tezza
Veteran Member
Just an update on some additions to my collection to anyone who might be interested:
I was given both a C16 and a Plus/4 by someone who didn't want them They were untested and had no PSUs.
The PSU on the Commodore 16 was easy. I just used a spare one I had for my Sinclair Spectrum. The PSU issue on the Plus/4 was solved by changing the square socket to a round one poached off a C64 junk-board plus some jumpering. I could then use the C64 PSU.
Both machines booted! The C16 is fine but the Plus/4 had an issue with tracks lifting off the delicate ribbon keyboard connector. I managed to hack up a fix but it will probably only last as long as the next time I unplug it. Despite this some of the keys take a fair amount of pressing to get a response. I'm sure it's the membrane rather than the connector at fault here. The feel of the Plus/4 keyboard has to be one of the worst I've come across. Very mushy, similar to my Atari 130XE.
As with my recent TI-99/4a find, getting these two machines made me find out a lot more about them. Even though they are certainly not classics and are generally derided, the whole TED thing is an interesting part of Commodore history in it's own right. I'll probably add them to my formal collection, get a software library, write a restoration article, make a video etc.
They will give me something to play with in the coming winter months here in New Zealand. The TI-99/4a will be done first though.
Tez
I was given both a C16 and a Plus/4 by someone who didn't want them They were untested and had no PSUs.
The PSU on the Commodore 16 was easy. I just used a spare one I had for my Sinclair Spectrum. The PSU issue on the Plus/4 was solved by changing the square socket to a round one poached off a C64 junk-board plus some jumpering. I could then use the C64 PSU.
Both machines booted! The C16 is fine but the Plus/4 had an issue with tracks lifting off the delicate ribbon keyboard connector. I managed to hack up a fix but it will probably only last as long as the next time I unplug it. Despite this some of the keys take a fair amount of pressing to get a response. I'm sure it's the membrane rather than the connector at fault here. The feel of the Plus/4 keyboard has to be one of the worst I've come across. Very mushy, similar to my Atari 130XE.
As with my recent TI-99/4a find, getting these two machines made me find out a lot more about them. Even though they are certainly not classics and are generally derided, the whole TED thing is an interesting part of Commodore history in it's own right. I'll probably add them to my formal collection, get a software library, write a restoration article, make a video etc.
They will give me something to play with in the coming winter months here in New Zealand. The TI-99/4a will be done first though.
Tez