tse@PacBell.COM (Tom Edwards) (04/07/89)
A friend of mine is going to upgrade his C128 with a 64k video chip. I remember reading all kinds of info in this regards about 8 - 10 weeks ago. Does some- one have a synopsis, or any of the articles that they could e-mail me? I would appreciate it. Thanks, Tom
fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) (04/08/89)
In article <1346@pbhyd.PacBell.COM> tse@PacBell.COM (Tom Edwards) writes: >A friend of mine is going to upgrade his C128 with a 64k video chip. I remember >reading all kinds of info in this regards about 8 - 10 weeks ago. Does some- >one have a synopsis, or any of the articles that they could e-mail me? There are 3 ways to get 64K VDC video RAM: buy a C128D, replace the two 4416 DRAMs in the video can (u23, u25) with two 4464's (18-pin, 120ns), or buy a "solderless" VDC RAM upograde kit from SSI (206)695-1393 (about US$50). Assuming option #1 is out of the question, consider the kit from SSI if you are not a technician. Desoldering in the confines of the video can is not easy. The solderless tower simply requires you to remove the socketed 8563 chip, install the tower, and stick the 8563 into the tower. I personally have not seen or used the SSI thing, nor am I connected in any way with SSI. I have just heard good things about it (save for the weak instructions, but the task is rather simple). Needless to say, Commodore does not recommend these hacks, and such hacks are done at your own risk. -- -- Fred Bowen uucp: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!fred arpa: cbmvax!fred@uunet.uu.net tele: 215 431-9100 Commodore Electronics, Ltd., 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester, PA, 19380
izot@f171.n221.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Geoffrey Welsh) (04/08/89)
> From: fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) > Message-ID: <6540@cbmvax.UUCP> > Assuming option #1 is out of the question, consider the kit from SSI if you > are not a technician. Desoldering in the confines of the video can is not > easy. The solderless tower simply requires you to remove the socketed 8563 > chip, install the tower, and stick the 8563 into the tower. No kidding. I've worked with circuit boards and, the first time I did the VDC RAM chip upgrade, I managed to destroy a circuit trace and had to replace it with a jumper (the schematics in the C128 PRG were very handy...) One question: if remember correctly, the VDC was enclosed in the can... wouldn't installing a tower preclude closing that can and perhaps even putting the RF shield back in place? (I could be wrong; I haven't owned a 128 since fall of '87 and my memory of its internal arrangement isn't perfect). -- Geoffrey Welsh - via FidoNet node 1:221/162 UUCP: ...!watmath!isishq!171!izot Internet: izot@f171.n221.z1.FIDONET.ORG
fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) (04/11/89)
In article <2015.24402790@isishq.FIDONET.ORG> izot@f171.n221.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Geoffrey Welsh) writes: > One question: if remember correctly, the VDC was enclosed in the can... >wouldn't installing a tower preclude closing that can and perhaps even putting >the RF shield back in place? (I could be wrong; I haven't owned a 128 since >fall of '87 and my memory of its internal arrangement isn't perfect). As I indicated, I have not installed, used, or even seen the tower myself. I suspect you would have trouble putting the lid back on the video can, although you might be able to re-install the RF shield. This is one of the reasons Commodore cannot condone or recommend such system modifications. I would imagine most people just forgo the shield anyhow. -- -- Fred Bowen uucp: {uunet|rutgers|pyramid}!cbmvax!fred arpa: cbmvax!fred@uunet.uu.net tele: 215 431-9100 Commodore Electronics, Ltd., 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester, PA, 19380
izot@f171.n221.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Geoffrey Welsh) (04/11/89)
> From: fred@cbmvax.UUCP (Fred Bowen) > Message-ID: <6567@cbmvax.UUCP> > As I indicated, I have not installed, used, or even seen the tower myself. > I suspect you would have trouble putting the lid back on the video can, > although you might be able to re-install the RF shield. > > This is one of the reasons Commodore cannot condone or recommend such > system > modifications. I would imagine most people just forgo the shield anyhow. I dunno. Most of the people I know left the RF shields in (unsoldered, though). I pretty much had to; when I got my 128, the 128/1902A/1571 went into a basement room with a C64/8250/4040 and a SuperPET/SFD and a 4032. If I hadn't paid a fair bit of attention to shielding in each of those devices, I'd never be able to hear anything on the radio! (Bv>) -- Geoffrey Welsh - via FidoNet node 1:221/162 UUCP: ...!watmath!isishq!171!izot Internet: izot@f171.n221.z1.FIDONET.ORG