VIC-1001 Power Connector

[crock]

I was recently lucky enough to get a working VIC-1001 from Japan with the katakana keyboard and ROM. There was no PSU supplied so I naturally I assumed that I could use one of the 2-pin Vic-20 PSU's from my stores, but it seems the VIC-1001 had a different 2-pin connector.

As far as I can measure, the usual European (and maybe elsewhere) VIC-20 2 pin connector has dimensions of 17mm x 11mm with a pin spacing of 10 mm and a pin diameter of about 2.5mm, with a 2mm divider down the centre of the plug. The connector on my 1001 is approx 16mm x 9mm with a pin spacing of 7mm, diameter 1.5mm with no divider.

Can anyone confirm this or do I have an anomaly? Any idea what this connector might be popularly known as? A bit of googling of dimensions lead me to the conclusion that the pin spacing seems compatible with an IEC C1/C2 connector, commonly found on electric shavers.

Regards,

Rob

[highinfidelity]

You have quite obviously already seen this page, but just in case you skipped it and it may help here we go:

http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... r_supplies

[crock]

You have quite obviously already seen this page, but just in case you skipped it and it may help here we go: http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... r_supplies

Thanks for that but yes, I did see it. The page doesn't mention that there is two entirely different two pin connectors. You can clearly see the difference in these two images from the page:

The 'common' two pin connector:
http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... 038-03.jpg

The one I have on my VIC-1001
http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... 02-02a.jpg

The problem I have is how to source one. I think it may be what is now known as an IEC-320 C1/C2 socket/plug, such as often found on electric shavers, but I would like someone who has one to verify this.

CHeers,

ROb

[Mayhem]

It's my Vic20 two pin Euro supply that's featured on the page with the same connector as the Vic-1001 power type. There must be others like it as you'd think the more common version (that you pictured) wouldn't fit into it properly. If need be, you may need to get a US supply and use a stepdown on it.

[eslapion]

I was recently lucky enough to get a working VIC-1001 from Japan with the katakana keyboard and ROM. There was no PSU supplied so I naturally I assumed that I could use one of the 2-pin Vic-20 PSU's from my stores, but it seems the VIC-1001 had a different 2-pin connector.

This connector is exactly the same as the one used on early NTSC (Canada/US) VIC-20s

In fact, having both a PAL VIC-20 and NTSC VIC-20s, to us, north americans, it is the PAL VIC-20's connector that seems "weird". So what you refer to as "the common 2-pin connector" does not exist on any VIC-1001 or NTSC VIC-20s.

BTW, the VIC-1001 is also an NTSC machine. That's probably why the NTSC VIC-20s inherited the same connector.

Unfortunately for the VIC-1001 and the early NTSC VIC-20s, the connector they have is more or less compatible with electrical rasors and mixer's direct mains cable (120v). A lot of machines were destroyed because people unwittingly connected their VIC-20 directly to 120v.

[crock]

Thanks for the replies. I found an old electric shaver lead and spliced it onto a spare 220v 2-pin VIC-20 supply. This was only the beginning of a long evening though as I then found the fuse was blown.

After a quick check for shorts I fitted a new 3A fuse only for it to immediately blow again. Swapped out the regulator and the big 4700uf cap and now the fuse didn't blow and a nice 5.01v but now I had a black screen.

Fortunately everything was socketed so I swapped everything out for known good parts except the 6560 (I have no spares) and still a black screen.

After a quick check with a logic probe I realise we have a clock but /RESET never goes high. Seems the 1uf cap on the 555 circuit was also bad! Eventually it turned out that at least 3 of the 7 electrolytic caps on the board were bad, so I swapped all of them out just to be on the safe side. The result is I have a 100% working 1001 and all the original ROMS (which were good) are ceramics, which was nice.

The caps were all from a company called Bellcon. I would be interested to hear if any other 1001 owners had similar issues with this brand of caps.

Pic of the dead ones here:

http://inchocks.co.uk/commodore/VIC/Bad1001Caps.jpg

Rob

[highinfidelity]

Good question: I've never heard of so many bad capacitors in a single unit, the VIC is usually very reliable. Perhaps that unit was stored for long time not at room temperature.

Very good job, it's always good to see another VIC back on track!