Introduce Yourself: What's your User Name based on?

[Mayhem]

Welcome

If the Vic20 you bought needs a DIN (round) power plug, you can just get a C64 power supply as well to use with it, so you'll have more choice to work with.

Decent selection of cartridges there to start also, I spy a Miner 2049er in the corner, that's arguably worth the money you paid in itself heh.

[R'zo]

My vic take a 2 pin power supply but I know someone with an extra C=64 2 pin that he's willing to sell me if I'm ready and I have a few old cords laying around that should work fine for the plug.

[Mayhem]

Not sure those are compatible (anyone else care to chime in?). I'd check in advance before plugging it in.

[R'zo]

The guy said that is what he used for his vic.

[yogi]

Hi all,
Already posted to some threads but thought I would introduce myself formally. I'm Yogi, (pick this nick years ago based on the tee shirt I had on; that the kids got me 'cause I do a decent 'Hay Hay Hay, Bo Bo').

First computer: Super Elf kit, a RCA Cosmac 1802 based single board with 256B, AlphaNum LED displays and Hex key pad. Added a 2K ram expansion kit, think it had 16-2kx4b SRAMs.
First console: Atari 2600 VCS.
First HOME computer: Atari 800, 48K and two 810 drives.

Used/hack on the A800 till I discovered Win 3 on 486 PCs. Never did much programming on my PCs (every one I've had since the mid '90 was self built though). Never felt comfortable; too far removed from the hardware level of the machine.

So after I mothballed the A8, started getting my 8bit kicks playing with MCS 8052 uCs. Then switched to PIC 16F84 flash devices. Form time to time tried out Z8s and AVRs but the PICs are too much fun.

In 2000, while searching the web for info on repairing the cr@p DVD of the kids' shinny new Xbox, I found a page about coding for the A2600 VCS. *LIGHTBULB* Then discovered chiptunes, which was the perfect blend of HW and programming for me.

From there I've been doing Midibox and chiptune related projects along with some circuit bending on 'sound' toys in search of 'interesting noise'. Along the way I have 'collected' (more like horded if you talk to my wife) '80s and '90s game consoles and computers. Can't seem to say 'no' to old tech finds at thrift stores/flea markets/yard sales/helping a friend clean out a basement. It's a sickness, I tell you.

Current projects:
Active dev- Midibox STM32F4 based YM2612 FM synth.
In alpha testing- NES music sync controller.
Awaiting parts/time- MBSeq V4lite and MB6582 SID Synth; Shruthi synth; A800XL U1MB/duel Pokey/Covox upgrade; A couple of Littlescale's Teensey based midi interfaces; ......
Todo list- well lets not go there, like I said 'It's a sickness'

Glad to have found this list, I very much under estimated the VIC but I'm growing to love this little machine.

Side note: Way back, '81 I think ( before I got my A800), I had wrangled a pass to the winter CES (grew up in Las Vegas). At the show was THE brand new VIC 20; oh I did everything I could think of to try and get them to sell me a 'show special deal'. But alas, went home empty handed and determined to get a 'Home' computer!
Hmmm, think I've overdone it a bit.
Yogi

[Ninjinister]

I studied Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu...
and I'm a licensed minister.

[Kakemoms]

Kakemoms is something of a joke. I started to play Runescape many years ago and instead of registering as "Deadlydragonmotherkiller" as the rest I just became "Kakemoms". It means Cake-munching in Norwegian.

Why am I here? Well, my first was a Vic-20 and I bought a used one earlier this year and want to use it for new things. It has been hooked up with a 1541 disk drive and my old 1084 monitor (which I have used for almost 30 years now!). I also bought a 16K expander which turned up to give me 24K for some reason (or 32K, I haven't checked). The latest investments are a set of Commodore Paddles and the VIC-1011A serial interface (RS-232). I will use the RS-232 to communicate with a Eurotherm temperature controller once I get it.

My Vic-20 has the original Italian packaging. I also found the original cardboard box for my 1084, while the 1541 was not packaged. I use Zoom Floppy XUM to get software from the net onto DSDD floppies. The DSDD floppies were a gift from a pensioned engineer at the local university. An unopened box (in plastic wrapping) from around 1990 were just sitting in his office!

Other things I own: my old C64. I found that it wasn't working well because the power supply was dead (but the Vic-20 PSU powerd it up!). A "new" Amiga 1200.. Lots of other stuff.

[Mike]

my old C64. I found that it wasn't working [...] (but the Vic-20 PSU powerd it up!).

The C64 requires more current than the VIC-20 and this will overload your VIC-20 PSU.

When the 5V regulator then overheats, it will short, giving you a defective PSU with overvoltage on the 5V line, a defective C64; and a defective VIC-20 as soon as you connect that PSU to it!

The other way round, operating a VIC-20 with a (working!) C64 PSU, is save.

[Kakemoms]

my old C64. I found that it wasn't working [...] (but the Vic-20 PSU powerd it up!).

The C64 requires more current than the VIC-20 and this will overload your VIC-20 PSU.

When the 5V regulator then overheats, it will short, giving you a defective PSU with overvoltage on the 5V line, a defective C64; and a defective VIC-20 as soon as you connect that PSU to it!

The other way round, operating a VIC-20 with a (working!) C64 PSU, is save.

Well, they are both rated 220-240V, 33VA with 9V 1A and 5V 1,5A output. So it is perfectly safe. In fact, its the same model for both machines.

[orion70]

Nope. They have different specs. Take a look HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE:

People who accidentally or intentionally powered their 64 with the power supply of a VIC-20 revision C often damaged their 64 when the 5V regulator in the power supply failed and output excessive voltage resulting in damage to the 64's CMOS DRAM chips.

[beamrider]

Maybe he has two C64 PSUs. I recall reading that some late VICs were shipped with C64 PSUs as they standardised on a single model for cost reduction?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[orion70]

That's definitely possible. The C64 model is somehow the "universal" PSU.

[Kakemoms]

Maybe he has two C64 PSUs. I recall reading that some late VICs were shipped with C64 PSUs as they standardised on a single model for cost reduction?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Well here they are. As you can see it is the same PSU for both machines:

Vic20:
http://z81i.imgup.net/VIC20-PSU06c3.png

C64:
http://f21i.imgup.net/C64-PSUb126.png

I bought the Vic-20 second hand, so it may be a late one.

By the way - the C64 PSU is dead. It is flat on the 5V output after letting out the magic smoke.

[Sgt.Rock]

Hello all. Here's how I chose my username: The first video game that I ever played PvP which was able to be played through dial-up was Command & Conquer that I bought in 1996. My neighbor had bought it too and we decided to play modem to modem. I had to pick a name so I wanted something to do with military since C&C was a military game. When I was young, my dad used to buy lots of comic books, some superhero ones (Moon Knight, ROM, Ghost Rider, and others), some western comics (Jonah Hex, Scalphunter, etc.) and mostly world war two comics (Haunted Tank, World at War, Unknown Soldier, Sgt.Rock and Easy Company, Sgt.Rock and his Howling Commandoes, etc.) among some strange ones that were still fun to read (House of Mystery, Swamp Thing, Man Thing, etc.), and the only military user name I could think of was Sgt.Rock and I've stuck with it ever since.

[Bluebook]

Hi guys, so great to finally be here! Greetings from UK Essex !

I am 43 years old and My Username is based upon "Project Bluebook" which dates back to purchasing "The Unexplained" Orbis UK Magazines..Remember them? -Also at this time I believe I did have my first computer....my VIC20

I remember getting the Vic20 in the early 80's and it came with 4 cartridges - Raid on Fort Knox, Mole Attack, Gorf and Adventure Land. (no tape deck - this was purchased later on when I realised I would have to save up like £40-£50 pocket money for one game! I believe the Tape deck cost me £50 back then but a worthy investment and I recall purchasing pretty much all Mastertronic games and such.

I unfortunately didn't keep my VIC20 (shame on me!) but do have now two boxed ones. I will now keep them forever! (inc. Jelly Monsters Cart which is a great game but my all time favourite was Rockman which I mapped and completed at the time)

What has revived this for me is new modern innovating tech interacting with old computers ... and new Homebrew games...this is all simply amazing guys! I recently purchased the SD2IEC and Mini Vic20 32kb Ram Expansion Cartridge. I would love the Megacart but am told already a years wait ! I am also interested in how we can create our own favourite custom games collection and get them onto one cartridge .. I will take a look at your forums