Dead as a Dodo

Modding and Technical Issues

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Leviset
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Dead as a Dodo

Post by Leviset »

I've just been given a VIC 20, Bag of games & educational programs and cassette player.
On plugging it in nothing appears to work, no red light lit up, no power to the cassette player. The power supply has a 7 DIN.
I'm a retired IT an Mathematics guy and normally collect and program vintage calculators.
I'm trying to improve my electronics knowledge by doing an online course, but I know I'm not up to fixing this issue unless the problem is the actual power supply and replace (repair!) it.
How do I test the power supply to see if it's giving out current to the VIC 20 please?
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eslapion
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by eslapion »

Leviset wrote:... The power supply has a 7 DIN.
...
How do I test the power supply to see if it's giving out current to the VIC 20 please?
A multimeter is required.

The 7 pin DIN PSU of the VIC-20 has the same pinout as the C64 PSU.

See the Power Supplies section of this article: http://blog.retroleum.co.uk/electronics ... modore-64/

Please note, the 9Vac source is FLOATING relative to the 5Vdc source.
Be normal.
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Mike
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by Mike »

Did you check the fuse of the power supply?
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eslapion
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by eslapion »

Mike wrote:Did you check the fuse of the power supply?
VIC-20 power supplies with 7 pin DIN connectors are sealed in epoxy and do not have a replaceable fuse.
Be normal.
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srowe
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by srowe »

eslapion wrote: VIC-20 power supplies with 7 pin DIN connectors are sealed in epoxy and do not have a replaceable fuse.
Not all, according to http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki ... r_Supplies the 251053-06 at least has a replaceable fuse.
Overdoc
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by Overdoc »

AFAIK, every VIC-20 with later board sold in Europe came with the power supply 251053-06 (which is the same like the breadbox C64).
Those always have a replaceable fuse, which is Europan form 250V / 160mA T type of fuse.
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eslapion
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by eslapion »

Overdoc wrote:AFAIK, every VIC-20 with later board sold in Europe came with the power supply 251053-06 (which is the same like the breadbox C64).
Those always have a replaceable fuse, which is Europan form 250V / 160mA T type of fuse.
Living in north america, I have never seen one with my own eyes.
Be normal.
Leviset
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by Leviset »

OK - I bought another Vic 20 power supply and happily the red power light now comes on. Also power is now getting to the external cassette player/reader which is also working connected to the motherboard.
BUT I now can't get anything to appear on the TV screen - the only thing missing when I got the Vic 20 was the RF Modulator lead from the Video socket to the aerial socket of the TV. I've been trying to connect with a 5 pin DIN out of Video socket to 3 RCA plugs coloured Red, Yellow and White and also tried 5 pin DIN to SCART without success - I do have an old analogue TV which I'll try to connect to tomorrow.
Kakemoms
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Re: Dead as a Dodo

Post by Kakemoms »

RCA cable adapters may or may not work. I have one thst gave vidro on the red cable out (which is normally audio), and that goes to composite VIDEO in.

If you have a scart in on your TV you need an adapter with female plugs in it, and the video goes into the yellow plug on that one.
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