Nice to see another old computer restored to it's former glory! Just to let you know "Trash to Treasure" has been trademarked by the RMC Retro channel so you might want to adjust the title.
@EvansRetroLane23 күн бұрын
I appreciate the info Andrew, I'll look into it. Thanks for watching.
@HalianTheProtogen25 күн бұрын
Another common failure mode on Commodore computers is that the foam-and-foil discs underpinning each key fail; thankfully, replacements are readily available.
@EvansRetroLane25 күн бұрын
That's an important point! I should've checked the keyboard before soldering back the shift lock key. Most keys work but there are a few that need extra presses. I'm going to try rub the conductive discs with paper. If they're worn, I might look up these replacements. Thanks for watching and subscribing.
@Starchface25 күн бұрын
The retrobrighting needed a lot of time. That's probably because you used only a 6% H202 solution and diluted it down to perhaps 1%, while others commonly use a 12% solution or cream product without dilution. *However* you have achieved a phenomenal result with "a little" extra time and a shot of strong Aussie sunshine. The VIC-20 looks absolutely magnificent. You should be proud of this addition to your collection!
@EvansRetroLane25 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching and your comment! I'm extremely pleased it turned out. You're right, it was probably a little too weak. It took 3-5 days to get a result and I did top-up the H202 a few times. My PET style VIC 20 was retrobrighted using a cream solution, and that completed in only a few hours.
@tenminutetokyo264328 күн бұрын
You can rebuild the CN2 circuit board for just a couple bucks. But the disassembly and wiring is a bit difficult. You can also build a new VICKY TWENTY new VIC-20 using a brand new PCB with an old case and keyboard.
@EvansRetroLane28 күн бұрын
It's great all these options are available to us. I've purchased several C2N Datasettes with various issues over the years. Luckily managed to fix them all without having to replace the circuit board. Most just needed cleaning, replacement of bands, small adjustments if they're grinding against other parts, or an azimuth alignment. Thank you for your comment and for watching.
@J0ermungand29 күн бұрын
You sir need more subs. 😊
@EvansRetroLane28 күн бұрын
You're too kind - I'm hoping it will pick up. Thanks for your support. Very much appreciated.
@andrewfield176Ай бұрын
Thanks you for this video. We’ve just managed to get a discounted version of the A400 Mini from Amazon and your video has been a great overview & introduction. Much appreciated. Liked & subscribed!
@EvansRetroLaneАй бұрын
You're welcome Andrew! I'm glad you picked one up at a good price. I appreciate your comment, thanks for watching and subscribing.
@EdwardianTeaChestАй бұрын
The restored VIC-20 looks like it has just rolled off the production line. :)
@EvansRetroLaneАй бұрын
I'm glad it turned out as well as it did! I'm hoping it stays this way 😄. Thanks for watching.
@MyraBiusingАй бұрын
Wow what a transformation! The reveal is so satisfying. Really appreciate the side-by-side comparison 🤩
@EvansRetroLaneАй бұрын
Thanks so much Myra! Glad you enjoyed this restoration, especially the big reveal!
@michaelturner44572 ай бұрын
Think the Amstrad CPCs were all PAL system, no NTSC ones.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Hi Michael, thanks for this interesting information. I hadn't looked into it much, but have since learned CPC monitors supplied to North America only had the power PCB updated. It would seem the computer itself still output a 50Hz RGB signal assuming people use the supplied monitor. Could be wrong. Apparently there is a way to change the signal to 60Hz on the mainboard.
@michaelturner44572 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane An aspect I do know about international distributions of the Amstrad CPC machines, and I think it might be unique to them. Is that the brand shown on the BASIC boot message can be changed with option links on the logic board. And I remember this when I was in Vienna, Austria in 1986. Because the CPCs I saw there were branded as Schneider, and showed "Schneider 64K Microcomputer" rather than "Amstrad 64K Microcomputer", and it could be changed to show other brands as well.
@cabbitkisser26202 ай бұрын
I'm lucky i picked up lot of my retro computers back in the 90's when everything in the thrift stores was dirt cheap
@Phil-Sands2 ай бұрын
I enjoyed your video, I have a few retro computers in my collection . I have a 4 ZX Spectrums, 3 ZX Spectrum +, 3 ZX Spectrum +2 grey, 1 ZX Spectrum +2 black, 1 ZX 81, 1 ZX Harlequin 128, 1 Amiga 500, 1 Amiga 1200, 1 Sony MSX, 1 Acorn Electron, 1 Amstrad CPC464, plus a Pi 400 for Batocera, and The C64 and The A500 retro consoles from Retrogames. Still on the lookout for more. Could you post a link to the scart to HDMI you purchased? There's so many that don't give enough info on eBay to make an informed choice. Thanks.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Hi Phil, I'm glad you enjoyed the episode. I appreciate the feedback. You have quite a collection! Thanks for sharing. I've yet to start looking at the ZX Spectrum. And I can't wait to get the full size THE A500 from Retro Games (hopefully later this year). I spent some time researching the scart converters. I ignored listings avoiding any detail about supported inputs. I found one that specifically mentioned RGB scart to HDMI. I thought if I order it and is false advertising, I could dispute it on ebay. The product listing was from ebay dot com address /itm/164647807829. I assume you have the cable for the CPC, otherwise that is /itm/176282881828. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching.
@Phil-Sands2 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane Thanks for that, yes I have cables for the others and want to have a HDMI option, unfortunately the numbers you quote come back not found, I'll keep looking. Looking forward to the next video.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Hi Phil, I didn't include the full URL so you could use your local ebay address. I can see you're in the UK so the link is www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164647807829
@bruce_just_2 ай бұрын
1) Amstrad CPC664 is an actually rare variant ;) 2) I’ve owned a CPC464 since new in the late 1980s, and picked up various 6128 computers second hand in the 90s and 2000s. Using them now, you’ll have to replace the tape belts on the 464, and likely replace the keyboard membrane on the 6128.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
There was a 664 in the AMSTRAD lot but said it didn't power on and was missing the disc drive. Someone snapped that one up for less than $180 AU. I appreciate the tips on the belts and membrane. I'll be testing my 6128 keyboard shortly and if the membrane is damaged, I'll source a replacement. Luckily there is someone in Adelaide selling new replacements. Thanks for watching!
@bruce_just_2 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane I’ve got one of those 6128 replacement membranes myself, but not having much luck using it the 6128 keyboard. Just getting spurious multiple key presses in the current (old) membrane, and no key presses at all with the replacement. The connectors on the PCB might be dirty. I’ve got multiple 6128s and they’ve all developed problems with the keyboard matrix :( The 464 keyboard matrix seems to be a bit more durable. The annoying/worrying thing is that the keyboard scanning occurs across both the AY PSG sound chip and the PPI chip, one of which is priced crazy now if genuine, the other is only from a donor :(
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
My first thought would be to check/clean the connector on the PCB. Maybe the ribbon isn't making good contact. Hopefully there isn't a problem with the chips - something I didn't consider was how easy/affordable they are to obtain if needed. Hopefully it's an easy fix.
@peddersoldchap2 ай бұрын
Ebay is super overpriced!
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
I agree with you! I remember 10-20 years back, I could pick up a VIC 20 lot for $50 AU. Unfortunately, tech markets aren't a thing where I live. I've bought some items from other platforms by negotiating. If I buy a bulk lot, I usually do so with the intent of restoring surplus items (such as the datassette shown in this video) to sell reducing my overall cost. I know that isn't for everyone. Thanks for watching.
@andy935702 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane are there no computer swap meets anymore? I remember the early 2000's going to warehouses in geelong full of enthusiasts selling or showing off their wares. If you brought gear you could also do exchanges.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Hi Andy! Living in Perth the last 7 years I've not come across anything like that. I'll be more than happy to hear from anyone that knows of any! 😀 I've gone to a few general swap meets but not the stuff I'm after. There are a few retro shops in Perth but they mainly deal with consoles. I don't think I've bought a single item in Perth. All my stuff has come from the eastern states - mainly Adelaide believe it or not.
@nopus12 ай бұрын
music is louder than speech
@ArttuTheCat2 ай бұрын
Since i still own the original hardwares of the Commodore 64 (tapes / disks / cartridges) and Amiga 500, your channel is so retrospectively awesome, you deserve a new retrospective subscriber from Vantaa, Finland 🇫🇮. 😺👍🕹️
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Wow, I really appreciate your comment Ari! It means a lot to me! Thanks for watching.
@beardedgaming37412 ай бұрын
i bought some old macintosh systems last year. i learned that retrobright needs heat more than UV to work properly and 'hot spots' will leave splotches. old dust can be conductive - clearn before power on. even if an old PSU 'works' - it can fail catastrophicly in short order when powered on for the first time in 20 years... also - old PSU wiring jacketing can be brittle - hidden 'surprise shorts' should be checked for. always plan to replace capacitors in PSU's and on boards finially i learned some cheap O scopes from ali express - along with digital soldering irons and hot air stations work just fine once you learn the above. liquid flux is required and a spare old cell phone with macro mode works wonders when fixing your broken boards. also - do not ship super heavy and old systems with out massive over wrappiong and insurance. there is a VERY high chance what ever you buy from a long distance seller will arrive shattered to bits.
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
I appreciate the excellent tips. I'll try work some of these into the next episode. Thanks for watching!
@dirkcrossi65742 ай бұрын
Some Words to untested :Untested Can be real True ...MOst Times it looks like the Seller wantts to hide Something .. But not always .....I wannt you to tell about a Positive example .... i bought a ATARI PC 4 ( not ST !!) ...Its not easy to find ... on E-bay there was someone who sold one UNTESTED for 430 Euro ...I knew it was a high risk ... Some days later the ATARi PC arived ...I put it on the desk ,,and switch it on .........The Pc got Power and the HD (syquest Hd ) begin to run. ---After some seconds it switched itself off.... The Selfprotection of the Power Supply switched,so no Damage to mainboard and Powersuply was Possible ... becouse i look a lot of * Adrians Digital basement * i had a chance to fix the reason of the fault ... *on the Mainboard ar kaps named Tanatalums * ..Its alway s possible mthat aTantalum gives up after many Years .... I put a new Elko on the Mainboard ,..and the PC Works.... SO --_> The PC 4 was REALY Untzested ,becouse if the Seller hzave Tested the PC4 ,. the Tantalum gives up on his Time as he would switch it on ... So the PC4 was Realy Untested .. Becouse ,if the seller Tested the PC4 it would break on his session ...So here we had a very honest Seller....
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing your experience Dirk. I agree with you, not all sellers use 'untested' to hide knowledge that an item doesn't work. I've bought many untested items, and sure enough they work or require a small amount of effort to get working. It's a risk we take for the right money. An excellent point you raise and I forgot to mention in this video, these items are 40+ years old!!! Anything can stop working on them at any time. Thanks for watching.
@Wahhwahwa2 ай бұрын
I didn’t know wrapping cables around will eat into the plastic over time!
@EvansRetroLane2 ай бұрын
Hi Hwa, most people don't think about it. The plasticisers used in cables make them flexible but aren't chemically bonded. Therefore will react with certain plastics and polystyrene. Thanks for watching!
@paulstubbs76782 ай бұрын
Dissimulator chemicals can react when brought together
@sebastiancabrera97043 ай бұрын
great video Evan - impressed with the coding option, i only go back to Nintendo
@EvansRetroLane3 ай бұрын
Thanks Seb! 😊 Glad you enjoyed this episode. 👍 Having the coding option is pretty cool and does expand its uses.
@MyraBiusing3 ай бұрын
This was so insightful! Amazing video and very engaging. Big fan, Evan! 😊
@EvansRetroLane3 ай бұрын
I'm so happy you enjoyed this episode 😊. Thanks so much for your support Myra! 👍
@AshleyDebbieC3 ай бұрын
Super fun content! Love your channel 😀
@EvansRetroLane3 ай бұрын
Thanks so much Ashley!!
@franklinedcruz77263 ай бұрын
Great stuff 😊
@EvansRetroLane3 ай бұрын
Thanks Frankline!
@RoyAntaw3 ай бұрын
Nice video. This week I have gone back to BBC BASIC on my Acorn Electron, plus a little bit of a assembler thrown in as well.
@EvansRetroLane3 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching! 👍 It's a lot of fun rediscovering BASIC and assembly. I never learn't assembly 30+ years ago, I went from BASIC to Visual BASIC, then C, C++, C# and Java. I picked up the old books and thought it's time to learn 😄. Old computers like the Acorn and VIC 20 are perfect - easy to understand and get documentation for.
Across all formats of the worldwide Ultra release, about 800 game boxes selected at random had an individually numbered silver foil "Willy Wonka"-style ticket enclosed that the owner could send back, accompanied by the original disks, to the distributor. In return, they'd receive an enhanced version of the game for their system that allowed a number of cheats.
@EvansRetroLane4 ай бұрын
Wow! I completely forgot about that. I remember reading about it many years ago on the Lemon64 forum. Although it may have been the special edition in the box, and you could send the ticket away for an original copy in return. Something I did notice while putting this video together, the game screenshots in the advertisement at 04:00 seem to have 'Difficulty level' options 🤔. Thanks for watching and sharing this fun fact.
@jimbox1144 ай бұрын
There are alot of games from that era that would have been nice to have save support.
@danootto63824 ай бұрын
Thats the best reply. Good to hear. Im extremely fortunate here, and not sure why. Every game ive put in mine works. But this thing is incredibly finicky on my having to clean each used one ive got. Commando gave me trouble 3 cleanings. Ive been afraid to use the BETA for that reason. Its been a wonderful creation, so far. Overall, they really did a good job, minus load times, of course. Enjoy, and only hope the firmwares get my Rampage 7800 working someday. The only one on their fail list that I'd like to play. Keep up your great videos
@danootto63824 ай бұрын
Great review! Hello Evan! I am in the states. But I run both PAL and NTSC 7800 and 2600 cartridges on my 2600+ fairly flawless. I'm not sure what is happening with your, but it is exactly the same console capable of running 50 or 60 hz without internal modding. The power brick you use allow your country to run it properly. This to my understanding. Check your Choplifter and Ms. Pacman, once more with a reclean. It will give a load fail if it is not good on the console, not those screens you get. They run well here, even all 15 of my definite PAL games with P sticker on them. The only game I'd like to see working right that is F on the 7800 compatibility list is Rampage. I hope the firmware update in store soon will resolve that.
@EvansRetroLane4 ай бұрын
Hi Dano, thanks for watching. I appreciate the feedback 👍. I powered the 2600+ using the TV USB port and then a dedicated power brick, and had the same issue with the 7800 games. I gave all my cartridges a very good clean before inserting them. I applied the beta firmware updates and can confirm all my games now work! I will do a follow up video for those who are interested. Hopefully the official firmware will be released soon.
@afriend94284 ай бұрын
*it came out on all 8-Bit & 16-Bit computers in Europe but Nintendo is the original & best one* 💡
@arostwocents4 ай бұрын
Great video. I like the Spectrum game a lot, fantastic use of colour which puts most Devs of the time to shame. The lack of colour clash is stunning and is as impressive as modern homebrew games by Noentiendo and Zosya.
@EvansRetroLane4 ай бұрын
The Spectrum version does look and play well considering the hardware limitations. The flow of the Z80 based ports are slightly different to the original, but it's great they released this game on so many platforms. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience.
@adamjeremycapps4 ай бұрын
Haha, I was one of those kids that tried to lift the sewer lid to get into the sewers. I guess I wasn't the only one. Even if the turtles weren't there the show & movies made me think there was a whole new world under there.
@EvansRetroLane4 ай бұрын
I appreciate you sharing that with us! You're not alone 😉. I recall many conversations about the sewers with other kids in school. Thanks for watching 👍.
@AndSaveAsManyAsYouCan5 ай бұрын
Nunchucks bad, swords ok...😅😂🤣
@EvansRetroLane5 ай бұрын
It was weird that everything else was acceptable. Maybe they thought kids wouldn't link the others to ninja weapons. "A katana is just a sword, sai is just a gardening tool/fork, and a bo is just a stick." 😂.
@AndSaveAsManyAsYouCan5 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane I would imagine it was due to kids being kids. Lots of toys were discontinued here in the states for the same reasons.
@arostwocents4 ай бұрын
I just had a conversation that they banned nunchucks but allowed swords 😂😂😂 when a large kitchen knife and a wooden stick are the only things a kid would be able to access
@arostwocents4 ай бұрын
@@AndSaveAsManyAsYouCanninja stars was a big part of the ninja panic - but weirdly the turtles toys in Britain did have nunchucks and stars as accessories
@AndSaveAsManyAsYouCan5 ай бұрын
The X-men and Simpsons arcades were as great as the TMNT arcade.
@EvansRetroLane5 ай бұрын
They are indeed 👍. It's great you mentioned these two games - they are from Konami and used the same engine developed for the TMNT game. TMNT 1989 > The Simpsons 1991 > X Men 1992.
@AndSaveAsManyAsYouCan5 ай бұрын
Wise man say that forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.
@TheRetroSofa5 ай бұрын
Love this. Great idea for a video and your passion for the series really comes through. I will disagree a bit on the graphics for the Atari ST and Amiga ports though. I had the NES version and Atari ST and I was blown away by the ST graphics. Less so the gameplay and frame rate of course but I think it looks pretty. It was cool seeing the box again. Also I'm British so it was all Hero Turtles and I had no idea the Ninja versions had other differences.
@EvansRetroLane5 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching and subscribing! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Reading your comment about the ST graphics and thinking back to that time, games displaying more than 16 colours did look amazing. From that perspective, I agree with you.
@joshwood77555 ай бұрын
Cowabunga dude 😊
@dukert275 ай бұрын
When I was 7-8 years old in early 90’s I had a Tandy 1000 pc and had a book that I taught myself how to program and run software with dos. I believe it was a Tandy for dummies book haha but it was very helpful.
@EvansRetroLane5 ай бұрын
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing. It was a fun and interesting time learning how to use a PC.
@dukert275 ай бұрын
I had no idea there were that many ports, I’m gonna have look into those. Also didn’t know they called them Hero Turtles in pal regions. You got a new subscriber.
@EvansRetroLane5 ай бұрын
It's interesting. Only some european countries had restrictions, so wasn't a direct PAL=Hero conversion. The UK had Hero Turtles for sure. In Australia, we use/used the PAL video standard and had Ninja Turtles. I believe Greece and Italy had Ninja Turtles, while Ireland, Sweden and Germany had Hero Turtles. Thanks for subscribing. 👍
@dukert275 ай бұрын
Cool video, I still own and love this game. Haha I would get up early as a kid just to watch the original series. I own it on NTSC NES
@Neotron20016 ай бұрын
Atari Gamestation Pro by MyArcade is a far much better investment.
@EvansRetroLane6 ай бұрын
I'll have to take a look at that one - thanks for sharing 👍. Seems like there are many ATARI consoles available at the moment. The 2600+ is for those who want something that looks/feels/plays similar to the original, and can use old (and new) cartridges.
@foooooob6 ай бұрын
Thanks for the review👍
@EvansRetroLane6 ай бұрын
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
@lxcas54016 ай бұрын
I have my families original atari 2600, my dad and I tried fixing and cleaning off the motherboard a couple years ago and it was already broken so im glad I can get this and play our old atari 2600 games. also got the coleco vision but no way to test it if it still works because we dont have any of our older tvs
@EvansRetroLane6 ай бұрын
If you have a heap of cartridges for the 2600, this product would be a good replacement 👍. As for your original ColecoVision, most new televisions still have an analogue tuner 💡 as well as digital via the RF/ANT input. You may still be able to tune it in just like in the old days. Thanks for telling me about your original collection, and for watching.
@markrotondella46897 ай бұрын
I haven't thought about the PETSCII bird for 40 years :P I made a game where you had to fly the bird to a perch avoiding arrows. I'm a big fan of the drag and drop languages they can pull kids in like basic did back in the day. Programming is programming you still have solve same problems.
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
I'm glad I was able to trigger that thought 😊. As I was rediscovering all these old books, it brought back many great memories for me too. Do you still have the code for your bird game? In regards to my comment about drag and drop coding, I was probably being too harsh. You're correct about the end goal: solutions to problems. I guess I was comparing how back then it was important to learn the computer hardware in order to code solutions by referencing these books. Thanks for watching and commenting on this video 👍.
@markrotondella46897 ай бұрын
@@EvansRetroLane I kept my tapes for a long time but eventually got rid of them. I made a character editor which let you flip and rotate characters which I would like to see now the code now. Especially after getting a Mister as I could run it again. :P The drag and drop languages are great for kids who have a mental barrier to algebra I've seen kids who couldn't get anywhere in python make complicated programs in GDevelope. It makes no sense to me but some people just can't do algebra. The text languages really do teach you how to sequence properly but the drag and drop teach you how to manage code interacting with other code and introduce the idea of objects with code and data associated with them. Good luck with your channel I've like all you videos so far. :D
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
Thanks so much, that means a lot. Your ATARI content is great too, particularly on how Atari graphics work and your top 20 games.
@A.Venator_Helveticus7 ай бұрын
Hi Evan thank you very much for that indepth and informative review. Do you know if it supports Atarivox?
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching, and I appreciate your feedback. I don't have an AtariVox to test, however others have reported that the AtariVox and Savekey don't work. It might be possible in a future firmware update.
@Trendleader8637 ай бұрын
Every game just looks like dots and squares. I was born in 1990 and started with the super nintendo. By then graphics had improved a ton with much more detail and color. And that port of donkey kong is just dreadful lol looks nothing like the arcade
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
You're absolutely correct! Technology advanced very quickly during the 1980's. The 2600 only has a resolution of 160x240 (NTSC) or 160x288 (PAL) 😲, which explains the blocky appearance. Coleco released Donkey Kong on behalf of Nintendo at the time and bundled it with their own ColecoVision console. A 2600 version (shown in this video) was released by Coleco, but turned out to be a pretty bad port. Not sure whether that was intentional. To make it worse, it only has two levels. There is a remake available containing all the levels, but graphically there is only so much anyone can do. The 7800 version is better, but is harder to find a physical copy of. I appreciate your comment 👍, and thank you for watching.
@michaelbotting8067 ай бұрын
There is now a beta 1.1 firmware update available to download via Atari Age which addresses the issue of PAL 7800 games. I am also in Australia and have 13 PAL Atari 7800 games. Since installing the firmware update I can tell you that all 13 of my Atari 7800 games are now working.
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
That's awesome news! Thanks for watching and commenting on that issue. I've applied the 1.1 beta firmware, and the 7800 games now work 👍. It's great to see the approach (via Atari Age) by the developer to involve the fan base.
@Sammy-be5dc7 ай бұрын
My dad had the colecovision. It looks way better than that 2600 . They should come out with a colecovision i would get that for retro.
@EvansRetroLane7 ай бұрын
100% agree! There was a ColecoVision Flashback unit released some 10 years ago now, however it didn't look great and used composite video output. There was also the CollectorVision Phoenix which could use old cartridges but is no longer in production. Let's hope for a new ColecoVision. Thanks for watching.