14 May
2007
14 May
'07
4:58 p.m.
I'm leaning toward the idea of offloading my Plus/4 as it's sat in the attic
for years and I've never got around to *doing* anything with it. :-(
It works, but some of the keys are a bit sluggish - are there any gotchas
involved in dismantling the keyboard in order to give contacts a clean? (I
just want to check I'm not going to be faced with tiny springs going every
which way if I unscrew the backplate :-)
Also, am I right in thinking that the tape unit was an optional extra? I don't
have one [1], but looking at the boxed plus/4 on ebay at the moment, it
doesn't seem to include one either in the standard package.
[1] I *did* have a broken one once, but it's either seriously buried or I
tossed it out long ago.
14 May
14 May
5:50 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jules Richardson" <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 10:58 AM
Subject: CBM Plus/4 sluggish keyboard
Also, am I right in thinking that the tape unit was an
optional extra? I
don't have one [1], but looking at the boxed plus/4 on ebay at the moment,
it doesn't seem to include one either in the standard package.
The Plus/4 didn't come with any storage devices, but does work with the 1531
Datassette. (Unfortunately, the C2N and 1530 that work on the PET, C64,
C128 and VIC-20 don't work on the Plus/4. The 1531 does come with an
adapter to let it work on the older Commodores though.)
The 1541 disk drive for the C64 works fine on the Plus/4. So will the 1540,
1570, 1571, 1581 and any other IEC-based Commodore serial disk drive,
although the drives that support fast serial bus data transfer (like the
1571) don't support the fast mode with the Plus/4.
The 1551 drive was specifically made for the Plus/4 but is rare and pricey.
It's a fast drive that plugs into the cartridge port. The disk format is
the same as the 1540/1541's.
I actually have the Datassette for this computer, but I lost the auction on
the accompanying Plus/4. Warning: if you plan to tempt me with yours, I'm
cheap. I buy this stuff to play with, not to collect. :)
Jim
6:04 p.m.
Jim MacKenzie wrote:
Yes, that's the critter... I think I've still got the manual for it, but I
have no idea if I've still got the thing itself.
Also, am I
right in thinking that the tape unit was an optional extra?
I don't have one [1], but looking at the boxed plus/4 on ebay at the
moment, it doesn't seem to include one either in the standard package.
The Plus/4 didn't come with any storage devices, but does work with the
1531 Datassette. I actually have the Datassette for this computer, but
I lost the auction
on the accompanying Plus/4. Warning: if you plan to tempt me with
yours, I'm cheap. I buy this stuff to play with, not to collect. :)
:-) The machines seem to be one of those slightly odd classes of vintage
hardware - not particularly common, but not particularly collectible either.
I'm not sure why - I mean I know they had something of a bad rep at the time,
but I'm surprised they're not more sought-after these days.
I got this one just because something a little less common always appeals -
but then never got chance to do anything with it as my collection took off in
other directions.
(I've actually got a second Plus/4 to optionally throw in with this one - but
it's dead, and lacks a PSU, so is good for spares only)
I still need to hunt out the manuals too - they're *somewhere* :-)
7:24 p.m.
On 14/5/07 18:50, "Jim MacKenzie" <jim at photojim.ca> wrote:
The 1551 drive was specifically made for the Plus/4
but is rare and pricey.
It's a fast drive that plugs into the cartridge port. The disk format is
the same as the 1540/1541's.
This one?
http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Commodore/cbm1551.jpg
Rare and pricey eh, don't tell that to the bloke at the car boot sale who I
bought this from for about ukp5 :o)
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
7:35 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adrian Graham" <witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 1:24 PM
Subject: Re: CBM Plus/4 sluggish keyboard
This one?
http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Commodore/cbm1551.jpg
Rare and pricey eh, don't tell that to the bloke at the car boot sale who
I
bought this from for about ukp5 :o)
Good score! You got a good deal on it - particularly if it works.
Jim
7:58 p.m.
On 14/5/07 20:35, "Jim MacKenzie" <jim at photojim.ca> wrote:
It was NOS when I got it 6 or 7 years ago and it's been in storage ever
since, when it eventually gets to me in the next couple of months I'll dig
out a plus/4 and pair the 2. Of course, there's more chance of the plus/4
being toast :)
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
This one?
http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Commodore/cbm1551.jpg
Rare and pricey eh, don't tell that to the bloke at the car boot sale who
I
bought this from for about ukp5 :o)
Good score! You got a good deal on it - particularly if it works. 
10:31 p.m.
I'm leaning toward the idea of offloading my Plus/4 as it's sat in the attic
for years and I've never got around to *doing* anything with it. :-(
I have a service manual for the Plus/4 somewhere, but from what I
remember it's scheamtics and parts lists, with no details on the
internals of the keyboard.
It works, but some of the keys are a bit sluggish - are there any gotchas
involved in dismantling the keyboard in order to give contacts a clean? (I
just want to check I'm not going to be faced with tiny springs going every
which way if I unscrew the backplate :-)
If it's like every other CBM keyboard I've worked on, there are no
problems. You may have to desolder wires from any latching keys (Shift
Lock or whatever), but that's fairly obvious.
Also, am I right in thinking that the tape unit was an optional extra? I don't
I think so. IIRC, the signals are the same as the ones for, say ,a C64
tape unuit, jsut a different connecotr. It should eb possible to make
some kind of adapter.
-tony
15 May
15 May
6:59 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
Well, I took the one from the 'spares' machine apart as a test. Like you say,
the shift-lock switch has to be desoldered. There are 8 circular pads to keep
account of (F-keys and cursor keys) - all the other keys have the pads
attached. The only other thing is that there's a tiny spring which grounds the
keyboard's metal frame; it'd be easy to lose that.
I've since taken the good machine's keyboard apart, cleaned, dried and
reassembled it - it works like a charm now :)
It works, but
some of the keys are a bit sluggish - are there any gotchas
involved in dismantling the keyboard in order to give contacts a clean? (I
just want to check I'm not going to be faced with tiny springs going every
which way if I unscrew the backplate :-)
If it's like every other CBM keyboard I've worked on, there are no
problems. You may have to desolder wires from any latching keys (Shift
Lock or whatever), but that's fairly obvious.
6448
days inactive
6449
days old
7 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
jim＠photojim.ca -
julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk -
witchy＠binarydinosaurs.co.uk