as I finish this post and eat. I paid $200, btw. They also had an Atari 1200 XL, Atari 7800 Pro System, and a couple of other things. The only other thing I bought was a weird 70's computer that seems to be in kit form. It's still in my trunk, but will post pics if requested. I paid $20 for that. Looks clean from what I can see, but I'm far from an expert. So, does anything stick out? I will first check the expansion for a batter and leakage. Is there any way to test this today? I have a PVM and an Atari SC1435 RGB's. Looks like I'll have to order one. Anyway, here are the first few pics. I'll be back here within the hour... I would like to see the"weird 70's kit computer" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 12, 2022 Author Share Posted August 12, 2022 8 hours ago, Supervstech said: I would like to see the"weird 70's kit computer" Unfortunately, it seems to be just a toy and not a kit computer at all. I still don't know much about it, other than it's unused and from the 70's. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 I wonder how predicting the weather and diagnosing illnesses worked? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Keatah said: I wonder how predicting the weather and diagnosing illnesses worked? It is the same system in use today. But they do fact-check with tarot cards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daedalus2097 Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 Just going back a little, you probably don't need to worry about coating the board - it doesn't look like there's any exposed copper. The exposed areas look like they're already coated in solder, which has the same effect. Regarding the metal shells, to my knowledge only Commodore original expansions came with the shells, and that was because they were an option to have fitted when the machine was bought. They kept the RF interference protection of the complete machine intact. I've never seen shielding on any 3rd party expansions (and the Commodore A501 will work just fine without the shielding too). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 Small update. Got a VGA Scandoubler from California. Seems to work great. Not much else I can do, since my Gotek was shipped today from Poland to NY. Can anyone in the US make a copy of Sysinfo or Workbench that they can sell me? Everything on eBay seems to be from Europe. Thanks! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 I can put SysInfo on a disk for you. I should also have an extra set of WB1.3 disks around here, as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 BTW, check out https://amigakit.com for stuff, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 Thank you, PM sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 Small update: the RGB Scart came yesterday and I hooked it up to my Sont PVM. I can now see full RGB color, and it looks stunning! All I have is one game (Amberstar) to use on it, but everything appears to be working. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Just a quick update. Since getting that Amiga 500 in early August, I have done the following updates, in this order: CR232 battery holder Gotek with External Drive Adapter cable DF0/DF1 Drive Boot Selector Switch Individual Computers ACA500plus Upgraded the Agnus with an 8372A That's everything I did over the last few months, finally getting the 8372A yesterday. Anything else, or should I just start having fun now? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koopa64 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 (edited) On 8/5/2022 at 11:23 PM, Zap! said: Good news, after pulling the battery, it cleaned up real nicely with vinegar to neutralize the acid, and them some alcohol to finish cleaning. Seems like the corrosion isn't bad. Put the board back in and it powers up! I guess the acid was affecting something before when I had no screen. Hmm, either that or it was off pin somehow. Anyway I ordered a battery holder and an SDBox (I'm rushing things, I know). Tried to order an RGB SCART but the cable store I always order from (CoolNovelties) is on vacation until mid-August. So what else? Should I take it apart and snap some pics? Anything else I need to order? Disks? I have several joysticks, btw, so I won't be needing that. Call me pedantic, but that is an alkaline battery, not acidic. It's completely incorrect to say "use vinegar to neutralize the battery acid" in this scenario. The only major kind of acidic battery is the typical car battery which is never used for electronics as far as I know. Edited January 6 by Koopa64 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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