VIC 1540

Roelie · Post by **Roelie** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:54 pm

A VIC 1540 with original ROMs

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:29 pm

And?

I can't help but notice that the above doesn't have the rare white power connectors.

shem · Post by **shem** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:07 pm

First i would like to say welcome to the forum

as for the 1540 nice find but are you just showing off or trying to sell it??
Where are you based

dragos · Post by **dragos** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:53 pm

Anyone else notice that it is a VC-1540? perhaps they did not have the white power connector?

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:07 pm

dragos wrote:Anyone else notice that it is a VC-1540? perhaps they did not have the white power connector?

I didn't. That's a good point. Hopefully someone can clarify.

Roelie · Post by **Roelie** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:50 am

Sorry that I didn't introduce myself.
But I live in Holland and I am 35 years old.

I bought this drive a few months ago on Marktlaats.
It was part of a collection of 2xc64, one 1541 II and this 1540 drive.
Total costs 15 Euro:)

Strangely the drive didn't work on a c64 and at first I thought that it was broken. After some reading on the internet it became clear why it didn't work:)

shem · Post by **shem** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:33 am

15 euros that is a deal of a century

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:13 am

dragos wrote:Anyone else notice that it is a VC-1540? perhaps they did not have the white power connector?

Good point. I'll have to update the WIKI to note this.

Roelie, I am going to put that close-up of the ROMs into the Denial Wiki article on the VIC-1540. If you have any objections, please let me know and I will remove the picture. (I will credit you).

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

I picked up my VIC-1540 for $4.99CAD from Computer Recyclers in Ottawa a few years ago (when you could still walk into the store).

Roelie · Post by **Roelie** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:47 am

ral-clan,

No problem. If you need more pictures or higher resolution, please let me know.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:09 pm

Roelie wrote:Strangely the drive didn't work on a c64 and at first I thought that it was broken. After some reading on the internet it became clear why it didn't work:)

I am not clear why. I don't have a C64 set up, but shouldn't the 1540 work on the C64? All it needs is some sort of software thingy sent to the ROM to slow down the transfer rates, no?

EDIT: Ah, I read the Wikipedia article on the 1540. You can't use a 1540 with C64 without replacing the ROMs to upgrade it to a 1541, it seems.

shem · Post by **shem** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:12 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong
but wasn' the original 1540 too fast for the c64 maybe thats why it didnt work hence the rom change and re naming to 1541

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:24 pm

shem wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong
but wasn' the original 1540 too fast for the c64 maybe thats why it didnt work hence the rom change and re naming to 1541

Yes, that's it, as I remember. Wasn't this due to some "bug" in the serial bus implementation of the C64 - they had to slow things down because of that?

Now, my 1540 drive needs alignment, so I haven't been using it lately. Instead I have a C64 1541 drive attached to my VIC-20 - as I know a lot of you folk do.

Do any of you actually send that command to slow down the 1541 each time you use it with your VIC-20? I never do, and haven't had a problem. What risks do I run by not doing this?

shem · Post by **shem** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:34 pm

I thought the command was only required when using a 1540 and a c64 and wasnt required with a 1541 as it is a slower version of the 1540

PaulQ · Post by **PaulQ** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:44 pm

ral-clan wrote: Now, my 1540 drive needs alignment, so I haven't been using it lately. Instead I have a C64 1541 drive attached to my VIC-20 - as I know a lot of you folk do.

Actually, I use my uIEC with the Vic 20 100% of the time now. My VIC-1541 is mostly ornamental.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 12:48 pm

shem wrote:I thought the command was only required when using a 1540 and a c64 and wasnt required with a 1541 as it is a slower version of the 1541

Now I'm quite confused. Can anyone straighten this one out?

I thought that ROM upgrades are required to use a VIC-1540 with a C64 (can you do it with software?), and a software commande was required to use a 1541 with a VIC.