Commodore 64 Power Supply

--- On Mon, 6/30/08, Cameron Kaiser <spectre at floodgap.com> wrote: Remember - these kinds of things are all just part of the Commodore experience. That bond you form with a computer after fixing it and figuring out how to make it keep going. The homemade linear power supply from junkbox parts. The homemade 7404/MAX232 combination that gives your computer an RS-232 port. That one 1541 with all the screws missing from the case, so that it can be opened and realigned more easily. The mental link between you and the computer that lets you know just when your disk drive needs to be realigned (hint: every week or so). See - these little things that people complain about like the failing power supplies aren't downsides at all! They're what makes us love our Commodores. They potted those supplies together to encourage us to simply clip the leads off and build new ones. The disk drives overheat to inspire us to cut little blocks of wood to place between two stacked 1541's to allow the bottom one to vent. There are no "jumpers" in those drives - you have to cut things with a knife - an important life skill. The system unit lacks a reset switch because installing one yourself is a rite of C64 passage. The C64 - the superb computer that's just crummy enough to keep things interesting. -Ian