Exactly how NOT to make a multicart for the C64

[groepaz]

The Super Snapshot V5.22 I bought from Joe Palumbo in 2007 seems to differ from you guys.

Strawman. Irrelevant.

[eslapion]

The Super Snapshot V5.22 I bought from Joe Palumbo in 2007 seems to differ from you guys.

Strawman. Irrelevant.

Now I get a sense why the forum here is called Denial.

Anyways, as I said, if you have diagnostic or prototype carts you're going to insert only a half dozen times, it makes no difference at all.

People selling VIC-20 RAM expansions or VIC-20/C64 game carts that may get inserted and removed hundreds of times over the years then the responsible thing to do is to AT LEAST tell the buyers about it so they can make an informed decision. Otherwise it's FRAUD.

Me, I side fully with VIC-20-Ian on this. Not only does the HASL layer wear off, the solder material gets deposited in the cart port connector and dissimilar metals in contact with one another causes corrosion.

See chart: http://www.simpletwig.com/blog/wp-conte ... nChart.png

But hey... I'm just a whiner, right ?

As for my own products: PLAnkton runs at up to 3.8V! and I guarantee it for 3 years, even if the pins were damaged by the postal workers.

[groepaz]

None of this changes the facts: It was common to do back in the days. And it didnt kill expansion ports all over the place. You can ramble about how its wrong forever, it doesnt change these facts.

Still waiting for that link...

[eslapion]

... You can ramble about how its wrong forever, it doesnt change these facts.

You're a bit like Donald Trump, you confuse facts with your personal opinion.

If you want facts, read the post from Vic-20-Ian. Heck, I'm not even the one with the best arguments. He is. Is he a 'strawman' too ? Irrelevant too ?

[groepaz]

You're a bit like Donald Trump, you confuse facts with your personal opinion.

So what of the following isnt fact?
1. It was common to do back in the days. (You can easily look it up on the pokefinder wiki once your tools let you use the internet)
2. It didnt kill expansion ports all over the place. (If it did, we'd sure all have heard about it, because 1.)
3. I am not opposing what Vic-20-Ian wrote (Already wrote that before)
4. Still waiting for that link (same)

[eslapion]

So what of the following isnt fact?
1. It was common to do back in the days. (You can easily look it up on the pokefinder wiki once your tools let you use the internet)

It was common for small time business and individuals. No decent business ever did that.

2. It didnt kill expansion ports all over the place. (If it did, we'd sure all have heard about it, because 1.)

A lot of cart ports became useless on the C64 and people didn't realize it was caused by that. The VIC-20 has larger contacts on the cart port so it was considerably more resilient. It sure did make a bunch of cartridges good for trash.

3. I am not opposing what Vic-20-Ian wrote (Already wrote that before)

Considering 1. and 2., it sure seems like it.

4. Still waiting for that link (same)

This is the AR MK IV which was made after the MK 3 and it doesn't have surface mount.
https://ar.c64.org/rrwiki/images/7/7c/A ... ay_MK4.jpg

It doesn't show well on the photo but yes, there is gold plating on that connector - it's just dirty because it was used a lot. It's just a cheap kind the same as I have on my SSV3 (was ROM upgraded to V4 but was purchased as V3).

Well well... wadayano... https://ar.c64.org/rrwiki/images/2/2b/A ... _open2.jpg

Looks like genuine Datel MK3s had HASL on the connector... and the connector is seriously worn out. I suppose somebody told them at some point you shouldn't do that because all the other revisions that followed had gold.

[groepaz]

It was common for small time business and individuals.

I never said anything different. It was common. A lot of the cards are probably homemade. Scroll back. read it up.

A lot of cart ports became useless on the C64 and people didn't realize it was caused by that.

As already said, i have yet to hear about a single case where it couldnt be made working fine again by cleaning it. Please provide proof for this claim. You are basically the only one repeating that this is a big problem.

Looks like genuine Datel MK3s had HASL on the connector...

no, really?

I suppose somebody told them at some point you shouldn't do that because all the other revisions that followed had gold.

or perhaps at some point it became cheaper so they switched the process?

Anyways, I was able to find that specific image through Google and what you have there IS NOT a genuine Action Replay MK3. It's a clone made by some guy and it wasn't made in the 1980s, it was made way after Commodore vanished.
Genuine Action Replay carts from Datel all used through-hole ICs. No surface mount in the real ones.

you still didnt provide that link

[eslapion]

Anyways, I was able to find that specific image through Google and what you have there IS NOT a genuine Action Replay MK3. It's a clone made by some guy and it wasn't made in the 1980s, it was made way after Commodore vanished.
Genuine Action Replay carts from Datel all used through-hole ICs. No surface mount in the real ones.

you still didnt provide that link

Excuse me ?? what exactly is THAT ? https://ar.c64.org/rrwiki/images/2/2b/A ... _open2.jpg

This is a Datel Action Replay MK3 and there is no surface mount on that PCB exactly as I claimed, all Through-hole exactly as I claimed.

The image you provided was this:

WrongtekAR.jpg (93.19 KiB) Viewed 789 times

Now you tell me just what that is because it's NOT an Action Replay MK3. I see a date code 04/90 and that's April 1990... wasn't made in the 1980s and it's certainly not MK3.

Added edit: Wikipedia says the MK4 came out in 1988, the MK5 in 1989 so your photo is a MK6. It did have gold plating.

[groepaz]

The image you provided was this:

No it wasnt. See here Are you confused?

[eslapion]

The image you provided was this:

No it wasnt. See here Are you confused?

I'm not but since pokefinder wasn't directly accessible to me, that's what fine crappy Norton led me to...

Just so everyone knows...

Yes, Norton Security really is that stupid.

[Vic20-Ian]

1. Mixed connectors is a bad design practice - Gold-Gold is best for these types of application
2. It is not safety critical in Vic20 but does degrade (which is a form of damage) the connector performance
3. There is no need for all the swearing
4. It is time to relax, have a beer, move on and play some games

[groepaz]

I'm not but since pokefinder wasn't directly accessible to me, that's what fine crappy Norton led me to...

So you claimed i linked some random other picture? OK

[eslapion]

4. It is time to relax, have a beer, move on and play some games

Having an engineering degree, I must concur with you. Alcohol is adequate for cleaning circuit boards and altering your mood.

So you claimed i linked some random other picture? OK

I'm claiming no such thing. I'm saying Norton did a total mess and you were doubly right about calling it 'snake oil'. Happy ?

[MCes]

Having an engineering degree(...)

Not documented information

[groepaz]

I'm claiming no such thing. I'm saying Norton did a total mess and you were doubly right about calling it 'snake oil'. Happy ?

you don't make any sense, but OK