Back to my childhood I go. C64C, Dual 1541s, MPS 801 Printer and 1702 Monitor.
Posted by GeordieAl@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 23 comments
TerminalCancerMan@reddit
Recommend against stacking those 1541s unless you've power modded them. Toasty!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah I wouldn’t run them both sat like that! The bottom one is the ALPS drive and doesn’t work. Going to pull it apart tonight and see if I can identify the issue. When(if) I get them both working they’ll live side by side rather than on top of each other!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah I wouldn’t run them both sat like that! The bottom one is the Neutronics drive and doesn’t work. Going to pull it apart tonight and see if I can identify the issue. When(if) I get them both working they’ll live side by side rather than on top of each other!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah I wouldn’t run them both sat like that! The bottom one is the ALPS drive and doesn’t work. Going to pull it apart tonight and see if I can identify the issue. When(if) I get them both working they’ll live side by side rather than on top of each other!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah I wouldn’t run them both sat like that! The bottom one is the ALPS drive and doesn’t work. Going to pull it apart tonight and see if I can identify the issue. When(if) I get them both working they’ll live side by side rather than on top of each other!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Picked most of this up off FB Marketplace over the past two weeks. The 64C, Monitor, two boxes of disks, two Wico Boss Joysticks, Epyx Fastload Cart, Music Data MiDI controller and MIDI Synchoniser, plus a ton of books, & pamphlets were one lot.
Got the MPS801 for $10cad in another ad. And the bottom 1541 (Neutronics) from another for $50cad. The top 1541(ALPS) I picked up from a goodwill about 20 years ago and it has sat in my basement, surviving 3 floods. I didn't expect it to work as I suspected the moisture from the floods ( it wasn't submerged, but was set on a shelf unprotected above the waterline) would have killed the read/write head.
Also picked up a Kung Fu Flash cartridge.
The only things that don't work are the ALPS based drive which powers on, does the red led on and off as normal, but the motor doesn't spin up. Also the cartridge port seems to have an issue, the C64 just goes to black screen when a cartridge is in place, however, inserting a cart while the system is already on ( yeah, I know I shouldn't, but I remember doing it regularly in my childhood and never had an issue) will work and the cartridge will work perfectly.
Beneficial-Pin2885@reddit
I don’t know if this applies to your Alps based drive, but there might be a possibility that it has a drive belt. If so, it probably has either stretched or broken off. When I’ve had problems like yours with various older drives (thins working electrically, but not spinning up) I have actually been able to find “O” rings that served as perfect replacements. (That is, when an OEM belt could not be found. I always prefer original parts, when possible!) Such a suitable “O” ring might be found at your local hardware store.
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
I’m going to pull it apart tonight and see what I can see. I don’t think it will be the belt as there is no motor spinning sound… just ominous silence.
I’m thinking (hoping) maybe no power getting to the motor, or the motor itself has seized.
BitMadcouk@reddit
What a lovely setup!
Perfect for the coming months too.
Close the curtains, make a nice hot chocolate and get comfortable in front of it.
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Thanks. Currently I just have it set up on my kitchen table so I can easily access everything, open things up, check and clean them. Eventually I’ll move it onto my office desk alongside my Amiga 1000, Pi400 and Mac Studio. Then I can just swivel my chair and be in whatever period of computing I want!
BitMadcouk@reddit
bah, I have to go into the loft and dig out whichever era I want to be in :)
Saying that, I'm currently rebuilding my MiSTer drive so that I can retro in modern comfort also.
lewisb42@reddit
Awesome battle station!
What's the metal L thingie in the keyboard? For bleeding off static?
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
It’s a 3M anti static strip.. not sure why the previous owner (or owner before that) put it there… maybe it was in some high static environment. I want to remove it but it’s glued solid! I’ve got adhesive remover but don’t want to damage the case so it’s going to be trial and error!
lewisb42@reddit
It'd be sweet if you could hack it into a ribbon controller for the midi stuff, heh
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
lol, yep. It looks like it could be used for something like that!
I’m dying to try out the MIDI gear.. from research it appears to be one of the earliest products by Steinberg. But I have no MIDI keyboards or other equipment to test it with!
lewisb42@reddit
This may sound weird, but check the abilities of your phone. If it's usb-c it might be usable as a midi controller (my cheapo Android phone can do it) which opens up possibilities to use it as a sequencer, etc with the right apps
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
I was looking at cables to connect the MIDI din plugs to USB devices… thought about using the 64 to control a. DAW on my Mac.. or iPad. But I’m also really interested in the MIDI synchronizer for controlling tape decks and pedals.
From what I’ve been able to find it seems like this was a pretty advanced MIDI set up that used both the cartridge port and user port
Knut_Knoblauch@reddit
Let's play 1942.
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
Hell yes, loved the C64 version!
kapitaali_com@reddit
Nice setup. What's the difference between C64C and C64?
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
64C is the one in the newer more C128/Amiga 500 case. The older breadbin case was just the C64
Stunning-Produce8581@reddit
That’s really nice! I live the monitor. I use the Amiga one, but nothing is cooler than the original 1701/1702. Have fun with your setup!
GeordieAl@reddit (OP)
The monitor is awesome, such a good picture on it! I’ve got a 1080 for my A1000 which I also love. And a 1084 with my Amiga 4000… unfortunately that’s back in the UK and was meant to be shipped to me by my brother 10 years ago.. but I’m still waiting!
I’ve seen a 1701 and a 1802 for sale on FB for good prices that I’m tempted to pick up for any future computers I buy!