PET keys?

History and Preservation Issues

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
orion70
VICtalian
Posts: 4337
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:45 am
Location: Piacenza, Italy
Occupation: Biologist

Re: PET keys?

Post by orion70 »

:oops: didn't mean to be rough with a girl!
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

not at all :)
Imperious
Vic 20 Amateur
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 8:52 pm

Re: PET keys?

Post by Imperious »

Here's my Pet key Vic20. Some of these photo's are in a retrobrighting thread I made here. This is a PAL model.
Originally had a MOS 6502 and 6561E.
Dsc00967s.jpg
Dsc00969s.jpg
Dsc00975s.jpg
Attachments
Dsc00968s.jpg
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

No metal box around your VIC chip I see.
Imperious
Vic 20 Amateur
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 8:52 pm

Re: PET keys?

Post by Imperious »

Yeah, the PAL models never had that fitted. Also there is an extra IC, UB10, a 74ls74 which is involved
with the cpu and Vic frequency circuit.
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

Makes sense since it was the FCC making a fuss.
User avatar
srowe
Vic 20 Scientist
Posts: 1325
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:19 pm

Re: PET keys?

Post by srowe »

Imperious wrote:Yeah, the PAL models never had that fitted.
I think the CR variants did but neither of my two prong PAL machines do.
User avatar
eslapion
ultimate expander
Posts: 5458
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 7:50 pm
Location: Canada
Occupation: 8bit addict

Re: PET keys?

Post by eslapion »

Bobbi wrote:Makes sense since it was the FCC making a fuss.
Exactly as I was saying in another thread...
Be normal.
User avatar
Muzz73
Vic 20 Hobbyist
Posts: 141
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 12:12 pm
Location: Farmersville, CA,
Occupation: Consultant

Re: PET keys?

Post by Muzz73 »

Blasted FCC... I honestly don't know anyone who's a fan. They don't do much more than hinder the progress of great products and cause a lot of people a lot of grief. Not to mention all of the money it costs people to get their products compliant and sales that are lost when a cutting edge product falls a year or two behind due to ridiculous delays in certification. :|

Bah! Humbug!

End of sermon.
BCNU,
Louis
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

I am guessing the re-layout from Rev 1 / VIC-1001 to the later full-size board layout was probably motivated by the need to get FCC approval.
User avatar
srowe
Vic 20 Scientist
Posts: 1325
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2014 3:19 pm

Re: PET keys?

Post by srowe »

Does the metal shielding around the VIC circuitry not benefit the video signal in any way?
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

I don't believe so. I think it is just a Faraday cage to prevent the VIC pins and the traces radiating lots of RF interference.

It also helps to allow the VIC chip to overheat too.
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

Well the PET-keyboard machine just arrived. I don't have a 9V AC transformer yet (in the mail - hopefully tomorrow) so I can't do a full test.

However the machine looks beautiful - nice and white and clean, very original. They keyboard looks like new. Hooked it up to my CR VIC and every key works perfectly without even a cleaning! Best $25 I spent in a while!

Date codes are 50th week of 1981. Pics soon!
Bobbi
Vic 20 Afficionado
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:35 am
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Programmer

Re: PET keys?

Post by Bobbi »

Well here she is. I even got the foam liner from the box with the serial number (but not the cardboard sleeve.) That was an unexpected bonus.

The machine looks *like new*. It is not yellowed at all. The keyboard isn't even dirty! I guess it has been in that polystyrene shell for the last 30+ years.

The only concern I have is the slight bubbling of some of the PCB tracks / ground plane here and there. My CR VIC does not show that issue. Any PCB experts here? Should I be looking to try to fix the trace, or just ignore and enjoy? (Or find another VIC with a good donor motherboard?)

The machine is very original. I wonder if I am the first person to ever open it. Notice the electrical tape on the keyboard covering the unused holes where the PET numpad would go.
20161110_175258 (Small).jpg
20161110_171803 (Small).jpg
20161110_171334 (Small).jpg
20161110_170811 (Small).jpg
20161110_170720 (Small).jpg
20161110_170339 (Small).jpg
20161110_170326 (Small).jpg
20161110_170251 (Small).jpg
20161110_170237 (Small).jpg
20161110_170414 (Small).jpg
User avatar
mrr19121970
Vic 20 Nerd
Posts: 873
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:22 am
Location: Germany
Occupation: IT service manager

Re: PET keys?

Post by mrr19121970 »

The bubbling is only the solder mask. No reason for concern.

I didn't look in detail at yours, but this is what I have in mind as a Hong Kong board. They are lighter green and somehow cheaper and ugly looking compared to the darker green ones that seem to have aged much better.
Post Reply