What's new Pussycat too?

Maybe not the right place to talk about it, but... in a word, why these traffic restrictions?
Did you know it also exist in Italy? https://www.trustandtravel.com/blog/ztl-restricted-traffic-italy/

 

I'd imagine most councils are trying to get extra income any way they can, taxing the drivers is an easy con as is putting up travel fares all in the name of COVID.

I expect nothing less from the con artists that rule our lives..

 

That's the EU sharing ideas

Well how else are they going to generate enough money to pay themselves... After all, they are helping save our lives, travelling to see if there eye sight is o.k. (Well ludicrous in my eyes ) and making sure to infect a train full of people ... now these politicians are real people and they are still in a job.. Only had to say sorry..

Paul just tell them sorry and quote above.. I’m sure they would have let you off..

Oh. F&%k what the emoticon for sarcasm

 

My newest Atari goodies arrived yesterday. The latest ABBUC magazine and disk and the latest Sondermagazin by ABBUC with disk. Unfortunately side 1 of the ABBUC #142 gives a boot error. So I'll have to download the ATR from ABBUC's site and attempt to re-write it to the same floppy or else an new one.

 

Waiting for the guys to release their stuff, I was an an ABBUC member a while back but the old money had to be rained in...

 

Wonderful (wunderbar) to see ABBUC still producing new and entertaining content on the old media (sorry to hear you got boot errors though, Matt).
I must get my finger out (if I ever get my debts paid off - know exactly where you're coming from, Paul) and subscribe to them too... mind, I calculate I'll be 145 by then and they may have run out of floppies!!

 

I think maybe I should have a good look at their site.
Matt are all of the articles in German?

 

There's a language selector on there..If I remember right..

 

Yes, the website has an English option, though every page you click on seems to load everything twice, so it's a bit slow. If you are a member, there are also English PDF versions of ABBUC magazine on there too, so I have hard-copies in German and PDF's in English. I don't think there are English versions of their special edition magazine(s) though, like the Sondermagazin ABBUC supplemental. But I could be miss-remembering or it will be implemented in the future. I don't go there often myself, I think I've actually found time and remembered to read the English version of one or two. I need to do that.

I did go and download a new ATR of the disk side that wouldn't boot though. It has a new shooter on it that looks really cool (a new version of the shooter Oxygen(?) is also on one of the disk sides). I haven't tried either yet, I've been busy with other things, and when I did have time for the hobby lately, I've been trouble shooting my 1200XL and other peripherals I've put off because I only use them with the 1200XL; Like one of my 1050's that I recently upgraded to a Happy, which I had hoped would solve the issue, but didn't. The 1050 won't stop spinning after power-up, and no mention of this issue in the FSM. So I did some multi-meter testing and ordered a couple of parts I believe to be the problem, in the bags pictured below. The capacitors are what I ordered to replace the bad one in the 1200XL, which I hope will solve it's problems. I probably won't get too them until this weekend.

 

So Christmas has come a little early in the Black household, as I decided to buy myself a couple of presents.

I decided to get a UAV to fit into the 800XL, and I also decided to buy a nice new shiny Oscilloscope (need to check out all the nice settings in the 1050 disc drive).



Stay safe everyone, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

Nice pressies..

have a great one..

 

Brilliant, Vulcanman.

Here's to a safer, happier year ahead - and sharper, clearer video output to 2021, fella!

Please do post some before and afters, Andy.

 

Fantastic gifts! I need to get myself an oscilloscope again too.

I had a vintage, and brilliant Tektronix oscilloscope model 5103 that had up-gradable/exchangeable modules. I purchased it for about $25 from a sale of old equipment at the tech school I was attending for electronics back in 2000-2002, but I sold it about a decade ago when I needed money badly. I loved it and wish I never sold it, but had too at the time.

 

What a shame, Matt. I can see that that was an ace model and if only..., eh, mate, if only?

Here's hoping you might get lucky and spot another at a reasonable price.

These babies are invaluable to you "boffins" who really delve deep into the guts of our micros as without them a lot of fault-finding must totally be either blind or via guess work?

 

The silver lining I suppose is that I did sell it for a profit, I forget how much, but I think it was about $100. Still, I don't know if I'll be able to find another, new or vintage, for less than $100. But I haven't looked of course. If I can get a vintage one it would have to be local as shipping on these old tanks would be a small fortune itself. I think that Tektronix one weighed at least 5 stone. I suppose I'm off to look what's available, because I've got the bug up my arse to get one now!

 

LOL! It's the way it goes, mate and don't I know it.
I am skint.
There are no two ways about it - my bank balance is pitiful and I know I will get a message any day now telling me I'm overdrawn again despite last month's paycheck hardly having time to even dry the ink on it so what do I do?
Get the itch again, like you... but why?
I have acquired and then sold on 4-5 C64s in the last 4-5 years so what the hell am I doing asking some bloke to send me ANOTHER? An untested 'breadbin' from miles away (bound to be hefty postage to add to the bill too) and it will more than likely turn up here DOA?

What am I playing at?

I need help.

I need therapy.

I recognise I have a problem.

Guys, where's the nearest retro head-shrink meet up circle for silicon similarly-addicted saddos?

(For some sick, perverted reason, all I can hear in my fevered brain's memory banks is.... "You get more and more, from your Commodore, your Commodore Sixty Four!")

STOBBIT.

I am self-certifying myself as....

SICK.


ABOVE: Use your loaf - can anyone PLEASE help Baz with an alarming addiction he has to one of these breadbin fekkers.

 

Unless you are buying and selling for a profit, you are right, your are SICK! Or just a ******!
What is it that makes you decide to sell them once you have one if you want one so bad in the first place? (besides just being loony-if there is a besides)
I've bought and sold computers/consoles before and bought them again, but the reason was purely financial circumstances at the time. Otherwise if I sell something it's because I don't want it and then don't buy one again.

I say good for you though in getting another C64 (for the LAST time dammit!!), get her fixed if she needs it and KEEP THE DAMN THING! (and the next time you decide to sell it off again, just remember that you'll just end up buying another, so DON"T SELL YOU CHEEKY BASTARD!)

But I've caught myself, for now, as far as the Oscilloscope goes, now that I've been reminded of the cost for a decent one!

I did actually find my old Oscilloscope for sale on ebay, by a seller here in Oklahoma too, that is an absolutely incredible price compared to the same from others and all the other vintage ones I just browsed, but it's working condition is unknown except that it powers on. I almost clicked the buy-it-now, as shipping to me isn't bad either since it's only 100 miles away, but just put it on my watch list for now...I decided not to click buy-it-now because the last thing I need is an Oscilloscope that need to be repaired, and would probably require an Oscilloscope to help repair it!!!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tektronix-5103N-Oscilloscope-3-PLUG-INS/253540552555

It might work fine, but I wouldn't know until it arrived. Putting it on my watch list allows me to stop myself, with the idea that I can go back and buy anytime, while hopefully letting it be sold out from under me so I don't go and spend money I shouldn't. Self-psychological treatment that...yes, I'm also a nutter and ******, but at least I too, can admit my issues just like you, so that's the first step to recovery of our addictions to the hobby! After all, one needs to find a point, a line in the sand, where we say to ourselves "I've got all I need to enjoy my hobby, so go enjoy it and stop wasting time and money!"

My RadioShack digital multi-meter actually has an RS232 out and software for a digital Oscilloscope program on my computer, so I don't really need more than that for what I do, but the software won't work on anything beyond WinXP, so I don't have it to use until I get my old PC up and running with WinXP again. But the PSU has some bad capacitors I have to replace first...

I think I'll just worry about getting my PC running again and use the RS Oscilloscope software for now...keep myself in check with buying stuff I may want, but don't really need...especially with Christmas a couple weeks away, I need to be buying gifts for others and not myself! I already just spent $200 on a new smart phone for myself for a Christmas present, and am expecting my 800 version of the Sophia 2 board will ready to purchase before Christmas too, and that's another PLN350...whatever that translates into $$.

 

I'm the big kid, always wanted a scope even though I understood almost zero about electronics, they just looked 'cool'. these days I've learnt a little from watching things like Adrians Digital Basement but I still realise that I've got no need of one and even if I had the money it would be a stupid purchase (needless to say I don't have the money, the car is looming fast with funds on one side)

I love the compactness now of these things, all that diagnostic ability in a little corner at the back of the desk but I'm more than happy to be the YT viewer watching these bits of kits being used properly.

 

Hi Matt
Yes they are nice scopes, just a minor warning if it's their in the new year , with the moduals included you will have approximatly 80 valves inside.. I'm sure some will o.k however older style electroletic capacitors, with time get leaky i.e. there resistance decreaces (from gigaOhms to !00'sMOhm's), this will cause more current to be drawn by the valve, and eventually they will be out of spec or not fuction. (And not cheap)
I'm in the process of ordering up replacement capacitors for an older oscilliscope, this one only about 10 valves . capacitors so far just over $30 US. (High voltage capacitors are expensive for known good makes not from China)
I'm lucky in that I can test mine, as I have other oscilliscopes, and this one I'll convert to a vector scope.

P.S Like Andy I get those itchy fingers, OO what to waste my money on next .. Sophia2 .. Left Poland Monday still not arrived in GB so who knows how they are transporting it, on foot I suspect ..

All the Best to you ALL
Hope I'll be out of isolation as had several 'scares' in a row but so far negative.. I am however going completly Nuts ..

 

Its bloody annoying isn't it, utterly demotivating..

My poor daughter has to sit until the 23rd before she can come home because of other flat members..The whole idea was once the lockdown was lifted she could have a visit to China town and a good look around but that's in the bin now and going on the 23rd with the way the crowds are now just isn't safe..

My release date beckons but its a hard old slog..

 

I had just started a new Job as well, only did three days, and then !! My better half is a child minder, seems one of the little ones she has for 90 mins in the morning before taking her to nursery tested positive, got through the 14 days Children turn up, 2 days later another one... Doh, three weeks to the day happened again. it's school and nursery's that seem to be rife with it. will be let out on the 17th, as reduced the number of days of isolation to 10..
It's left my sister pretty busy looking after Mum though, all I can do is telephone her.
at least the end should be insight maybe another 6 months or so to get us all innoculated, and hopefully safer

 

Yes, re the kids, its rife, my kebab bloke was telling me that his kid has been back home and many of the kids are the same, all covid carrying little buggers...

So much for the under 40s will not get the virus Boris!

I wish they would make it clear how long, I've got their text and emails that say 10 days unless you are a carehome worker and then 2 weeks from a person on the phone. Also confusion about if its from test time or the start of symptoms, official stuff says start of symptoms but verbally I hear different. I'm playing safe with 14 but as per usual the official stuff is buggered..

And guess what landed on my hand this morn from the postie...A Sophia 2, as you know I cancelled mine and it stayed cancelled. Wrote to Jacek saying I'll be happy to return it as I've got someone else's one and he said no, its a gift from a dev and him.

Bowled me over...And a thing of beauty it is...Yours must hit monday although I've seen posties still out delivering at 7pm around here in the last 2 days.

Went to the door all bleary eyed this morn, wasn't expecting anything, was still tired so went back to bed and then later picked it up and had not spotted the Polish origin, just made me wonder and for some reason I said to myself, Sophia 2 in a joke way so was stunned when it actually was one but immediately decided it was a big mistake....Such a nice surprise...

 

PS, i can't find that little pdf you sent Graham, although I have a DVI to HDMI adaptor I'm as keen to use my RGB monitors rather than LCD, I'm sure your pdf detailed that, any chance of a resend please.

 

Hi Paul
I'm really pleased you ended up with one, I'll have a quick look and get it sent over. Jacek
sorted all the diagrams himself as far as I'm aware, but I know they did change a few bits to make it easier for all the connection types.

 

I did scan the threads for help but could not see much, I'm more than happy to get a DVI plug and a scart and wire it up, I just don't know exactly what pins to use (bar RGB), and if it needs resistors etc?

I also searched through the threads re installation and found very little, I presume with an XL its purely remove GTIA, use provided socked, plug in Sophia and that's it bar said video cable...I've not seen mention of component removal or addition except for an 800 install. Spotted the post re pin 1 on the PCB which is handy.

So thank you Graham, any help super appreciated!!

After being out of the race for one to suddenly getting one out of the blue, I just want to make sure I don't bleep it up